Missing the Choral Ensemble
Quarantine 2020 brings many adjustments to normal life, including assembling together, guaranteed in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and, if we are to conquer the pandemic called Coronavirus, all of us are required to make sacrifices, no matter how great.
But, folks, this pilgrim loves to sing, especially with other people, and preferably with S’s, A’s, T’s, and B’s (Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses). For years, I have told my choirs that God wired me to sing, and I cannot but sing! In the past few weeks, choirs have been 'meeting' through social media platforms. While these cyber-gatherings provide visual connection, and aural conversation, it is not the same as singing together in the choir rehearsal room. There is nothing quite like joining my voice with the voices of other human souls in the same acoustically designed room - and making music as one. It’s called … singing in ensemble! To this pilgrim, singing is as natural as breathing; in fact, I sing throughout much of my day, and (inaudibly) when I awaken during the night. But, singing with others is just different. Frankly, it’s better. Because, when I join my voice with other voices in ensemble then I become part of something far greater than the sum of its parts. We harmonize, we sing the same rhythms (well, mostly), we sing beautiful melody, and accompany that melody with our voices (S’s, A’s, T’s, and B’s). Every assigned part becomes ONE. I once attempted to explain to a colleague that harmonizing with other voices is part of my worship expression. He was a bit befuddled, even though he was and remains a good singer.
My singing is a prayer, O Lord, a prayer of thanks and praise;
In music, Lord, I worship Thee; Thy beauty fills my days.
I give my talents, Lord, to thee, my mind and heart and voice,
For Thou alone art worthy, Lord; in Thee I do rejoice.
Accept the worship of my heart, accept my music, too:
Help me to live always for Thee, Lord, keep me strong and true.
O bless me, Lord, and help me sing Thy love so full and free;
And bless all those who listen, Lord, help them to worship Thee.*
Each Advent Season we read the Luke Chapter Two account of angels filling the sky and offering their voices in praise to God: GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST! Imagine countless angels singing as one enormous chorus on the night Immanuel was born! What a glorious sight … and sound!
In the fall of 1978, when I was a freshman music major at OBU, I auditioned for the OBU Chorale, a mixed chorus, and was accepted. For four years, four or five days a week, I joined my voice with fifty others making beautiful music together. It was in that carefully disciplined choir that I first heard - and felt fifty voices singing as “locked-in” ensemble, and I discovered the magic of many voices singing as one. (Thank you, James D. Woodward!) I will never forget the artistic euphoria that flowed through every fiber of my being - mind, body, and soul. Since then, I have been privileged to stand before many wonderful choirs, leading them in glorious music that leaves all present, performer and listener alike, spellbound.
From time to time, society considers choir as something optional. Such is usually brought on by someone or ones who either have never discovered the joy of singing in ensemble, or simply have limited understanding of the 'choral experience,' as Ray Robinson called it. Once, during a staff retreat, a colleague asked if I thought choir would go away once our generation had passed from this life. I responded saying, not only will choir not cease when we are gone, but as long as there are two, three, or four human beings walking the face of Earth, there will be choir - people joining their voices as one, because humankind was made to sing, and sing together.
In the past few weeks, Planet Earth has gotten really small. At present, humankind is, perhaps for the first time in history, truly One People fighting One Enemy. This battle is likely to endure longer - and be even more costly than most of us would ever have imagined. However, when this Malady is past, and all (or most) of the dust has settled, I predict congregational singing in houses of worship will be louder and more robust than ever. I further predict that choirs large and small will once again thrive, filling lofts, rehearsal rooms, and concert stages as never before. What a day, glorious day that will be!
Through social media, I am blessed to keep in touch with minister-musicians with whom I have made music dating back to high school days, and 1980 as a professional church musician. Most of these are former and current choir members; we ‘follow’ one another because, at one time, we sang together, and we each and all feel truly connected with one another. This is the spirit of choir.
Let all the world in every corner sing: My God and King!
The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow,
Let all the world in every corner sing: My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing: My God and King!
The CHURCH WITH PSALMS MUST SHOUT, no door can keep them out;
But more than all, the heart must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing: My God and King!**
The next time you see and hear a choir, offer thanks to God for the gift of freely assembling together, and the joy of making music with other human voices and spirits. And, perhaps you will find a choir and discover the delight, the joy ineffable that comes through singing with others.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17)
© Paul R. Magyar, DMA, 2020
*My Singing Is a Prayer, Novella D. Preston Jordan (1901-1991)
**Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, George Herbert (1593-1633), text;
Ryan Murphy, music
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