The Music Exchange

I don’t know what you think of doing solo musical items in a congregational meeting. I blow hot and cold on the issue.

I used to organise a lot more solo stuff, but recently (other than Christmas and Good Friday), I can only remember doing one item in the last year.

I don’t think that there is any right or wrong about it — some like to have time to sit, listen and reflect (that’s why Good Friday gives an excellent opportunity for solos). Others would rather use the time singing with the rest of the congregation than listening to someone else doing it for them. Others are not particularly into music, and aren’t bothered either way. I’m probably a bit of the second and third group, so I need to work harder than others at encouraging those who find musical slots beneficial.

Here are some questions to think through if you have the opportunity and musicians available:

Will it help the teaching?

Will the musical item help encourage the congregation? That is, will the content of what will be sung help with the flow of the meeting, and will it underline what will be taught in the sermon? Don’t stick an item in just because that’s what you’ve been rehearsing for weeks, or because you heard it on Classic FM, and would love to ‘perform it’ at church.

I was brought up through the cathedrals, where singing to the congregation was more the done thing than singing with the congregation. It never crossed my mind that any of the congregation would be there to listen to God’s Word, and not listen to the choir and organ. In fact, during a weekday evensong, the organist played an introductory piece, then we sang some responses, then we sang the set psalms for the day, a ‘Magnificat’ (Mary’s song), a ‘Nunc Dimittis’ (Simeon’s song), more responses, an anthem (a piece of Scripture set to music which sometimes took 10-15 minutes), and then the organist played a voluntary at the end. Phew! I never thought about the congregation being part of it at all.

Never mind the quality?

Is the item the highest quality we can achieve? Don’t be afraid to pull the plug if one of the singers sounds like they’ve swallowed a hoover, or if the guitarist has trapped his fingers in his canary. It’s nail-bitingly awful when someone’s out the front struggling away, and even more awful if that person thinks that they’re not struggling at all. I’m still haunted by a service at Norwich Cathedral, where I took a choir of 11-year olds to sing evensong about 12 years ago. The children were rather overawed by the occasion, and I was rather under-prepared in rehearsal. The letter from the cathedral’s Precentor regretted that the psalm singing was ‘absolutely dire’. If you’re reading this, sorry, Mr. Precentor.

Words and music

Is the musical item Word-focussed, not music-focussed? If the slot is purely instrumental with no sung word, then we have to give people the benefit of the doubt that they are meditating on Jesus in their heads. This is possible to a certain extent within the context of a Christian gathering, but it’s much more likely that we end up meditating on the music itself — ‘that’s a nice tune’, or, ‘that’s a nice flute’, or, ‘I could do better than that on my kazoo’. In general, instrumental items can be more of a distraction than a help. This is the same with over-worked introductions to songs. In this case, less is more.

I think organ voluntaries fit into this category (though I’m happy if others disagree). I would much rather hear the last song being played gently so that my mind is filled with the words of that song than for it to be filled with Bach or Franck, however rousing. I once caused Dr. John Pollock (one of John Newton’s biographers) to jump out of his skin with a piece of heart-stopping Messiaen. If you’re reading this, sorry, Dr. Pollock.

Reaction

Finally, whatever your conscience decides is right and fitting, be ready for any reaction. Deflect praise to Jesus, accept criticism graciously, and learn to say sorry when mistakes are made. As you can see, I’ve made some howlers in my time. No need to resign though, unlike Chris Brindley, manager of my football team, Hednesford Town, who resigned this very morning. We’ve just conceded 20 goals in five games. If you’re reading this, sorry, Mr. Brindley.

Going solo

Will it help the teaching?

Never mind the quality?

Words and music

Reaction

Richard Simpkin

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