December 2001
Choosing the Music	Show Menu

We have had a quite a number of responses to the invitation in Soundboard 1 about how the music is selected in different churches. As expected, there is no standard approach. Several organists have reported that they have sole responsibility for choosing the music. In the Editor’s church (St Mary, Howth), he and the rector meet once each month, and choose the music for the following month. However, it is a fairly common occurrence for the organist to have a phone call from the Rector on a Saturday night to suggest a change — for a hymn that suits the theme of the following day’s sermon. The Rector says this keeps the choir on its toes! Some of the responses of interest follow.

Dr Neville Cox (St Patrick’s Dalkey)

This indeed is a matter of interest for me as I have found it increasingly problematic. In my church, where I have enjoyed an absolutely first class relationship with two rectors, I have exclusive responsibility for selecting the music. The problem with this is that after ten years in the job (and with frankly very limited musical taste), I have become increasingly one-dimensional in this respect. In order to obviate the risks associated with this fact (and I genuinely believe that there is a case for organists not staying in a parish for longer than ten years for the sake on the development of worship in that parish), I intend setting up a liturgy/music group in the church which will select hymns, etc., on a bimonthly basis to cover the relevant period. Thankfully I have an excellent and most enthusiastic choir, which can learn music very quickly and will be able to cope with what will hopefully be an onrush of new hymns come September.

Donald Maxwell (St Matthias, Killiney/Ballybrack)

Donald reports that the church has a worship committee that chooses the music. This conmiittee consists of the Rector, Organist, and a representative from each of the choir, Sunday school and the congregation. He says that the system works OK.

Philip Lawton (various churches!)

Philp writes: As organist of All Saints’ Grangegorman (my first appointment), I chose the hymns for all services in both the parish church and the chapel of St Brendan’s Hospital. I usually did this on the basis of providing the Vicar (then Pat Carmody) with the suggested music for three months, a month or six week in advance. He would then make any changes, in con- sultation with me, that he felt necessary. I was extremely fortunate in having worked with my predecessor, Victor Leeson, and having been brought up in the parish, I was very nuch in tune with the liturgical tastes of the parishioners and the traditional style of worship practised.

For the year I played in Carbury and Clonbuiloge (while living in Edenderry), I would meet the rector, Robert Deane, on a monthly basis and we would choose the hymns together. For special occasions it was usual to gather together a small adult choir and, depending on the service, an anthem or other special piece would be chosen, again with the rector’s agreement, but at my instigation. Music for weddings and funerals were usually left to me — with the proviso that unsuitable hymns would not be used.

The year I “subbed” at St John’s Sandymount, the hynms were chosen by Maurice Carey, without reference to the organist, while hymns for the chapel at St John’s House of Rest were chosen by some of the resident ladies and myself. On occasions, the question of finding known tunes to lesser-known hymns arose, and this was the responsibility of the organist.

In my present seat — St Audeon’s (Cornmarket) — John Crawford chooses the hymns, which I get on a monthly basis. I have reasonable freedom to substitute tunes if necessary, but with a new hymnal it is something I am reluctant to do. How else will new tunes ever be anything but unknown?

David Bedlow

David is organist of Christ Church, Leeson Park, and has also, for the last few months been playing on alternate Sundays for the Roman Catholic community in St Audeon’s High Street. He writes: At Leeson park, for over fifteen years, I have chosen all the music, i.e., hymns, psalms and chants, canticle settings, Eucharist settings, and anthems. I draw up the list once a month, in advance, and submit it to the Rector for approval. I think only once, it was suggested that an alternative hymn be substituted. I have always believed that it is most important that the music selected should be within the capacity of, and be
suitable for, the singers available.

At Audeon’s it is somewhat different. Here I play the organ only: I do not normally train the choir or take choir rehearsals, though during services I do conduct the choir in unaccompanied motets. So far as I can ascertain, the music is chosen by the choir, and each Sunday, a few moments before the mass is due to begin, a message is sent to the organ loft, saying which parts of the ordinary of the mass, the priest wishes to be sung. It means living — or at any rate — playing, by one’s wits. More than once, a piece of paper with a hand-written melody (only) of a hymn tune has been thrust on the music desk and I have improvised a harmonisation at three seconds notice! In these circumstances, avoiding consecutives can be another source of satisfaction.

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