PERSONAL INVENTORY IF you were not satisfied with your choir last season: If the attendance was not what you had hoped for; and disci- pline left something to be desired; if the children's response was half-hearted:--then check your stock of the following items: I. ENTHUSIASM. Can you get excited about your work? Or is it an endurance contest? If you find it dull and depressing, you can be sure it is the same for the children. How you feel about your work is as important as how much you know about it. And how you feel about it is sure to be re- flected in the children. You have a job that is worth getting enthusiastic about. Enjoy the fine experiences it brings you, and learn to forget the little irritations. What happens in rehearsal may influence a whole life. 2. CAN YOU OVERLOOK? Benjamin Franklin once said, "There is a time to wink, and a time to see." Learn to distinguish be- tween natural ordinary wiggling, and intentional disturbance. 3.INTERESTING. Discipline, anyhow, is a sign of failure. If you could make the work interesting enough, there would be little trouble. More work and less worry: Learning music can be either exciting or dull. What it is to you, it will surely be to the children, too. 4.HUMOR. If you can't see a joke, work on yourself until you can. If something funny happens in rehearsal, enjoy the situation and let everybody else enjoy it, too. It's much better for everybody to laugh together, than for some to be laughing at others. The better your sense of humor, the more you will enjoy your children. 5.HUMAN. Don't set yourself up as infallible. If you make a mistake, admit it. Keep a kindly human attitude. An act of kindness brings more respect than harsh disciplinary measures. More is accomplished through love than fear. Every Children's Choir director should possess these five qualities in some degree. If you are dissatisfied with your choir, it will pay to take inventory of your supply of these five qualities. (Adapted) CHORISTERS GUILD LETTERS Volume XI 1959-1960 Number I September CHORISTERS' GUILD Box 211 Santa Barbara, California Copyright (c) 1959 -- Choristers' Guild 1. ANTHEMS USED IN THE READING SESSIONS CHORISTERS' GUILD SUMMER SEMINAR - LAKE FOREST COLLEGE Lake Forest, Illinois - - August 3 - 7, 1959 Numbers included in the Complimentary Folder Christmas O came, little children-Schulz-Wasner G. Schirmer 10612 sa very simple. Saw you never in the twilight - Lovelace Gray 2553 interesting. Sing we Noel - Pitcher Birchard 5264 compelling rhythm. Thanksgiving Good folk who dwell on earth - K. K. Davis Wood 731 sab. Praise to the Lord - Rohlig Concordia 98-1448 (choir copy) simple hymn tune with elaborate organ interludes, and trumpet for choirs and congregation. Lent and Easter Forth He came at Easter-Williams Gray 2523 easy, with interesting acc. I know that my Redeemer lives - Bunjes Concordia 98-1462, similar to "Praise to the Lord". O love of God - Thiman Novello MT 1195 sab. General God is working His purpose out-Wehr Choral Services 154 for Teen Agers. To Christ our King - Roff Surnmy-Birchard 5215. O Lord, our Governor-Marcello Concordia CH 1045 rewarding unison. Lord and Savior, true and kind-Bach-Lovelace Flammer 86162 sa fine text. Extra We Sing to Learn - Jane Marshall C. Fischer. A clever collection of songs designed to correct vocal faults. These are fun songs that pay vocal dividends. Additional Numbers on Consignment *Alleluia - Mozart Lorenz 8551. An Awakening - Robson Novello ss 1837. Come, Holy Spirit, Come - Wolff Concordia 98-1356. Dear Christians, praise God evermore - Kindermann Concordia LD 503. Easter flowers are blooming bright - Lovelace Gray 2513. God's World - Caldwell Remick R 3316. Hymn Prayer - Latham Summy-Birchard 5199. Loving Shepherd of the sheep - Lenel Concordia 98-1404. O gracious King - Thompson Lorenz 9567. O Lord of heaven and earth and sea - Larson Paul A. Schmitt 209. O Jesus, I have promised - Casner Concordia 98-1459. Psalm of praise - Darst Gray 2471. Savior, like a shepherd lead us - Wolff Concordia 98-1358. Sing gloria - Davis Remick R.3232 satb and Jr. The shepherd - Brook Oxford 149 ss. We tread upon Thy carpets - Whittlesey Flammer 86153 sa. *With a voice of singing - Shaw G. Schirmer 10227 sa. *Your songs to Jesus raise - Robson Novello HC22. * - The only numbers not very easy (this list included in this issue for those unfortunate GUILDERS who could not attend the Lake Forest Summer School. what a good time they missed). 2. 7( -) ••••••• 12) ,(s..,,,/,._ / _---/ - ---k.1 -- THE CHRISTIAN YEAR (to help in planning the season's musical program) ADVENT begins the Christian year as January does the civil year. It is the time when Christians prepare for the celebration of Christmas. This season of ex- pectancy begins on the Sunday nearest Nov. 30th, and continues through Christmas Eve. Pulpit hangings for this season are violet colored. CHRISTMASTIDE, the season of the nativity, celebrat the birth of Christ. It continues from Christmas Day .3 through January 5th. The pulpit hangings.for this seasO are white. EPIPHANY, in which is included the coming of the Wisemen, commemorates Christ as the light of the world. It comes from the Greek word meaning, "manifestation of God." It continues from January 6th through the day be fore Ash Wednesday. The pulpit hangings during this period are white. TENT, the season of penitence and renewal comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "spring". This period is designed to deepen the devotional life and to prepare the believer for the celebration of Easter. It con- tinues from Ash Wednesday through Easter Eve. The color for this season is violet. EASTERTIDE, celebrates the resurrection of Christ an its message of the immortality of the soul. It con- tinues from Easter through the day before Whitsunday,o Pentacost. The color is white. WHITSUNTIDE, the season of expansion and growth of the church. Pentacost is considered the birthday of th Christian Church. It came to be called Whitsunday fro the white robes which candidates wore for baptism. Whitsuntide begins the seventh Sunday after Easter and(' ' continues until Kingdomtide. The color is green. KINGDOMTIDE, the season of the Kingdom of God on earth, is intended as a time for emphasizing the moral and ethical obligations of the Christian. It begins the last Sunday in August and continues until Advent. The color is green. 3. HYMN STUDY WHEN THY HEART WITH JOY OlERFLOWING This hymn is a good lesson in "What to do When". Can you fill in the What to do in your own words? First stanza: When you are very happy about something, then Second stanza: When you are blessed with more than you deserve, then Third stanza: When you long to do something big and courageous, then Fourth stanza: Whenever you share willingly with others, then Each stanza in this hymn has only two phrases: when and then. Can you sing each stanza like that, in only two breaths? When thy heart with joy o'erflowing sings a thankful prayer (breath) In thy joy 0 let thy brother with thee share. After which word will you breathe in the second stanza? The third? ; the fourth? •,'" • 6-kb J cl e-4 t Ci' F This is the way the tenor part would look if it were written in the treble clef. Can you play this part, while someone sings the soprano part? Try it. ( ) Can you sing it and play it, while someone else sings the soprano part? Can you sing it without the piano,while someone else sings the soprano? When you can put a check in each box, you have a perfect score. Put a check over the Ab every time it appears in this melody. This is your key note (or anchor note). If you can remember how it sounds, perhaps you could sing this melody without any help from the piano. ) 4. PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SINGING CHURCH Why a singing church? 1. It is an opportunity for active participation. 2. It opens resources of helpful, comforting, strengthening thoughts. 3.It requires active participation which is physically vitalizing. 4. Hymns emphasize the essence of basic religious truth and experience. Hairsplitting theological nicities do not make good music. Whole Christian world meets on the foundation of fine hymns. 5.It unifies. Why do service organizations have song leaders? Why do colleges have school songs? What conditions encoure a singing church? 1. Acoustics. Do I feel surrounded by tone, or as if I were singing a solo? 2. The prevading atmosphere. Are others around me singing with enthusiasm? Is the choir singing with me, or at me? 3. Organ - does it lead the congregation, or drag it along? Does it reflect the text, or play all the stanzas like asteamcaliope? Does it over-dramatize the hymn? Is the Amen a summation of the thought and,mood, or a dismal appendage? 4. Familiarity - personal association. Can't blame people for preferring hymns associated with their childhood and early religious experiences. Our job is to replace rather than discard. What can you do to encourage a singing church? 1. Have the vision, patience and persistence to educate them. 2.Plan a hymn study program for the whole year, the whole church. Plan with the minister. Set the music committee to the task of a survey. hymns used during past years; how often used. favorite hymns of congregation. hymns used in church school; any progressive plan? Get together a representative committee to select the hymns to be used.