RSCM Report: The Gathering

July 22: Monday

This was the travel day to the RSCM Course in St. Louis. I love solo road trips; it always takes me a while to adjust to others in the car. But I soon relaxed, enjoyed conversation with Judith, and delighted in the young choristers in the back seat, Lucy and Ted, with their conversation and songs and games. I thought of other years, other choristers, now grown up.

These days are precious, and ever so fleeting.

Many friends from past courses were there at Todd Hall when we arrived, including some who had been long absent. I was delighted to see them. But again, these days are precious, and ever so fleeting: I learned this evening that Mr. B. is retiring after sixteen years as course manager. My first thought was that this might be the last St. Louis Course. By the end of the week, I came to believe that it will continue in some form, but I did not feel that way on Monday when I heard the news, and it hung over me like a cloud through much of the week. With almost everything that happened, I had the sense that it might be the last time.

I delighted in Ted, at his first course and his first rehearsal, volunteering to read a stanza of text. I sat in the tenor section beside Max at the first rehearsal -- Max, who was still a treble this spring. Mike was now sitting behind the table at registration as assistant to Mr. B., a leadership position where I am sure he will excel. It is they -- all these young folk and others like them across the world -- who will take the Song through the days to come.

July 23: Deposuit potentes

Fecit potentiam in brachio suo;
Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui,
Deposuit potentes de sede,
Et exaltavit humiles.

He hath showed strength with his arm;
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
And hath exalted the humble and meek.

For the first time at this Course, we are singing Lutheran Vespers instead of Anglican Evensong. That means that we have a Latin Magnificat, a fine setting by Pachelbel. It is my first time singing the Latin text, and I am glad to learn it.

The Magnificat is the sovereign answer of Our Lady and Holy Mother Church to the mystery of iniquity, and all of its powers in this world. The infancy narrative of St. Luke is in Greek, not Hebrew. But there may well be an older Hebrew or Aramaic narrative behind it. Certainly it reflects a Semitic manner of thought more than the rest of St. Luke's Gospel.

It is far from obvious that "he hath put down the mighty from their seat." To all visible evidence, they remain firmly in control. But part of the genius of Hebrew and Aramaic verbs is that they do not concern themselves very much with past, present, or future in the same way as the verbs of European languages. As I understand it, the primary concern is more with whether an action is completed -- past or future is of little account.

From the introduction to my Hebrew Psalter:

... future events are often described in past tense, because the prophet has already seen these events occur in his prophetic vision.

Every Evensong, every Vespers, whether spoken or sung, is our testimony that these things are true: "He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek." This is a completed action, and the answer to all my doubts and fears.

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The musical balance is different for Vespers as compared with Anglican Evensong. The Anglicans have sophisticated choral settings of the Preces and Responses; the equivalents at Vespers (whether Lutheran or Roman Catholic; they are almost identical in form) are much simpler. This is a loss for an RSCM Course, because rehearsal on Preces and Responses builds concentration like few other forms of music. One must be at the height of alertness to sing them well.

I miss the Nunc Dimittis, which in the Anglican service is usually a quiet counterpoint to the Magnificat. But having only the one Canticle, the Magnificat can be (and usually is) a more extensive and challenging setting, like the one we sang.

It is worth noting that although Luther put much of the liturgy into the vernacular, he left some parts in Latin, at least for some occasions and places: the Magnificat is one example. The finest Lutheran setting of this canticle is of course the one by J. S. Bach, BWV 243, a major work for choir, soloists, and orchestra running about thirty minutes.

This is far beyond what we could do in one week at an RSCM Course. The Pachelbel setting, however, was perfectly suited for us. Here is an energetic performance of it by a young European choir (I don't recognize the language spoken at the beginning; it is perhaps from one of the Baltic countries such as Latvia?)


July 23 (continued): Beati quorum via

Beata quorum via integra est:
Qui ambulant in lege Domini (Psalm 119:1)

We learned this motet today, this fine setting by Stanford. In one day we took it from a first reading to performance at Vespers. A copy of this has resided in my personal library for decades, beautiful and unapproachable. I longed to sing it someday, but knew that I would never have the opportunity with any choir that I direct. And here we are today, singing it.

I was selected for the semichorus in the Pachelbel Magnificat, which is also the schola for the plainsong Psalmody. The group consists of four sopranos -- Elizabeth, Jenna, Kyle, Meara; Kristin and Erika on alto; Mike and Mark on bass; Eddie and me on tenor. It is an immense honor to sing with these people, most of whom I have known for many years through this Course (and two of them through our choir at home). I wish I could do more singing with them, to revel in the musicianship of this group. As it was, we had only one short rehearsal together plus the warmup on Saturday evening.

Along with the Stanford, we sang the Pachelbel at Vespers, a service that began with one of the high school singers, Kyle, at the organ for the opening voluntary. I have known for years that she is a fine choral singer. How splendid it was to learn that she is now an organist! May God's blessings be with her.

The day included good conversations with an old friend whom I did not expect to see again at the Course; a new friend, Stephen; and Michael, who is perhaps on his way toward ordination. This week he is the assistant chaplain, leading Morning Prayer and weekday Vespers. In his sermon, based on the Beatitudes lesson (for the Feast of St. Thomas á Kempis), he spoke of how blessed we are in singing here, in being gathered as a community this week. "Blessed are those whose way has integrity; who walk in the law of the Lord."

I bless the Lord for these people young and old: their music, the presence of Christ among us, gathered in his name; and for this day so perfect that I would cling to it, save for the knowledge that it endures in the mind of God forever.