This post exposes my music snobbery. Please look away if you're going to judge me, or if you're a lover of "LDS music" as a genre. I don't want to offend anyone. But...
I am a Classical pianist, so my library includes Classical piano music. This music is generally secular, even though many of the composers wrote fantastic sacred choral, vocal, or other instrumental pieces. Bach's life was spent as a church composer, but most of his keyboard music (including the Well-Tempered Clavier, the French and English Suites, and the Partitas) is secular. Handle wrote The Messiah for choir and orchestra, but wrote nothing sacred for the keyboard. Beethoven and Mozart were kings of the sonata. Chopin, Schumann, Schubert, Debussy, Poulenc...all wrote fabulous secular piano music, none of which I think are appropriate for sacrament meeting, since it is a sacred meeting of worship, and not a recital.
That leaves my choices for sacrament meeting limited to arrangements of hymns. I think that there are many lovely vocal and instrumental arrangements of hymns, but for some reason, it just doesn't translate well to the piano. The LDS Church Pop Genre has had way too much of an influence on "Mormon Composers", and they end up arranging hymns for piano by arpeggiating the accompaniment and modulating as a form of emotional manipulation. I can't stand it. To me, it screams "Hey, I'm a fraud of a composer, and I'm desperately trying to manipulate you into feeling something!"
I have tried to put my sadly negative feelings on this matter aside and pick something out that will do for this meeting. I even found a decent arrangement of a primary song that I don't hate. In the end, I have decided on one of Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words. It's a bit risky since it's not a hymn, but Spiff assures me that it will invite the spirit. I wonder if anyone will ask me afterwards what hymn I was playing?
If you know of any great piano solos to play in sacrament meeting, please enlighten me. I would love to have a nice library of beautiful, spiritual piano solos in my library. It would sure make this process easier for me the next time around.
8 comments:
We once had a young woman in the ward play a piece that she had composed herself. There were no hymnal undertones present in that piece & I found it to be one of the most moving pieces of music I had ever heard. For what it's worth, I find most things from Debussey to be spiritual. Good luck.
The only time I have ever played a solo in Sacrament meeting was for SPiff's mission farewell, and I also played a Mendelssohn Song Without Words. Was it Consolation? I"m not sure. I'd have to look at the music. I know I could hum it for you.
Obviously your first choice should have been a musical arpeggio version of THEY PIIIIEERRRRCED THEEEEMMMM because that isn't sacrilegious AT ALL.
I feel like some classical secular music doesn't have to be recital-y, because I think it still invites the spirit. I have heard Clair de Lune which I thought was very pretty and appropriate. One I'd like to do but my hands are too small is that version of Ave Maria that has a Bach invention in the left hand going -- do you know the one I mean? I like it, but my hands are wee and I don't play it very fluidly. To the hand stretcher, Schumann!
Mhana, my sister just told me about the time when a RS teacher asked her to sing His Hands at the end of her lesson. The whole time she was practicing it, she was asking herself how in the world she was going to make it through with a straight face. And to make the story better, the lesson ran 20 minutes over...and the teacher still had her sing it.
I swear that is the very worst song in the world if you're talking about emotional manipulation. Blech.
Being completely without musical talent, I can't really offer any suggestions other than why does it have to be LDS church music? Can't you play something classical? To my heart, that type of music brings the Spirit just as much. And I guess if they're scandalized by you, you won't have to do it again.
Tough gig- you'll be playing for a group that will have high expectaions & lots of opinions. You may be over thinking things under those circumstances. Aaron Copeland's "Simple Gifts" or Sibelius' "Finlandia" both come to mind. There are numerous arrangemnets of "Beautiful Savior"/"The Crusaders' Hymn." I would check before using "Ave Maria" - it may be one that is so associated with catholicism that we are asked NOT to use it in sacrament meeting. Choose something that flows under your fingers and calms the soul. My repetoir is pitifully small - they get what I might have ready.
I would probably also just chose an appropriate classical piece. You play so beautifully and I have every confidence in your choice.
I agree with Spiff. A beautiful song played well (like I know you do) can certainly invite the spirit. And to anyone who disagrees, they can keep their Janice Kapp Perry and the like.
As someone who studied classical violin, I feel your pain.
I personally find great spiritual uplifting in a beautifully written classical piece of music. Any enduring classical music that is played with true emotion, the way a piece was meant to be heard can be inspiring.
Have you seen this TED talk? It is my very favorite
http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html
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