“Sing modestly,” Reverand Kari Henkelmann urged the audience from where she stood in the blue-and-green dotted apse of Battell Chapel. “Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony, but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodius sound. Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing.”
A few of the chorus members around her nodded silently to themselves as she read on, drawing her soft but fiery words from the preface of John Wesley’s Sacred Melody. In the swelling, white-haired audience, a few smiled to show approval at the reading, leaning into each other to share programs where it was printed.
Then, a different kind of approval erupted. From the front of the chapel, Marguerite Brooks rose swiftly to her feet. She turned to the audience behind her with a wide grin. Then, eyes turned half toward heaven and half toward her fellow Elm Citizens, she ushered in the first words of “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” a panoply of voices filling the building’s nave with sweet, dripping sound.
Love divine all loves excelling / joy of heav’n to earth come down!
Fix in us thy humble dwelling / All thy faithful mercies crown.
A woman in the second row loosed a high C from her throat. In the balcony above, a mother steadied her young son’s program, the two smiling as they sang out: visit us with thy salvation, enter ev’ry trembling heart. Somewhere below them, a few members of the choir smiled, and sang on.
This was singing modestly, in exactly the way Keyl had been hoping for. One night last week, nearly 300 vocalists, organ enthusiasts, and community members joined together for “Ev’ry Voice in Concert Ring!,” a festival of hymns that brought together members of diverse New Haven choirs and song enthusiasts as part of the Northeast Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists, many of whom are based in New Haven. An added draw was Anne Laver’s performance on the organ, which included improvisations on the Prelude and Fughetta from Lobe den Herren.
From the first full-lunged, heavy note of organ to the last, “Ev’ry Voice” answered a question many hadn’t thought to ask, and now may be referring back to frequently: What do you get when you throw together nationally recognized organ virtuosos, members from Bethesda Lutheran Church, Church of the Redeemer, First and Summerfied UMC, First Presbyterian, Spring Glen Church, Trinity Church on the Green, United Church on the Green, and Milford’s Trinity Lutheran, and vocally inclined New Haveners (also a tone-deaf reporter, but we won’t talk about that)?
A lot of joy, it turns out. From “Our Music Plumbs” to “Amazing Grace” and “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” smiles and lifted, jubilant song defined both the chorus and the audience. Add to that some vocal bells and whistles — Audivi Vocem gave a memorable performance of “What Wondrous Love Is This” while Erin Donaldson’s soulful lead in to “Precious Lord” moved several in the audience to tears — and the evening was instantly an exercise in community, moving from conciliatory, heartfelt readings to hymns that had all 200 attendees on their feet.
There is something inherently beautiful about an audience that is less audience and more integral part, fully participating in the process of making music. The ability of communal song to be an ultimate and universal expression of joy drove the event, said Lars Gjerde, AGO regional coordinator and music director at Bethesda Lutheran Church in East Rock.
“Hymn festivals have unique potential to unite people of all levels of musical training in both subtle and rousing song, creating a powerful experience of community and inspiration in a world that needs both. The crowd gathered at Battell Chapel brought nationally leading church musicians, local volunteer choristers, professional singers and instrumentalists, and the public into harmony that is profound musically and socially,” he wrote. “This is what song should be all about.”
Thank you for this beautiful post. Love the video. I actually used the John Wesley quote in my recent book, Black Country. For more on Wesley and the book which details his mighty work in 18th century England, please visit the website for the book series, The Asbury Triptych Series at www.francisasburytriptych.com. The trilogy focuses on the young preacher mentored by John Wesley, Francis Asbury. Again, thank you for the post.