Authentic Plain Song Intonations and Responses FOR THE ORDER OF MORNING SERVICE, Common Service FOR THE USE OF Evangelical Lutheran Congregations WITH ACCOMPANYING HARMONIES FOR ORGAN + EDITED BY HARRY G. ARCHER ORGANIST, FIRST CHURCH, PITTSBURGH, PA. AND THE REV. LUTHER D. REED PASTOR, EMANUEL CHURCH, ALLEGHE NY, PA. EDITORS OF "THE PSALTER AND CANTICIES POINTED FOR CHANTING Philadelphia General Council publication Board Preface THE importance of an earnest, sympathetic study of our Service Music is unquestionable. However acceptably other arts may assist in the consummation of the communion between God and men which we are pleased to term "worship," none of them enters into so intimate a relationship with the elements of the Service, or is such a helpful factor in their expression, as Music. Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Embroidery-all bring their offerings before the Service-hour, as it were, and stand silent in the outer court, while Music alone enters the Holy of Holies and breathes the people's prayer and praise, or voices Divine invitation and promise. The faith of the Church as confessed in her Worship is embodied in her Liturgy, and her Liturgy lives and has its active being in its music. Music effectively evokes the vitalizing and energizing content of the text. It frequently opens the way of the understanding for the latter, and so is a teacher of the Service and Faith of the Church to her children. It is, therefore, of the first importance that the hands of this priestly servant be clean, and the heart purethat the Music of the Service be true, and in some manner worthy of its privilege. All music heard in the Church should be characterized by purity and dignity, beauty and force. But beyond this, the Service Music proper, the music that bears the text of the Liturgy, must especially possess a spirit that is devout and subordinate, a form that is simple and flexible, associations that are only churchly, and a melodic beauty that appeals to and that satisfies the highest taste. It would be natural to suppose that if we could discover the melodies which grew up spontaneously |