Klaas Jan Mulder, the Maestro of the Netherlands, became well-known in North America through the commercial DVD that was sent to all subscribers of The American Organist. Among the other organists on the DVD Klaas Jan Mulder made a difference through his high quality playing. This DVD recording was made when he was 77 years old.

This part of the world had not a chance to know him better. The Lord took him home this morning, at the age of 78 years.

The 20th century had great people that were of great influence and impact: in politics, in church history, but also in music. In the organ world in North America we knew, for example, Virgil Fox. In the Netherlands we have seen Feike Asma who with several of the sons of Jan Zwart established a certain tradition. Then there was Klaas Jan Mulder: with his own style, character and fabulous technique. The death of Klaas Jan Mulder ends an era.

Who was Klaas Jan Mulder? He was the eldest son (of 12 children) of a Reformed pastor and Klaas Jan played organ in the worship services lead by his father. He studied piano and organ, and was in his heart a pianist. He received scholarships and bursaries and studied piano with the masters in Belgium and he also studied conducting.

Building a career as a professional pianist would require working on Sundays, and that's why he settled for his second choice, the organ.

While his father was connected to the Reformed church in Kampen, his family went with the Reformed Churches Liberated (vrijgemaakt) in 1944. He played the 3-manual organ in the Nieuwe Kerk in Kampen for many years. He was director of the large male choir DEV, which concerts became renowned over the 45 years Klaas Jan Mulder was their leader.

As a concert organist he gave many concerts in the Neterlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, England, South Korea, Portugal, Canada, and the USA. His repertoire was always accessible for the general public, but the last few years he raised his bar and also included more recent compositions. He kept studying for hours a day and did focus much more on the details of individual bars and notes. He has his distinct, own style, and he was not influenced by other people's opinions and styles.

The greatest part of his profession was the accompaniment of the congregational singing, he said in an interview in 1992. "You are serving. You serve the congregation and you try to let them sing to the best of your abilities. My preludes are always short and simple. It is not difficult to play a recital piece, and impress the people. That is not how I am. That would distract and that's not what the worship service is about. It is about the Word of God."

In 2005 he was asked the question whether he experiences faith while he plays. He responded: "Those moments are definitely there, and there were many of them. But sometimes I am in doubt. I have more question marks than exclamation marks. Therefore I can't give an impressive testimony. Sometimes I envy the people that can."

On the occasion of his 75th birthday, the Nederlands Dagblad newspaper interviewed him. Klaas Jan Mulder corrected some of the critical notes about his faith at the end of the interview, before publication, adding a last, final sentence: "I have faith that everything will be all right before I close my eyes forever."

I just received part two of the DVD on which he is one of the organists. Klaas Jan Mulder is only given one track on this hour long DVD. He plays variations on this hymn, which confirms his last sentence.

If you but let the Father guide you, Relying on His faithfulness.
He will be evermore beside you, In all your sorrow and distress.
He who on God Most High depends, Builds not his house on shifting sands.

With song and prayer in faith progressing, In all you do God’s will obey.
Expect from Him alone your blessing: He will renew it every day,
For God will never those disown, Who put their trust in Him alone.

If you have 10 minutes, you can see and hear the maestro of the Netherlands, who is now serving the Master!

Around October 31 we remember Reformation Day. This day was strategically choosen by Dr. Martin Luther to publish his 95 Theses on the door of the chapel of Wittenberg in Germany in 1517.

Many people and churches in this world are remembering this day and how God caused a reformation in his church to keep his church as He promised.

A Reformation Evening in the Vancouver BC region is held on Friday night Oct 31 in the Canadian Reformed Willoughby Heights church.

I don't have a comprehensive overview of alle Reformation Day events in Canada or the USA, but in the Reformed churches in the Netherlands (where securlarizations has reached a "high" level) this week there are 50+ Reformation Evenings scheduled, generally within a 1.5 hour drive. (This list does include only activities of the Reformed churches (Calvin), not activies of e.g. Lutheran churches or others.)

City: Berkenwoude
Location: Kerkgebouw Gereformeerde Gemeente;
Address: Prinses Beatrixstraat 3
Date: Saturday October 25 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Drs. I.A. Kole
Speaker: Dr. A.A. Teeuw
Topic: Goede werken?
With: Childrens choir "De Jonge Lofstem" directed by Hanny Kole and Youth choir "Nethanja" directed by Rien van de Werff.

City: Groot-Ammers
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Saturday October 25 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. A. Bloemendal
Speaker: Ds. P. Molenaar
With: Chr. Krimpens Male choir directed by Hans van Blijderveen.

City: IJsselstein
Location: Bethelkerk
Address: Energieweg 2
Date: Saturday October 25 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. Kot
Topic: De vrijheid van een christen
With: Chr. Gem. Zangvereniging "Zingt des Hoogsten lof" directed by Nico Vos
Organist: P. de Vries.

City: Meerkerk
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Tuesday October 28 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. H.J. Donken
Speaker: Ds. A.K. Wallet
With: Male choir "Jong Ethan" directed by J. Adriaanse.

City: Barneveld
Location: Groenhorst College
Address: Barnseweg 3
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. R. van de Kamp
Speaker: Ds. M.A. Kempeneers
Topic: "De Reformatie en de heiligenverering".

City: Boven Hardinxveld
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Opening: Ds. J.C. Schuurman jr.
Speaker: Dr. W. Verboom.

City: Culemborg
Location: Chr. ger. kerk De Ark
Address: Prijsseweg 91
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. L.A. den Butter
Speaker: Ds. C.J.P. van der Bas.

City: Elspeet
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speakers: Ds. H. Zweistra en ds. C. Stelwagen.

City: Hei- en Boeicop
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. J.C. Klein
Speaker: Ds. P.C. van Keulen
Sluiting: Ds. P. de Jager
With: Chr. Male Choir "Ons Genoegen" of Poederoijen directed by Leen Groeneveld.

City: Hoevelaken
Location: Hervormde dorpskerk
Address: Westerdorpsstraat 67
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Opening: Ds. G. Wassinkmaat
Sluiting: Ds. L.W. van der Sluijs
Speakers: Dr. M. van Campen en ds. A.J. van den Herik
Topic 1: "Calvijn and Prayer"
Topic 2: "Luther and Psalm 118"

City: Katwijk aan Zee
Location: Oude Kerk
Address: Boulevard
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.50 (begin samenzang)
Speakers: Ds. B. H. Weegink en ds. J. Geene
Topic: "Being Protestant Today"
With: Choral group "Kandelaar" directed by Corrie Hartevelt
Organist: Jaap van Rijn.

City: Langbroek
Location: Hervormd Centrum
Address: Brink 10
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. W. Zuijderduijn
Speaker: Ds. J.P. Nap
Topic: "Three reasons to keep obn believing".

City: Moerkapelle
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Dorpsstraat 15
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Elder D. de Blois
Speaker: Drs. I.A. Kole
Topic: Hoe de satan ook woedt!
Closing: Elder G. Mulder
With: Choir "Sursum Corda" directed by Leo Blankers
Organist: Stefan Prins.

City: Ottoland
Location: Wellant College
Address: De Bossekamp B140
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. D. Heemskerk.

City: Sirjansland
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Kerklaan 2
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Opening: Dhr. P.J. Heijboer, President Reformatorisch Contact
Speakers: Ds. R.D. Kwint, ds. C. Harinck, ds. J. Egas
Topic: "the three Sola's with Calvijn"
With: Crescendo directed by  Sjoerd Sijnstra.

City: Soest
Location: Ichthuskerk
Address: Albert Cuyplaan 2-C
Date: Wednesday October 29 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. J. van Amstel
Topic: "What Luther wrote"

City: Bennekom
Location: Oude Kerk
Address: Dorpsstraat 45
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. C. Westerink
Speaker: Dr. M. van Campen
Topic: Calvijn en het gebed
Sluiting: Ds. R.A. Grisnigt
With: Herv. Evangelisatiekoor directed by  Evert van de Veen.

City: Bleskensgraaf
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Ring 15
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Kand. M.K. de Wilde
Speaker: Ds. G. van Wijk.

City: Boven Hardinxveld
Location: Kerkgebouw Nassaustraat 4
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Kand. A.J. Britstra
Info: With Spanish Mission

City: Hardinxveld Giessendam
Location: Hervormd Centrum
Address: Talmastraat 9
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Dr. J. van Eck (voormalig legerpredikant)
Topic: De geschiedenis van de Reformatie en die van Calvijn in het bijzonder.

City: Hoevelaken
Location: Van Lodenstein College
Address: Zuiderinslag 1
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. J.C. den Ouden
Topic: Dat ze Mozes en de profeten horen.

City: Katwijk
Location: Oude Kerk
Address: Boulevard
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 20.00 uur
Speaker: Ds. A.J. Kunz en ds. H. Peet.

City: Krimpen aan den IJssel
Location: Rehobothkerk
Address: De Landerijen 1
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 20.00 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. Simons
Topic: Gods rechtvaardigheid in het Evangelie
With: Chr. Krimpens Mannenkoor directed by  Hans van Blijderveen.

City: Lunteren
Location: Bethelkerk
Address: Schaepmanstraat 2
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 20.00 uur
Opening: Kand. M. van Reenen
Speaker: Ds. K.J. Kaptein
With: Hervormd Jongerenkoor Lunteren directed by  Harrie Stijf.

City: Middelharnis
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: De Ring 10
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur;
Opening: Ds. A.A. Egas
Speaker: Ds. L.M. Jongejan
Topic: Slechts één Evangelie
Sluiting: Ds. H. Harkema
With: Chr. Gemengd Koor Jeduthun directed by  Jan Wisse.
 
City: Mijdrecht
Location: Chr. ger. kerk De Wegwijzer
Address: Kon. Julianalaan 22
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Opening: Dhr. J.W.G. Koning
Speaker: Drs. A.G.M. Westrate
Topic: De dwaasheid van het Evangelie
With: Wim van Dijkhuizen, orgel; Anneke Romijn, blofkluit.

City: Nieuwe Pekela
Location: Chr. ger. kerk
Address: Albatrosstraat C 12
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening en meditatie: Ds. A.J. van der Toorn
Speaker: De heer Jan Harskamp (IRS)
Sluiting: Ds. E. Gouda
Organist: Ds. M.A. Bos

City: Oud Alblas
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Dorpsstraat 52
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. J.C. de Groot.

City: Streefkerk
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. T. van Bruggen
Speaker: Ds. G. Herwig
With: Jeugdvereniging.
 
City: Westbroek
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Kerkdijk 12
Date: Thursday October 30 2008
Time: 20.00 uur
Speaker: Ds. W.C. Meeuse
With: Jeugdkoor en Kleinkoor Jubilate beide directed by Nelly van den Broek.

City: Ameide
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. T. Wegman
Speaker: Ds. J. Westerink
Sluiting: Ds. J.H. van Dijk
With: Mannenkoor Tehillim en Gemengd Koor Vox Humana directed by  Lennart Knops.
 
City: Andelst
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Kerkstraat 22
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. P. den Butter.

City: Genemuiden
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Kerkplein 1
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Speaker: Ds. T. Vanhuysse (België)
Topic: De actualiteit van de Reformatie.

City: Goedereede
Location: Hervormde kerk
Address: Kerkpad 1
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speakers: Ds. E. de Mots en dhr. J.P. Neven
Topic: 300 jaar kerk
With: Jongerenkoor Con Amore directed by  Ron van Ommen.

City: Harderwijk
Location: Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk"De Zaaier"
Address: Eibert den Herderstraat 1
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speakers: Ds. P. D. Buijs, ds. M. K. Drost, ds. H. Westerhout.
With: Christelijk Hierdens Mannenkoor directed by  Dick van Hasselt.
Organist: Auke Steensma.

City: Houten
Location: Eskolkerk
Address: Poldermolen 1
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.45 uur
Opening: Ds. J. Westland
Speaker: Ds. J.S. van der Net
Sluiting: Ds. J.P. van Rooijen
With: Eskol-koor directed by  mevr. Th. Bakker
Overige informatie: I.s.m. Spaanse Evangelische Zending.

City: Kesteren
Location: Van Lodenstein College
Address: Boveneindsestraat 6
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. den Hartog
 
City: Lelystad
Location: Bethelkerk
Address: Zuiderwagenplein 12
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ouderling J. van  Voorst
Speaker en sluiting: Ds. P. van der Kraan
With: Gemengd koor De Bethelzangers directed by  Frans Maarten den Breejen
Gemengd Koor Adoraím uit Ermelo directed by  mevrouw L. Ebbers
Organisten: F.M. den Breejen en J. van Wijngaarden.

City: Montfoort
Location: Herv. kerk
Address: Korte Kerkstraat 5
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.15 uur
Speaker: David Sipos (Roemenië)
Vertaling: Ds. H.M. Burggraaf

City: Nieuw Balinge
Location: Hervormde kerk
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. M. Noorderijk
Speaker: Ds. A. Versluis
Sluiting: Ds. P. Roos
 
City: Nieuw Lekkerland
Location: Hervormde dorpskerk
Address: Lekdijk 118
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. van Lingen.

City: Ouderkerk aan den Amstel
Location: Elimkerk
Address: Kon. Julianalaan 24
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. van Vuuren
Topic: Bewaar het pand.

City: Schoonrewoerd (Leerdam)
Location: Kerkgebouw Ger. Kerk Vrijgemaakt
Address: Kon. Emmalaan 41, Leerdam
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. R.W. Mulder
Speaker: Ds. L. Groenenberg
With: Koor Zingt des Hoogsten lof.

City: Woudenberg
Location: Hervormde dorpskerk
Address: Schoutstraat 8-A
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. C.B. Stam
Speaker: Prof. dr. G.C. Baart
Topic: De Koning der koningen óf de koningin des hemels
Sluiting: Ds. P. Molenaar.

City: IJsselmuiden
Location: Hervormde dorpskerk
Address: Dorpsweg 53
Date: Friday October 31 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. J.A. van den Berg
With: Hervormd Mannenkoor IJsselmuiden-Grafhorst directed by  Freddy Veldkamp.

City: Damwoude
Location: Chr. ger. kerk
Address: Hoofdweg 127
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Opening: Ds. P. Roos
Speaker: Ds. P. den Ouden

City: Kampen
Location: Broederkerk
Address: Broederstraat 16
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: prof. dr. H.G.L. Peels
Topic: Honger naar het Woord.
Algehele leiding: ds. J. Harteman
With: Christelijk Genemuider mannenkoor Stereo directed by  Peter Bos
Organist: Jorrit Woudt

City: Nijkerk
Location: Chr. ger. kerk De Kandelaar
Address: Meinsstraat 4-A
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 20.00 uur
Speaker: Ds. J.H. van Daalen
Sluiting: Ds. H.D. Rietveld
With: Chr. Gem. Koor Con Amore directed by  Fred de Vries.

City: Noordeloos
Location: Chr. ger. kerk
Address: Noordzijde 1-A
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Ds. A. Simons
With: Mannenkoor Door Eendracht Verbonden directed by  Dick van Luttikhuizen.

City: Putten
Location: Oude Kerk
Address: Kerkplein 11
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Speaker: Prof. dr. W.H. Velema
With: Chr. Mannenkoor Fontanus directed by  Wim Klein Haneveld.

City: Woudenberg
Location: Sporthal De Wielewaal
Address: Albert Cuyplaan 2
Date: Saturday November 1 2008
Time: 19.30 uur
Leiding: Ds. C.J.P. van der Bas
Speaker: Ds. J. Westerink
With: Kol Sjariem directed by  Martin van der Zwan; Orgel: Leander van der Steen.

PRESS RELEASE

for immediate publication

The Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO), one of Canada's oldest music associations, celebrates its 100th anniversary from October 19th 2008 to July 2, 2009.

The American Guild of Organists has designated 2008-2009 as the International Year of the Organ. Music organizations throughout the world are joining in celebrating the King of Instruments. The year of festivities was inaugurated with special events at the National Convention of the AGO in Minneapolis in June of 2008, and it will conclude with the AGO Regional Conventions in the summer of 2009. (see here a document for the national press media.)

Tomorrow, Sunday Oct. 19, 2008 will be an international day of celebration, and a focal point of the 2008-09 International Year of the Organ Celebration.

In our churches we celebrate the Lord's Day, as ususal on the first day of the week: a service of worship in which the organ will serve. Regarding special organ activities, we have just had the Inauguration of our new pipe organ (Sep 19) and there is a Christmas concert scheduled for Dec. 15 2008 (Organ and Brass, with brass players from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra). Some other events are being drafted for 2009 as well.

Yet, it is important to recognize the efforts for the propmotion of the organ as an instrument. The primary task of the organ is to accompany the congregational singing and in the promotional activities that aspect can't be ignored. So, we hope that many organists, also (or especially) in teh Canadian Reformed Churches will take the opportunity to take this opportunity and promote the instrument they love, doing the work they cherish.

In the American Airlines Magazine of October 2008, I read an article with the heading “Voice Recognition”. I associated the heading with several aspects that I did not find in the article.

 This article spoke about “voice-over” techniques that were used by Hollywood and by the TV: how important, even crucial, a voice is; its tone and its timbre. People recognize voices and make associations with a voice. It is an industry by itself, and there are businesses and jobs out there that deal with the particulars of selecting the right voices for the right purpose. The person you see on the big screen might not have the voice you hear!

I had to think about the builders of a pipe organ and the voices of a pipe organ. The so called ‘pipe organ voicers’ work to create a sound, give the organ the distinct voice, that serves the right purpose. They consider the environment (room) as well. The right timbre, the right colour, the right volume. That gives the listener experiences that make them enjoy listening and participate in singing.

Pipe organ builders accomplish also another thing: recognition. There is a clear difference between voices, human voices, but also pipe organ voices. Pipe organ voices can be clearly recognized in e.g. the Netherlands. The Hinsz organ in the Bovenkerk in Kampen has a totally different sound than the Vater-Muller organ of the Old Church in Amsterdam, although both (famous) instruments are centuries old. More recent organs, such as in the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam, sounds completely different than the VandenHeuvel organ in the Nieuwe Kerk in Katwijk aan Zee.

Here in (Western) Canada we experience the same: the organ in Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria (Helmutt Wolff, 2005) sounds completely different than the organ in the organ in the Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver (Kenneth Jones, 2004).

At the organ inauguration of our new Casavant organ, I met a lady who came from Regina. She shared with me that her church had a 1960’s Casavant organ that just had been cleaned (after 48 years). She commented that it sounded again as beautiful as our new Casavant organ. She recognized the voice!

Computers also recognize voices. But they make mistakes . Words are incorrect or missed and a distorted message follows.  

Voice recognition is important.

Training our ears is important.

Learn to listen, learn to recognize.

Some ears are trained and recognize any Hollywood voice or TV star voice.

Other people recognize the voice of different pipe organs.

But one voice we should all recognize and train our ears for: the voice of the Shepherd.

When we hear His voice, we need to follow Him.

Voice recognition…

Train your ears and mind to recognize the Shepherd’s voice!

John 10:27-28

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

I was thinking about this after I read the article "voice recognition". I hope you recognize it too...

Rev. Kok from Blue Bell PA visited the Fraser Valley in BC Canada. He shared his view and vision on the Psalms. Below a few random comments that I took from my notes from 10+ hours of lecture (we did not have a real hand-out). This is an incomplete report. My purpose of this posting is to create curiosity, make you think, and hopefully result in further study by the readers.

 When singing, reading, or praying the Psalms, we should consider five things:

1. The meaning of the Psalm for the original writer
2. The meaning of the Psalm in the Book of Psalms, in the life of Isarael when the book reaches its final form
3. The meaning of the Psalm in its context in the whole Bible (both Testaments) with Jesus as the Messiah.
4. The meaning of the Psalm for the church as the body of Christ
5. The meaning of the Psalm for your life as a member of the body of Christ.

To understand this better, Rev. Kok discussed the person David. There are many references to David, in both the OT and NT. David is the Anointed one. Other people, before David, died when they changed the liturgy. David however did not. He received the authority to make changes to the liturgy of worship.

Before David the tabernacle was about offering, basically killing animals. That was the worship service. After David there was music, there were songs, there was an orchestra. David changed the service of the Levites.

Moses gave the law, David the Psalms.

The Psalter is the Law transfigured:

·      From humility to glory

·      From tabernacle to temple

·      From moving to permanent

·      From silent to Levites singing

·      From Sinai to Zion

·      From priest to Kink and Priest

Many important aspects came forwards. For example that some songs of David refer to the temple, while the temple was built by his son Solomon after David’s death. The temple in the psalms, means: the people of God.

The Psalms were not sung in the Synagogue in Jesus time on earth. And the Levites sung them in the temple, not the people.

Calvin had the opinion that only Psalms that were used as references to Jesus Christ in the New Testament were Christological Psalms. Luther however took all Psalms as referring to Christ and he wrote many hymns based on the Psalms with a New Testament perspective.

Rev. Kok discussed extensively Psalm 1 and 2. Not only to show that they really belong together, but also to discuss who the man in Psalm 1 is. We so easily think about ourselves, human beings, while the man is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too much to discuss here:

- covenant and covenant renewals,

- old testament and many new testaments,

- biblical poetry,

- biblical imagery,

- patterns and structures in the book of Psalms,

- patterns in sections of the book of Psalms,

- patterns in the Psalms themselves,

- the five Books of Moses related the five divisions in the book of Psalms.

- David and Jesus Christ.

- The Head and the body (the church).

- How we view worship (what we do before God or what we do in the Lord Jesus Christ?)

- etc. etc. etc. etc.

Some more quotes:

We sing the Psalms to seek God. In the worship setting: God is the audience, and our psalm singing rises like smoke.

Musical taste is dictated by God. We are not the norm.

Rejection of the Psalter destroys the essence of worship.

Psalms are “wilderness literature”.

Psalms are a memorial of Gods name/promises (compare the rainbow).

We don’t want to bring the world in the church – the church song/music is distinct.

A doxology after every Psalm would make us better understand the Psalms.

It was also recognized than we often have a problem singing Psalms (although we claim to be a psalm-singing church, and psalm singing reformed people). The reason for that is that we want to identify with the text of the psalms on a personal level. We narrow the psalms down to a selection that we can recognize in our own life. This introduces sentimentalism. As an example Rev. Kok quoted Psalm 26 from the Book of Praise… should we come in God’s presence and hold up ourselves…?

O vindicate me, LORD;

Deceit I have abhorred;

I’ve walked in my integrity.

Thy law and word I favour;

I did not halt or waver

But constantly have trusted Thee.

We also don’t want to sing the historical Psalms that deal with Gods great deeds in the life of his covenant people Israel. We also can’t sing psalms with curses. We filter the psalms God himself gave us, and come up with something that better suits us.

But… we don’t try to apply Psalm 22 to ourselves. We recognize that that is Christ and about Christ. Why don’t we look at other Psalms in that perspective? We are sons of God. We sing Psalms IN HIM. Our Psalm singing is not our own spiritual biography! Jesus Christ is the ultimate author of the Psalms. Where would we get the courage from to make the Psalms all about us…?

PSALMS AND HYMNS

In the question period (we had many opportunities) also this came up. The Psalms are not Hymns; Psalms and Hymns are distinctly different types of songs. If we treat the Psalms like Hymns, Psalms will fail as such and we won’t sing them for long. We need to understand how Psalms are different than Hymns and how to sing each type of song. In that way we will keep on singing the Psalms, and increasingly do so. (Earlier it was already mentioned the Divine inspiration in the Psalms.)

And: Ignoring certain parts of the book of Psalms in singing in corporate worship (Psalm 58, 109, 129, 137) or certain part of a Psalm (by only singing our favorite stanzas) is unscriptural.

IN CONCLUSION 

These were some highlights from these very valuable and interesting speeches. The interest from our psalm-singing community could have been more, but hopefully Rev. Kok will share this in written form some time soon.

A message like this brings the discussion about singing Psalms on a different level and it drives it down to the ultimate point of faith, doctrine, and spiritual life. Topics such as metrical Psalmody, which tunes, what instruments, what musical style are totally a lower level after this speech.

This morning we had a sermon which could have been preached from the roof tops and in the city centers of this world, as far as I am concerned. Pastor Wes Bredenhof brought us the Word of God about Thanksgiving, considering the reality of the global economic "crisis": black Friday, free-fall of stocks, lay-offs, fixes and ongoing uncertainty. What about Thanksgiving...?

The theme for the sermon was taken from Habakkuk 3: 17-19:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to go on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

We sang Hymn 10 (Book of Praise) after the sermon, which is the rhymed version of Habakkuk 3.

(This is previously recorded in Surrey Maranatha)

After the service I played the new composition of Denis Bedard about Psalm 100, especially thinking about the last part: 

"The LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."

You can listen to the actual sermon here (or download the mp3).

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

This video was taken by Ralph Visscher, at the Inauguration evening for our new organ in church.

I had prepared my hymn introduction in my mind, but you will hear that I struggle with the first few notes.

I was surprised (and still am) with the sound of the trumpet. It does a real nice job as a solo stop at the 4th stanza.

If you listen carefully, in the interlude before the last stanza I transpose up, and the harmony (chords) of the last stanza is quite different than all of the previous stanzas. I did not follow any 'hymn book notation' at any stanza, but I made an attempt to make the last stanza jump out as much as I could.

The people are standing - because one of the guests took the initiative.
She asked me afterwards: "Does your church not always stand while singing hymns??????!!!!!"
Ooops... what should I say - we are quickly tired? we don't think we should? singing goes better when you sit down? we can't look around when everyone stands up? we are not so musical in our church? it's a hassle to stand? it is maybe not honouring the Lord to stand? we can't focus on the text when we stand? our people complain quickly about standing...? the pews are so/too comfortable?
Instead, I only replied "No, we don't...."

The rest of the evening's video is not free for publication.

“A few times a year I cook for the cantor and organist of our church”, says Pastor Bert Kuipers of the Grote of St. Laurenskerk in Rotterdam. “I invite them for a meal. Then we’ll serve some wine. In a notebook I have written down what I wanted to ask them. We talk and talk, sometimes six or seven hours.”

Pastor Kuiper likes being a cook for the organist and cantor, he says. “We discuss the preaching schedule for the next few week and we make plans.  It is great that the organist and cantor can work really well together. Three years ago both of them started their service in this church. Both have a cheerful character and that reflects on the congregation.  You should hear the organist play the first psalm on the great organ. The sparks are flying through the sanctuary.”

It seems to be backwards in Rotterdam. Most the time the organist and cantor have to ask the pastor the songs and ask permission for musical and liturgical initiatives. In the Laurenskerk the pastor is asking the questions, and he does not get always what he asked for. For example, when the organist and cantor just had arrived, the pastor asked them to do a few things different, but they did not think that was the right time. They first wanted to get used to the way it had been, before changing anything.

(Part of a newspaper article ND Sep 20 2008)

In the Netherlands I played (a few years) for the church that we rented the building from (they had no organist). Before every service the pastor would come to the organ, shake my hand (they didn't care that I was playing), and say something about the service: the sermon/theme, why he choose a specific song, or e.g. if I could play a longer prelude after the sermon because the congregation needed some reflection after his message, and sometimes they pointed out the time of the year (e.g. Lent) and asked me to adjust my playing to that. The congregation had no minister, but all guest ministers did the same - always. In that denomination the pastor-musician relationship was critical for the workship service.

Post Scriptum - I am of course not asking for any meals from our pastors and this is not related to our own congregation. But, I thought that this was a nice story to highlight the relation between organist (cantor) and pastor. In our churches this relationship is often not so strong. In some cases I know that this is because the musicians do not see the need for this. In my opinion their underestimate their role/function in the church. It is my guess that pastors appreciate sometimes a better relationship with the musicians in the church.

Source: http://danmagic.org

Streaming - Download Large file | Small file

(In due time I hope to use this in an "Organ Introduction" for children ages 6-9)