Buzzing Reed- Classical Music & Clarinet Culture

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Last week I was invited to play a few solo pieces with the choir of First Community church in Columbus. The music minister, Ronald Jenkins, is also the chorus master for the Columbus Symphony chorus, one of the best all volunteer choruses in the country.

The two pieces I played were written for 4 part choir, organ and clarinet obbligato. They were The Lord is My Light and My Salvation by John Rutter, and Be Filled with the Spirit by Craig Courtney.

Here is my recording of the Rutter with the First Community Church choir.

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I have always liked John Rutter’s music for orchestra and chorus, and I have played much of it with Ron Jenkins, who hires a full orchestra several times a year to do such repertoire.

Rutter writes well for the clarinet. The soaring lines and hushed pianissimos of The Lord is My Light and My Salvation lay well on the clarinet, and the scherzo middle section shows off the clarinet’s ability in perky staccato.

When playing with such a strong singing group as this one, I had to use a full orchestral tone to project, especially since Rutter writes much of the clarinet part in the middle range of the instrument.

The Courtney piece is also well written, with a similar tessitura and style; soaring melismatic lines, appropriate for the clarinet with its legato tone. I’ll see if I can get a recording to post here.

Both these pieces are appropriate for good amateur clarinetists to play. If your church has a decent choir, ask your music director about performing them.

I enjoyed playing, hearing and seeing the beautiful music and dancing at today’s Lent Requiem service at First Community Church in Dublin, OH.

Ron Jenkins, Music Minister at FCC, plans regular music services throughout the year, and always hires a small, full orchestra for the occasion, many members of which are also full time or part time members of the Columbus Symphony.

As many of you know, Ron, who is Choir Master of the Columbus Symphony Chorus, also maintains a high quality choir at FCC.

The music was John Rutter’s Requiem, with the FCC chancel choir and boy soprano Joseph Kingery. The danced movements were choreographed by Susan Hadley, with dancers from the Columbus Dance Theater, Tim Veach, Artistic Director. Solo dance was by Amelia Larkin.

Joseph Kingery sang his parts beautifully, with pure pitch and perfect, sweet tone. He is in seventh grade at the Columbus Academy. Apparently Joe also studies oboe.

Rutter’s music always amazes me with it’s effortless style and beauty. It never fails to touch me deeply. Some may consider it corny, as I have in the past, but now I marvel at how well written every part is, how well balanced the orchestra and choir parts are, and how rich with songful melody it is.

I remember doing this Requiem a few years back with the same wonderful choreography. My favorite part then, and again today, is in the last movement, Lux Aeterna, when the dancers lift each other up in turn, as if helping them upwards toward the Eternal Light, both physically and metaphorically. The combination of ethereal, peaceful music and the way these dancers so gracefully lifted each other up is really stunning, and I get choked up even as I think of it now.

Music and dance have such cathartic power. It is always a pleasure to play these services, which show the deep connection between healing and music and, in today’s case, dance.