Lutheran Book of Worship: successes and failures—a review for pastors and musicians

Currents in Theology and Mission, Oct, 2003 by Carlos R. Messerli

Historically, Psalms have always been sung by believers, beginning in Jewish worship and continuing through that of monastic orders. Mostly they were sung by choirs of trained singers who chanted the texts to flexible formulas that were repeated for each verse. The framers of the LBW for the first time provided Lutheran congregations with complete Psalm texts for singing to simple melodic formulas. For each Psalm an antiphon is given as a recurring theme phrase to be sung by the choir or the people. Methods of singing the Psalms by the people or the choir in more artistic or elaborate forms are encouraged.

The innovation of congregational or choral Psalm singing must be judged a qualified success, for, while many congregations do sing the Psalms, many only speak the texts, and others ignore the Psalms altogether. In addition, few church musicians expose their choirs to the vast choral literature of Psalms settings that is readily available. Pastors and musicians who deprive their people of the opportunity to experience sung or spoken Psalms weekly deprive them of a rich devotional and liturgical treasure.

4. The new propers: Verse and Offertory. Traditionally, the Proper texts of the Eucharist reflect the theme of each Sunday or festival. In the historic Mass these consisted musically of the Introit as an entrance song, the Gradual sung between the Epistle and the Gospel, and the Offertory at the presentation of offerings of the bread and wine of the meal.

The LBW eliminated the Introit in favor of other "entrance songs," such as a hymn or a complete Psalm. This move has helped sharpen the focus of the beginning of the Mass and reduced the number of preparatory items before the Eucharist actually begins. In place of the Introit, a new proper Verse text for choral performance was introduced after the second reading and before the Gospel. A congregational Alleluia and Verse are now provided for all seasons except Lent, for which a separate verse is given if the choir does not sing the proper text. A new proper choral Offertory text is also suggested. Congregational alternatives for the Offertory are provided in LBW for use in the absence of a choir.

These two proper items have achieved a degree of popularity in some parishes with strong choral leadership. The Verse is probably being sung more than the Offertory. The LBW innovation is only a qualified success, for parishes often sing the common texts printed for the congregation, whether or not a choir is present. Instead of singing the proper Verse intended for the choir, many musicians prefer to concentrate their preparation on a choral anthem.

5. Composed musical settings of the rite. Before the appearance of the Worship Supplement nearly all liturgies available for Lutherans were set to adaptations of either Gregorian or Anglican chant music or to chorale settings. LBW, for the first time (except for isolated experimental settings and those of the Worship Supplement), provides Lutheran congregations with settings written by musicians as original compositions. Only Setting Three of the Holy Communion rite in LBW is built upon preexisting chant.