Music Commission Draws Teaching Format
Episcopal News Service. February 16, 1977 [77051]
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Standing Commission on Church Music of the Episcopal Church has created an educational format to introduce parishes and missions to the use of music with the Proposed Book of Common Prayer.
At its Jan. 24-26 meeting in New York, the commission agreed on the format and arranged for it to be sent to every diocesan music commission within the Church. The coordinator, Alec Wyton of New York, will be visiting many dioceses to assist in using the format.
The commission also began to frame guidelines for "the on-going enrichment" of the Hymnal, 1940, and authorized support for Chilton Powell Institutes of Music and Liturgy to be held at the Province IV conference center in Kanuga, N. C. and in the Diocese of Michigan. The commission is also at work on congregational settings for Rite II Eucharist and on a Handbook for Clergy and Musicians that will discuss the role of music and allied arts in liturgy.
All of the canticles in the Proposed Book of Common Prayer have been pointed for Anglican and plainsong chanting and some simpler free forms, and will be available in metrical versions, either through hymns in the 1940 Hymnal or hymns in "Church Hymnal Series III" which will contain 128 new texts and tunes. The canticles will be available in "Church Hymnal Series II."
Two teaching cassettes are available through the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation in Atlanta. One is "How to Sing the Liturgy" and the other the complete celebration of the Eucharist according to Rite II with Bishop Chilton Powell as celebrant, and a recording of the five settings of Rite II music in "Church Hymnal Series I."
Those present at the meeting were: The Rt. Rev. Donald J. Davis (Erie), the Rt. Rev. Francisco Reus-Froylan (Puerto Rico), the Ven. Frederic P. Williams (Indianapolis), the Rev. Sherodd R. Albritton (Virginia), the Rev. Jerry D. Godwin (Iowa), the Rev. Canon C. Judson Child, Jr. (Atlanta), Mother Mary Grace, C.S.M. (New York), Marilyn Keiser (North Carolina), James H. Litton (New Jersey), Raymond F. Glover (Virginia), David J. Hurd, Jr. (New York), and Alec Wyton, coordinator (New York).