Books

Read the review from the Musica Dei Donum: A David's Harp Blog by Samuel Eatherton.

Eileen Guenther, author of In Their Own Words: Slave Life and the Power of Spirituals, offers some insight on using the book as an effective resource.

On this text's ability to save time and increase relevance in service:

There are two concordances listing 100 of the most frequently-sung Spirituals that will be of immense help to those planning worship. One gives the texts of the Spirituals, paired with the biblical verses relating to those texts, and the other is the reverse: listing Bible passages and the Spirituals that are connected with them. They will save musicians and clergy a lot of time as they choose music that relates to the scripture used in a given service.

Susan Palo Cherwien contributed to the devotional lives of Christians of all denominations around the world through her work as a poet, hymnwriter, and thinker. Her meditational writings serve as the basis for hymn texts and choral works by numerous composers. Her reflections, which grew from her close association with the National Lutheran Choir and her lifelong familiarity with the hymnody of the Lutheran church, provide inspiration at hymn festivals and services for churches throughout the United States. Susan also contributed articles about poetry, hymn writing and worship to periodicals in the United State. Her work was widely published, including titles released by Augsburg Fortress press and MorningStar Music Publishers.

Dr. Terry W. York discusses his new book "Let Our Words Become Flesh," with MorningStar Music President, Mark Lawson.

Mark Lawson interviews Christopher M. Brunelle on his new book "The Church Year in Limericks, Volume 2."

Dr. Carl Schalk passed away on Sunday morning January 24 in Chicago Illinois.

In his brief guide to Christian hymnody, Carl Schalk calls upon his many years of experience teaching, composing and studying the art of music to offer a concise, yet very complete overview of a subject that many church musicians take for granted.  It is a “balcony view” study of the history behind the hymnody the Church knows today.

Carl Schalk is a familiar name to church musicians of all denominations. Throughout his career, Dr. Schalk has been an active voice in not only providing stellar choral compositions and hymn tunes, but also for his deep understanding of the role that hymnody plays in faith development. 

Check out the interview!

Guenther’s book is organized into three main parts. The first is about the beginnings of spirituals, including various influences, characteristics and performance practice, origins and justifications (of the time) for slavery, slave interviews and testimonies, Christian religion and slavery, slave owners' control of slave religion, and slave preference for their own religious practice. Part Two deals with aspects of slave life, and is, at times, very emotional to read. Subjects include: the big house and the master; life in the slave quarter; the most vulnerable (women, children, the elderly, families, mulattos); slave work; slave rituals; slaves bought and sold; control of slaves; rebellion; and escape. Part Three features spirituals after the Civil War, including famous early arrangers Harry T Burleigh, James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, Nathaniel Dett, Hall Johnson, and William Dawson, as well as later arrangers including Moses Hogan, André Thomas, Rollo Dilworth, and Rosephanye