Woodwind in Worship

By Rachel Young

Rachel Young is the MWF Northern Regional Co-ordinator, and was the founder of both the Northwest Network and the Hull Network. She helps to lead a variety of worship at Beverley Minster in her roles as Lay Reader and music group leader. She studied oboe at Manchester University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has been a peripatetic woodwind

teacher for many years, teaching flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and recorder to both adults and children.

Which Instruments? The woodwind family consists of recorder, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone, plus larger and smaller versions of these instruments (e.g. piccolo, cor anglais, alto and bass clarinets, all sizes of saxes). Of these, recorder, flute, oboe and bassoon are ‘in C’ (i.e. not transposing). Clarinets and saxes are transposing (i.e. when they play a C the sound is of a different pitch). They are ‘in’ (the pitch of their written note C) A, Bb or Eb according to size. When are they used in worship? There has not been a long tradition of using woodwind instruments in worship. The rise of the ‘music group’ over the past forty years, either of a folk or a pop style, as a leader of contemporary songs and hymns has encouraged the inclusion of all instruments, the most common woodwind in use in churches being flute, clarinet and Eb (alto) sax. Alongside the music group setting, many churches have formed mixed instrumental ensembles to help lead worship, for example an orchestra or a more classically sounding quartet. Music from Taize includes the use of woodwind as solo instruments; Celtic styles use predominantly the flute, recorder or whistle. In any situation, woodwind can fulfil the role either of a solo instrument or a section. Solo woodwind in worship Whenever woodwind occur singly in a music group each is like a solo instrument, and the tone quality and expression of each needs to be used carefully (see below for ideas). The leader or players between themselves should work out when to play and when to let others play, working together to create a particular tone quality or effect. Woodwinds can also be effectively used as a solo instrument on their own within a worship service. Beware if playing with an organ that it is at the right pitch, otherwise play with keyboard accompaniment or unaccompanied choir, or purely unaccompanied! Many choral anthems and carol settings include melodies written for woodwind (Bach, Rutter, etc). For something different, how about including a purely instrumental piece, perhaps with a picture projected onto a screen or a passage of scripture to read alongside it? Or play an unaccompanied piece to listen to during the administration of Holy Communion? Woodwind as a section Where you have a number of woodwind players they can be used as a section, playing harmonies and melodies together. In mixed instrumental ensembles, woodwind instruments are usually used as they would be in an orchestra. When arranging hymns or songs, the simplest arrangement is ‘Soprano-Alto-Tenor-Bass’ on flute-oboe-clarinet-bassoon/sax, but this denies each instrument its full range of potential (all woodwind players are used to being soloists, too!). Descants are very effective doubled at different octaves. In a music group situation, if parts are written out for players, time should be taken in arranging them for musical interest and so that players don’t play all the time. For writing or arranging for woodwind, see books on music theory or orchestral arranging (see ‘Resources’ below). Tips for using woodwind well in worship Recorder - Produces a stunning, clear sound when played well. Many children play descant in school and can be encouraged to play in worship, too (check tuning!). Give them the tune in an easy key or an easy alto part or

Resource

Sheet 17

This resource sheet is for • Players of woodwind instruments • Leaders of music groups and mixed instrumental ensembles who want to develop their use of woodwind

instruments in Christian worship. • Church and worship leaders who wish to support musicians and use their leadership role to enhance the

music in their church’s worship

descant (remember, sounds an octave higher than written). Advanced players play the treble (lowest note F above middle C), sounding like the flute. Use to highlight a particular verse/chorus or improvisation. Flute - High register can pick out the tune or a descant, especially effective in fast pieces playing quickly. Lower registers are hauntingly beautiful, as introductions or solos in quiet songs. Beginners should be encouraged to play up an octave where appropriate. Oboe - Beautiful tone quality when played by more advanced players, but beginners need to be used selectively and given lots of rests! Good for short, well-chosen introductions or fills between verses/choruses and for touching the heart strings… Clarinet - Has a rich, quiet lower register that can fill in held chords (similar to viola in register) or double a tune, suitable for beginners. Avoid ‘crossing the break’ for players below Grade 2 (around middle of treble clef). Higher registers get progressively louder and more versatile with advanced players. Players need to learn to transpose, either by sight/ear or by writing it down – saves the leader a lot of time! Wide note range. Saxophones: Fantastic for adding a jazzy element. Otherwise, can play along with tune, sustained bass or tenor lines well (Eb players, read bass clef as treble, with new key signature). Soprano sax is same range as clarinet, in Bb, but has a more grainy sound, more obvious. Tenor and baritone saxes can fill in held chords, basslines or hold their own tune. Versatile! Players also benefit from being able to transpose themselves. Bassoons - Have you come across a bassoonist playing regularly in worship? (If you have, I’d love to hear from you!) It is very rare, and if you have someone, please give them the tune and descants to play as well as bass lines – they will reward you with a beautiful sound over a wide range. Improvising A whole new world is opened up if you are able to improvise on a woodwind instrument – especially for your leader, who doesn’t have to write out parts! Rather than sticking to one or two arrangements that have been written out for you, you can create other arrangements, often unique to your situation, to enhance the worship musically and spiritually. Improvising can free the player’s creativity and spirit to connect in a special way with other worshippers, bringing them into a fresh relationship with God. Try it! Resources

1. MWF Resource Sheet No. 10 “Improvising” (Summer 2001) by Mark Bick & Roger Peach www.mwf.org.uk 2. www.abrsm.ac.uk Website of the Associated Board of the Royals Schools of Music; publications inc:

• “1st steps in Music Theory” (Grades 1-5) by Eric Taylor Very good for learning basic transposition skills.

• Jazz clarinet/sax tunes + CD (new syllabus) Grades 1, 2 & 3 • “Jazz Works for Ensembles” (variety of pieces, 3 levels) “Orchestral Technique – A manual for students” by Gordon Jacob, a classic text for instrumental arranging, published by O.U.P. (ISBN 0193182041)

3. www.taize.fr Music from Taize - musical arrangements for songs and chants include many for woodwind solos, duets and trios (including recorder & cor anglais, but no Eb parts). See “Taize: Songs for Prayer” (1998) ring-bound music copy ISBN 0 551 04018 1 publisher Harper Collins www.christian-publishing.com

4. www.kevinmayhew.co.uk (tel 01449 737973) Kevin Mayhew, publisher of music and resources for worship, including: • Music for worship by Margaret Rizza, which includes optional instrumental parts suitable for variety of

instruments (see website for full list). • “25 hymns for clarinet” and “25 hymns for flute” • “Interludes for Music Groups” by Andrew Moore

Fairly easy instrumental music for appropriate points in a worship service • “Essential Arrangements for Music Groups” 1 and 2

Arrangements of well-known worship songs for instruments 5. www.rscm.org.uk

Royal School of Church Music publishes a variety of choral anthem material that could be arranged to include use of woodwind. See website for catalogue.

6. www.edensbridge.co.uk ‘Eden’s Bridge’ Celtic worship band. Publish own songs and arrangements with suitable melodic lines for woodwind. Specialist woodwind suppliers (instruments, accessories, music): www.myatt.co.uk (e-mail shop@myatt.co.uk) John Myatt Woodwind shop. www.howarth.uk.com U.K. woodwind specialists in London www.doublereeds.co.uk Howarths Oboe and Bassoon specialists in London. www.allflutesplus.co.uk (e-mail enquiries@allflutesplus.co.uk) ‘All Flutes Plus’ flute specialists in London. Tel: 020 7388 8438 www.wellspring.org.uk Wellspring recordings, good for flute and oboe in worship

© Rachel Young /Music & Worship Foundation August 2004

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