So for the past year or so I’ve been the unofficial branch pianist. Unofficial because I have another calling, and I’m the default pianist in the branch. Not the only one, but the most convenient one for the branch because I just show up and play. They just called a new pianist last week, and I am a little sad to no longer be playing prelude and postlude music. That’s usually where I experiment and try add some twists to the hymns.
Occasionally, I’ll try and spice up the hymns a little bit during the congregational singing portions of sacrament meeting. Called to Serve is a fun one, that hymn is meant to be a rousing call to service and should be played as such. But generally, I try and stay true to the reverence of the hymn. Every so often I’m tempted to bust out, but I try to be a good little pianist.
However, a couple of weeks ago, we were singing O My Father, and the song ended up being this internal tug of war emotionally and musically between what’s right and what’s wrung*. I was happily playing the hymn in 3/4 time. Tri-pl-et, Quarter Quarter, tri-pl-et, quarter quarter, tri-pl-et, quarter quarter. You get the picture.
Unfortunately, the rest of the congregation was singing the song as if the whole thing was 6/8. I went through one complete verse of the hymn before I succumbed to rhythmic peer pressure and ended up playing the poor song at full lilt. The whole time, I kept thinking “This is all wrung, dang it! Should I force 3/4? I should force 3/4. Come on people, read the music.” But finally, I was just too tired of fighting against years, nay, centuries, of tradition. Ok, only one century, but still!
*Wrung: When something is sung completely wrong. Example: W. Hung sings “Mary had a little ram, little ram, little ram.”
I kind of love this post, Jared. I can imagine that internal struggle, and I love the use of ‘wrung’. I’m amazed that they finally found someone to fill that calling.