Music at Luther Memorial

Luther Memorial is blessed with many talented singers and instrumentalists who, in the spirit of stewardship, offer their time and talent through music ministry. Every year, more than 100 musicians (plus guest choirs) take part in Luther Memorial services.

Bruce Bengtson (right), full-time director of music at Luther Memorial Church, plays the organ and directs the choir and instrumental ensembles.

He accompanied the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus in two concerts in May 2004. The Milwaukee Journal review said "Bengtson capped off the evening with a performance of Liszt's 'Fantasy and Fugue on the Name of BACH.' ...Bengtson gave an absolutely riveting performance of the piece, full of flying pyrotechnic passage work and commanding musical statements. He gave equally polished performances of Bach's 'Prelude and Fugue in E Major' and 'Chorale Prelude: An Wasserflussen Babylon.'"

Adult, youth, and children's choirs and handbell and recorder ensembles practice weekly; brass, string, and other ensembles and soloists also play for services.

Each year on the first Sunday of May, we give special emphasis to the role of music in worship and thank the many members and friends of Luther Memorial who give of their talent and time for the glory of God. Instrumentalists, the bell choir, and the three vocal choirs will participate in the 10:30 service on May 4, 2008. The adult choir will sing two choruses from Thomas Linley’s (1770s) setting of Psalm 68 with instrumental ensemble.

Acoustics of Luther Memorial's 150-foot-long nave, with its 82-foot-high Gothic arches, enhance choral and instrumental music. Many concerts are held here.

Varied liturgical settings used

In addition to the Evangelical Lutheran Worship musical settings for the communion service, Luther Memorial uses different styles of music from time to time. Examples are:

Franz Schubert's German Mass, sometimes with orchestral accompaniment
John Karl Hirten's Mary Mass setting of the liturgy. The music was written in 1993 and dedicated to the congregation of Old St. Mary's Church, San Francisco.

Hymn Festival CD available

A compact disc recording of the October 21, 2007, Centennial Hymn Festival is available.

The price is $5 per CD. Contact Bruce Bengtson to get one. Checks should be payable to Luther Memorial Church.

Luther Memorial's organs

The church has three pipe organs:

A 56-rank Austin organ built and installed in the rear balcony in 1966
A 1893 Steere and Sons tracker action organ of 19 stops, restored and installed in the east transept in September in 1997
A 1986 Bedient portative organ of three stops

The Luther Memorial Adult Choir

The Luther Memorial adult choir sings sacred music ranging from plainsong chant to contemporary compositions at 10:30 a.m. Sunday services and special services. (The choir generally has the second Sunday of the month off.) The choir sings in English, Latin, and occasionally German or Russian (Church Slavonic).

The choir, with Bruce Bengtson at the organ, will lead a free community hymn sing at Madison's Overture Center at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29.

The Luther Memorial Church Choir was invited to sing at a Reformation Songfest in Rockford, Illinois, for the regional conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians in June 2004, and at the grand opening of the Overture Center in September 2004.

The choir has about 40 members ranging from singers just out of high school to senior citizens. New members in all voice parts are welcome; no audition is required. The choir rehearses in the choir room from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays during the school year.

Repertoire, Spring 2008

January 6: Hail to the Lord's Anointed, L. Schröter, and Lo the star which they saw, Healey Willan
January 13: Youth choir sings
January 20: I believe this is Jesus, Spiritual
January 27: Just as I am, Albert Becker
February 3: There shall a star from Jacob, Felix Mendelssohn
February 10: Youth choir sings
February 17: God so loved the world, Joel Martinson, and Jesu, meek and lowly, Edvard Grieg
February 24: Sicut cervus, Pierre Villette
March 2: Jesu, dulcis memoria, Pierre Villette, and Psalm 23, David Hurd
March 9: youth choir sings
March 16, Palm/Passion Sunday: We adore you, O Christ, R. Proulx, and Ubi caritas, Maurice Duruflé
March 20, Maundy Thursday (7:30 p.m.): Hail, holy Jesu, arr. G. Cornell, and Ubi Caritas, Maurice Duruflé
March 21, Good Friday (7:30 p.m.): Reproaches, Bruce Bengtson; We adore you, O Christ, R. Proulx
March 22, Easter Vigil (8 p.m.)
March 23, Resurrection: Easter song, Harald Fryklöf, and Today is risen Christ, M. Vulpius
March 30: O morn of beauty, J. Sibelius
April 6: Stay with us, Josef Rheinberger
April 13: Youth choir sings
April 20: Come, my way, my truth, my life, Gary James
April 27: Jubilate Deo, G. Gabrieli, and If ye love me, Thomas Tallis
May 1, Ascension
May 4, Cantate Sunday: Let God arise (first/last), T. Linley
May 11, Pentecost: The Eternal Rose, David F. Urrows, and Come Holy Spirit, Mozart
May 18, Trinity: Becker Psalter (Ps. 117), Heinrich Schütz

Summer choir

During the summer (beginning May 25), the choir rehearses at 9:30 a.m. Sundays to prepare for the 10:30 a.m. service. Visitors and others are welcome to participate any Sunday.

Youth Choir

The Youth Choir, with 16 members in 7th grade through high school, rehearses in the choir room from 5 to 6 p.m. Sundays and sings for the 10:30 a.m. service on the second Sunday of the month and other Sundays as scheduled. The choir sings music for one, two, and three voice parts. All interested youths are invited to join.

The choir has sung twice at the St. Paul Cathedral in Minnesota.

Children's Choir

The Children's Choir consists of children in grades 3 through 6. The choir rehearses at 6:45 p.m. Wednesdays and sings at services at the 10:30 service the second Sunday of the month. Children in the choir learn to sing better and read music and learn hymns and anthems for use in worship as well as have fun.

Handbell Choir

The Bell Choir, directed by Bruce Bengtson, is open to those who are high school and older. It rehearses from 8 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and plays mainly at the 10:30 a.m. service. New members are welcome; an ability to read notes is helpful but handbell experience is not necessary.

Recorder Ensemble

The recorder ensemble rehearses from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays in the choir room. Players generally own at least one instrument. The church owns alto, tenor, bass, and great bass recorders. New and experienced players are invited to participate.

Instrumental ensembles

Luther Memorial's festival services for Christmas, Easter, Reformation, All Saints, Christ the King, Transfiguration, and Cantate (Church Music Sunday) often include music by an orchestra or string or brass ensemble. The church has a set of timpani. Soloists and small ensembles play often throughout the year.