Category: Music for reflection

PSALM OFFERING 3, OPUS 10: A lament for imprisoned migrant children in the U.S.

“When you come to appear before me who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation— I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:12-17, NRSV Bible)

The feeling of distress and being disturbed is not just limited to my mother’s recent death. I have watched children ripped from their parents, babies torn from their mother’s breast by agents of our government under orders from trump, and the pain that I am experiencing by being separated from my mother because of death, pales in comparison to the anguish of these poor children.

Only a monster would cold-heartedly issue the order for such an abomination. Rage fills me whenever I see his face and hear his voice.

On the verge of praying to God for the immediate demise of this monster of a person, I chose instead to offer a prayer in song for the 3000 estimated children still languishing, still petrified at being separated from the ones they love and need the most.

There is a repeated melodic figure that is introduced at the beginning and continues throughout the music. Descending pitches, with a half note (2 beats) followed by a quarter note (1 beat) are a melodic representation of tear drops rolling down the cheeks of the children, dropping one tear at a time to the cement floor on which they lay. Think of sobbing, the kind of sobbing that racks the human body, that takes the breath away. This sobbing is the legacy of trump who trods upon the broken spirits and bodies of innocent children. My heart breaks.

This Psalm Offering is for the refugee children who have been so sinfully treated by many who call themselves Christian, but are the antithesis of Jesus Christ. May God forgive this great sin of our nation. May we wash the blood of the refugee and the innocent from our hands. May our nation regain the soul we have lost.

Bob

(c) 2018, Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.

Today as a post-communion song, I had played the piano song I composed for mom as a birthday present back in 1990. It is Psalm Offering 1 Opus 4, “Meditation on an Asian Madonna.” If you look at the picture of my children below, you will see the picture of a Chinese Mary holding a Chinese Baby Jesus. This was one of my mother’s favorite paintings and followed her from house to house. The music you hear is based on a pentatonic scale, a 5 pitch scale in contrast to the normal Do-re-mi scales we know that have 8 pitches. If you play the black keys on the piano starting with the first of 3 black keys and then play the remaining 2 black keys, you have a pentatonic scale. While not exclusive of Asian music, we often associate the pentatonic scale to Asian themes. The music you hear below is my musical interpretation of that beautiful painting.

Meg, Luke, Andy with Beth, 1984.

Psalm Offering 1 Opus 4: Meditation on an Asian Madonna. (c) 1990 Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved

This Psalm Offering was composed for the victims of the Parkland High School massacre on Valentine’s Day this year. It is offered up as a prayer for those massacred at the high school in Santa Fe, Texas yesterday.

(c) 2018, Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.

PSALM OFFERING 10 OPUS 5 – Abba, Yeshua, Ruah (For Trish Flannigan)

This music, along with all of Opus 5, was composed during the Spring and Summer of 1994. Psalm Offerings 1 through 8 from this Opus were composed as gifts to my ordination brothers and sisters, Psalm Offering 9 was composed as a gift to Dr. Dolore Rockers OSF, and Abba, Yeshua, Ruah was composed for the ordination Mass and dedicated to Trish Flannigan, the “10th member” of my ordination class. Trish was the administrative secretary for Diaconal Formation and the Deacon Council of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis. She is one of the most remarkable women I have known in my life. The institutional Church has a way of devaluing and using employees, and, sadly, Trish ended up being harshly treated by the Archdiocese. Instead of rewarding her for all her hard work and care she devoted to the diaconate, she was pretty much cast aside by Archbishop Flynn, and for peace of mind, heart and soul, left the ministry she loved.

The original version of this Psalm Offering was a choral hymn for 4 part choir and soloist, and was sung at the Preparation of the Gifts during the ordination Mass by a large “festival” choir comprised of many men and women from the parishes of the deacons being ordained, and under the direction of Dan Westmoreland. What is presented here is the hymn “recomposed or revoiced” for piano. What differentiates this version from the choral piece is the bridge that separates the three verses, and closes the piece as a Coda.

This adaptation was not as easy as one might think. What may work for voice, does not always translate well into instrumental piano. The text of the verses greatly enhance the vocal version. Without the text, it required much effort and thought to have just melody express the religious content of the original. What you hear is my best effort in doing this.

Abba, Yeshua, Ruah are the Aramaic and Hebraic words for Father, Jesus, Spirit, respectively. The use of the words, albeit in a foreign language, was my attempt to make the text express the true nature of the Trinity without the usual gender assignments we use in the English language,  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This is the text for the hymn:

Abba, Abba.
May we be dwellings of Your holy love,
the love which You grace all below, above.
May we be dwellings of Your holy peace,
the peace for which all souls search and seek.
You loved so much that You sent Your Son.
Only in You can we leave as one.
Dwell in us Abba, so that all may feel
the touch of Your love and your peace-filled will.

Yeshua, Yeshua.
May we be servants of you, Eternal Word,
servants of you, Compassionate Word.
O may we seek you among the very least,
inviting all to our Abba’s feast.
You loved so much that You gave Your life.
You conquered our death so that we may rise.
O loving Jesus, may our bodies be,
Your living body for all to see.

Ruah, Ruah.
O Holy Spirit, come and make us whole,
enflame our hearts, our minds, our souls.
Inspire our actions, our fears relieve
so we may give to others what we’ve received.
Vessel of hope on our world outpoured.
Your healing breath our lives restore.
Infuse our lives now with your holy gifts
So in You, source of love, we may always live.

Abba, Yeshua, Ruah.

(c) 1994 and 2018, Robert Charles Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2, NRSV)

I first met Ruth on September 3, 1968. When my father’s business transferred my family from Chicago to St. Paul, I was beginning my junior year in high school. The first person who talked to me, welcomed me, and smiled at me to my new high school was Ruth.

By the year’s end we began dating (our first date was on May 29, 1969, the movie we saw was Charly, and it rained all evening). We were married on December 27, 1974. I have come to think of Ruth in terms of the word miracle.

It was a miracle that my family moved when we did, and I chose the high school at which Ruth was attending. It was a miracle that I met her that first day. It was a miracle that we began to be very close and started to date. It was a miracle that she fell in love with me (I had fallen in love with her long before the first date). It was a miracle that she married me (even though her dad told her as she walked up the aisle at St Bridget of Sweden Church that she could still get out of marrying me if she wanted to). Each of one of our children is a miracle. Each year of my life with Ruthie is a miracle. If you would ask me who has taught me the most about love, and how to live that love, it is Ruthie. When the author of the first letter of John exhorts his followers to see now greatly God has loved them, I have come to know how greatly I am loved by being in this miraculous relationship with Ruth. She is the incarnation of God’s love for me and I am blessed to be so very aware of it. I have often told her that when I grow up I want to be like her. Each passing day only affirms those words and sentiments of mine. She is the living image of God’s love for me, and this only inspires me to strive to better become that which God is calling me to be.

ABOUT THE MUSIC: This music is composed in my favorite meter, 5/4 time (5 beats grouped to every measure, a quarter note getting 1 beat). It is not common time like 3/4 , 4/4, or 2/4 time in which most music is composed. What is fun with this meter is where the accented beats (the stronger sounding beats) are placed in the measure. It can be 1,2,3,4,5 or 1,2,3,4,5. In this music, the accents sometimes falls on the second beat (note: the first measure of the song) 1,2,3,4,5.
The music is composed in the key of C major (no sharps or flats in the Key signature). It is in rondo form, namely, A1,A2,B1,A1,A2,C,A1,A2,D,A2,B2,A1,A2,Coda, with melody A (or its variant) being the dominant melody.

Psalm Offering 9 Opus 9 (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.

PSALM OFFERING 8 OPUS 9 – For Cheryl Deister and Buster
This Psalm Offering is composed in the form of a Mazurka, a lively Polish dance written in triple meter. I had Psalm 149 in mind as I composed this music.

PSALM 149

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
(Psalm 149: 1-5. Coogan, Michael D.; Brettler, Marc Z.; Perkins, Pheme; Newsom, Carol A.. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version (Page 893). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.)

I composed this in memory of my cousin Cheryl Deister. Cheryl died following back surgery early in the year. She worked for most of her life in the Federal government and upon retiring, was employed as an independent contractor on government projects. Single all her life, she took loving care of her parents till they passed away, and was a loving doting aunt to her nieces and nephews. She loved dearly her sister Kathy and brother in law, Frank. The other great love of her life was her standard poodle, Buster. Cheryl was a devoted Washington Redskin and Washington Nationals fan.

Kathy and Cheryl were my Virginia cousins, whom I last visited probably in the 1960’s. Ruth and I had the great pleasure of visiting Kathy, Frank and Cheryl the first week of October, 2017. We were looking so forward to them coming to visit us this summer and were greatly shocked and saddened to hear of Cheryl’s death in January. I would like to think that this Mazurka reflects the joy that Cheryl imparted to those who knew her, and is now part of the great dance she is enjoying in Heaven.

About the music: As stated above, a Mazurka is a fast, lively dance in triple meter. It is marked by accents falling on the weaker beats of triple time, namely, the 2nd and 3rd beat of each measure. One of the great composers of Mazurkas was Frederick Chopin, who composed 69 Mazurkas for piano.

This Mazurka is composed in simple 3 part meter. Melody A, melody B, melody A.

(Psalm Offering 8 Opus 9 (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.

This Psalm Offering is a musical expression of Psalm 25.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord,
and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are
steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.

They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
(Coogan, Michael D.; Brettler, Marc Z.; Perkins, Pheme; Newsom, Carol A.. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version (Page 793). Oxford University Press.)

I dedicate this Psalm Offering to Lisa Leverson. Lisa is the administrative secretary of the parish in which I presently serve. She has the wonderful quality of bringing order and tranquility to the chaos of parish life. I find this somewhat akin to the gospel accounts of Jesus calming the storm at sea. She is a good friend, and a most trusted colleague. It is a comfort to minister with her in this large, merged parish.

ABOUT THE MUSIC: This Palm Offering is composed in the key of G major. It is in simple two part, AB, form. There is a recurring refrain A that alternates with the B melody. The entire form of the song is A,B1,A,B2,A,B1, A Coda.

(Psalm Offering 7 Opus 9, (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.

PSALM OFFERING 6, OPUS 9 (for Diane Weckman)

I was reflecting on Psalm 27 as I composed this Psalm Offering.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:1-4, 13-14. New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version)

The psalmist affirms his trust in God, in whom the psalmist finds light and salvation. Though the events of his life may seem to be stacked up against him, the psalmist knows that hope lay only in God. The motivating emotion in the life of the psalmist is desiring to behold God. The psalmist longs to be in the sanctuary of God, in the land of life.

I have dedicated this psalm to my good friend and colleague, Diane Weckman. I have grown close to Diane and her family over the past 8 to 9 years. She was a major leader in the rural parish of St Benedict, and though St Benedict was merged with four other parishes and later demolished, Diane has continued to be provide positive leadership in the newly created parish.

ABOUT THE MUSIC. This song is a vibrant waltz, composed in the key of C major. It is essentially in two part, AB form. The A melody actually has two distinct versions, A1 and A2 both introduced in the beginning of the music. The overall structure is: A1A2BA1BA2BA1Coda.

Psalm Offering 6 Opus 9 (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.

In the composition of this Psalm Offering the following verses from Psalm 71 came to my mind.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress,  to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.
All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,
for those who tried to do me harm have been put to shame, and disgraced.
(Psalm 71: 1-6, 17,22-24, NRSV Bible, New Oxford Annotated Edition)

The psalmist writes this psalm from the perspective of someone who has experienced hardship in life. Though, this person may be in the midst of some conflict, the person’s trust in God’s enduring love and care rejoices knowing the justice will prevail and God will make all things right. The agitation and conflict is heard in melody A but gradually fades away in the peace and tranquility of melody B. It is as if the peace and trust of the psalmist in melody B is an oasis in the midst of the agitation and conflict of melody A. Though melody A does return in great fury, the peace of melody B prevails, growing only the more loud and victorious by the end of the song.

I dedicate this song to my good friend and colleague, Carol Weiers, with whom I have ministered the past 8 years. Even in the midst of the craziness of parish life, Carol has always been that oasis of sanity and wisdom, maintaining a sense of humor and balance.

About the music: This Psalm Offering is in simple two part form, AB and is composed in the key of F minor. Melody A has a very fast running arpeggio in the left hand against loud, heavy chords in the right hand. Melody B is slower, softer and more expressive, harmonically progressing to a concluding chord in Bb major. The entire structure of the song is A,B,A,B.

The B melody was intended 42 years ago to be a chorale in a massive choral work based on Psalm 71. Over the years, I misplaced the score for the chorale and just recently discovered it in the bottom of a storage bin. The rest of the choral work is gone, but the best ended up being preserved … thanks be to God.

Psalm Offering 5 Opus 9 (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.