Harmony

 The father of my children was (is) a musician. He is particularly gifted at helping groups of people to sing together — whether that be a class of school children or a choir of mixed ability. 

He's also a superb accompanist and worship leader. He understands the rôle of music in building an integral structure, everyone taking their part to allow it all to work together as a united whole.

Singing in harmony acts like a parable or icon of the common life. You know that psalm (Ps 133 RSV) —

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,
    running down upon the beard,
upon the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!

It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life for evermore.

And my children's father, before the days when the UK National Curriculum outlawed him from doing it, used to prioritise class singing when he taught is school, because he said it not only taught them music, it also taught them how to be an effective group of people.

In the same way, the skill of a worship accompanist is different from the skill of a concert performer. The accompanist is there to uplift and promote and facilitate the others, the ones who are not him/her. The performer is there to draw attention, to take centre stage.

In music for worship, sung in harmony, the art is to sing loud enough that the person next to you can hear you, and quiet enough that you can hear them. And that is also the art of life — to play your part but also to enable others and allow them to shine.

Very few churches have congregations who sing in harmony, which is a matter of sadness for me, because polyphonic music has a marvellous integrated structure, it's very powerful.

Here's a good example of a hymn sounding as it should, strengthened by its balancing harmonies.

And here's the father of my children singing in harmony with friends at York, fifty years ago. He has the bass line.