Preludes and Postludes

A Note on Liturgy and Music By Music Director Zachary Duell

The question has been raised lately: what should I do during the prelude and postlude part of the 10:30am Eucharist?

Preludes have existed in the church for at least 600 years — indeed, the first music ever published for keyboard instruments included preludes for worship services.

The prelude is a time for prayer and preparation for worship: upon entering the church, one is greeted by gentle sacred music, colored light filtering through stained glass, lighted candles on the altar, perhaps the smell of incense from past services. Whereas these elements are perhaps not so spectacular in our modern lives, for our forebears in faith they served to transport churchgoers to a prayerful state of being.

I encourage all to follow the tradition of the church and utilize the prelude for prayer, meditation, and preparation for worship, understanding that there is plenty of time after the service for fellowship and catching up with friends, and to respect the desire of others to do so. By observing a time of preparation before worship, you just may find a deeper, more meaningful engagement with the liturgy!

Likewise, postludes have been a part of our collective liturgical practice for centuries. Known as closing voluntaries in England, Nachspielen (literally “aftermath”) in Germany, or Sortie (simply “exit”) in France, postludes predate recessional hymns as the closing music of a liturgy. In many churches, before congregational hymns became a part of the liturgy, the postlude accompanied the procession of the clergy and choir out of the Sanctuary.

Today, postludes are essentially, as the French say, music for exiting: a joyful, upbeat tune meant to uplift and send us out to the world in joy. As we often hear in the dismissal sentence: “rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.” The Postlude is not a miniature concert demanding full attention. While some music lovers may wish to stay and listen to the complete piece (and those who stay and sometimes offer applause are always appreciated by musicians!), it is certainly not expected that the whole congregation remain after the dismissal.

In contrast to the prelude, the postlude is a good time to greet each other, to share the joy of Christ with one another, and to go out into the world. In short — feel no obligation to stay for the postlude! Simply do as your heart leads or your schedule demands. There is no judgment or offense involved with not staying through to the end.

Finally, I would like to invite any who wish to come up to the choir loft during the postlude. Some may find it interesting to watch the organist play close up (though the view from the floor is not bad!), and I am not bothered by movement in the loft, nor by people watching close by. I would only advise that young children be accompanied by adults so as to avoid any danger climbing steps and avoiding the railing of the loft.

I make a concerted effort to ensure that music offered for the Eucharist is of highest quality and reflects the dignity and joy of the service — the closer you listen and the more you engage with the music, the more you will get out of it!