Posts by Wilson Troxell

Posts by Wilson Troxell

Musician's Corner

Music [Musician’s Corner]

Music – (Noun): The science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity. Vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) That is the technical definition.  so how do you define the music in your life? We are surrounded (at times bombarded) by music each and every day from…

Preludes [Musician’s Corner]

In a recent issue of The American Organist, the monthly magazine of The American Guild of Organists, Frederick Hohman, of South Bend, Indiana, posed this question in a letter: Is the death of the Organ Prelude Upon Us? He referenced three different church experiences where the prelude served only as background music to the ever-increasing din of voices and laughter coming from the congregation as they gathered for worship. Mr. Hohman states, “The removal of the organ prelude from the…
Musician's Corner

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee [Musician’s Corner]

Henry J. van Dyke 1852-1933 Henry J. van Dyke was a noted author, poet, clergyman, and academician.  Following in his father’s footsteps he became a Presbyterian minister.  After twenty-seven years of ministry, he accepted a position at Princeton University as professor of English which he held for twenty-three years. In the 1910s, he became the US ambassador to the Netherlands.  He continued his writings which included over seventy books.  Written in 1907 and based on Psalm 71:1-23. The hymn Joyful,…
Musician's Corner

Hymns as Prayers [Musician’s Corner]

The hymns we sing on Sunday mornings can also be read as prayers written during times of sorrow, distress, thanksgiving, joy, and celebration. This week we will be looking at two hymns by Henry F. Lyte: “Abide with Me” and “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven.” The Reverend Henry Lyte Reverend Henry Lyte, was the vicar of Lower Brixham, Devonshire, England, for twenty-three years. On September 4, 1847, he delivered his last sermon and was preparing to leave for…
Musician's Corner

Introducing Musician’s Corner

How fortunate we are to have Wilson Troxell as our organist. Wilson has offered to share his knowledge of the music from our liturgy and church history in a series of posts we’re calling Musician’s Corner. We hope it will inform and enrich your worship experience. As we add to this collection of articles, you can find them on the new section of our website, which is listed under “Leadership” in the drop down menu at the top of the…