Professor composes hymns
Brandon Muri
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: News
Three Sundays ago, as St. Anthony's Catholic Church resonated with the bombastic tones of stately organ and heavenly voices, Mass-goers participated in the conclusion of a summer-long project: They gave voice to the original hymns of Hillsdale College's own lecturer in music, Douglas Spangler '94, for the first time.
That day, Spangler officially released a hymnal containing 11 traditional hymns and 56 of his original compositions, comprising mass parts and psalms.
The following Saturday, as Spangler, music director at St. Anthony's, sat astride the great pine bench of the church's venerable old 1929 Casavant organ, preparing for the last Mass of the church year an hour away; he discussed his recent accomplishment.
"It is one way I have to serve the people of God," he said. "At the same time it serves as a creative outlet."
Spangler and his wife, Wren, personally funded the entire project.
"It is a labor of love, my gift to the church," Spangler said, "I feel called to do this because I have the ability and the opportunity."
Spangler's collection appears in a thin songbook, bearing on the green paperback cover its title, "Saint Anthony Hymnal," in gold script.
He said he saw a disparity between church liturgy and the existing hymnal, which served as an impetus for the project.
"Rather than be a composer who alters the Biblical text to my music, I try to write music that fits the approved text," he said.
The "approved text" is the official liturgical text used in Catholic churches; it contains scripture readings which coincide with specific times of the church calendar year. Every Sunday is allotted a particular psalm, chosen for its significance.
After crinkling through those thick volumes with obvious familiarity, Spangler quickly spotted an example, pointing: "You see-a lot of times the writer will alter the psalm with his own interpretation. [My hymnal] is comprised entirely with psalms taken directly from the liturgy and approved by our bishop."
That day, Spangler officially released a hymnal containing 11 traditional hymns and 56 of his original compositions, comprising mass parts and psalms.
The following Saturday, as Spangler, music director at St. Anthony's, sat astride the great pine bench of the church's venerable old 1929 Casavant organ, preparing for the last Mass of the church year an hour away; he discussed his recent accomplishment.
"It is one way I have to serve the people of God," he said. "At the same time it serves as a creative outlet."
Spangler and his wife, Wren, personally funded the entire project.
"It is a labor of love, my gift to the church," Spangler said, "I feel called to do this because I have the ability and the opportunity."
Spangler's collection appears in a thin songbook, bearing on the green paperback cover its title, "Saint Anthony Hymnal," in gold script.
He said he saw a disparity between church liturgy and the existing hymnal, which served as an impetus for the project.
"Rather than be a composer who alters the Biblical text to my music, I try to write music that fits the approved text," he said.
The "approved text" is the official liturgical text used in Catholic churches; it contains scripture readings which coincide with specific times of the church calendar year. Every Sunday is allotted a particular psalm, chosen for its significance.
After crinkling through those thick volumes with obvious familiarity, Spangler quickly spotted an example, pointing: "You see-a lot of times the writer will alter the psalm with his own interpretation. [My hymnal] is comprised entirely with psalms taken directly from the liturgy and approved by our bishop."
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