The choir at Girard First United Methodist Church is preparing a cantata for Palm Sunday
By LINDA M. LINONIS
girard
A blend of choral music and narrative will address the question, “Who Do You Say I Am?” But, ultimately, people of faith must find the answer in their own minds and souls.
The choir of Girard First United Methodist Church, 22 N. Market St., will present that cantata as part of this weekend’s Palm Sunday service at 10:45 a.m.
April Antell Tarantine, interim choir director, said the choir usually performs Christmas and Easter cantatas as a special offering. She said the regular service Sunday will begin with children walking down the aisle waving palm fronds. “Hosanna” is the chosen selection.
Tarantine, who has a master’s degree in music, is the afternoon announcer at WYSU FM. She said narrators will help move the program along for the 40-member choir of men and women. They range from a seventh-grader to octogenarians.
Tarantine said the cantata will “tell the story of Holy Week” with a “mix-and-match” of selections. “We’ll hear from people in Jesus’ life ... some of the disciples, the women [such as his mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene] and Pontius Pilate,” she said.
She said those biblical figures will address the question posed by the cantata and answer it from their viewpoint. That input will help advance the story, she said.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with palms at his feet is featured through “Let Heaven Ring, Hosanna” with words and music by composer David Clydesdale. “Even the Heavens are Weeping” will focus on Jesus’ death, while “Christ Arose”
centers on the Resurrection. Tarantine said she is using various selections by Clydesdale from other cantatas including “The Holy City.”
Tarantine said the cantata also will include “Tell Me the Story of Jesus,” “Who Is That Man?” and “Be Strong in the Lord” and conclude with a “Christ Arose” medley. “Little Gray Donkey” is a light-hearted selection and gives the listener the idea of a meandering walk.
“Music is so powerful. What can bring it to life for someone is one line that is important to them,” said Bonnie Hood, organist for 28 years at church.
Hood described the choir as a group “with many good voices” who sing a wide range of music. She credited James Antell, choir director, with setting an example of dedication, which choir members have emulated.
Tenor Tom Tate, a choir member for 13 of his 15-year church membership, said, he simply “loves to sing.” He hopes others get “goosebumps” as he does from some of the selections.
The Rev. Betsy Schenk often sings with the choir. “Music plays a big role in services, and for Holy Week, it gives a sense of drama to the events," she said.
“The characters, monologues and music will make people sit back, listen and focus,” she said.
Janet Baumann has belonged to the church for 63 years. Her “love of music” brought her to the choir 50 years ago. “This church really appreciates music. It’s a joy to them,” she said. The cantata uses a lot of different music in a fluid arrangement. “It takes a lot of effort to put it all together,” she said.
Tarantine said she hoped the music and narration will provoke some soul-searching among those sitting in the pews. “I hope the cantata might help people come up with their own answers,” she said. “Each person must answer the question ‘who is Jesus to them.’”
Girard First UMC will conduct a Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. and Easter service at 10:45 a.m.