Mack Wilberg Musician Extraordinaire!
This summer I attended the 49th annual convocation of The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts (FUMMWA) in the Florida Annual Conference. At 49 years, this event is only one year younger than the national FUMMWA organization. The adult choral conductor and workshop leader for the week was Dr. Mack Wilberg, an extraordinarily gifted composer, arranger, conductor, and teacher. Among his many achievements, Dr. Wilberg's bio includes:
- associate director, Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- conductor, Temple Square Chorale
- active pianist, chamber musician, clinician, composer, arranger, and conductor in the USA and abroad
- graduate, Brigham Young University, graduate degrees from University of Southern California
- former director, BYU Men's Chorus and Concert Choir
- former member and arranger, American Piano Quartet
The packet of choir worship music for the closing concert selected by Dr. Wilberg was an excellent mix of styles and musical periods. All titles were suitable for worship or concert, especially for mid-sized to larger choirs:
- "Arise, O God, and Shine" (also includes Charles Wesley's "Rejoice, the Lord Is King" text), and the familiar DARWALL'S 148TH tune from our hymnal, arr. Wilberg; Oxford 0193864940; SATB
- "Jesus, the Very Thought Is Sweet," arr. Wilberg; Oxford 0193862433, SATB
- "Gloria" from Harmoniemesse," F.J. Haydn; Roger Dean/Lorenz HRD332; SATB
- "Peace Like a River," arr. Wilberg; Oxford 0193868148; SATB
- "Go Down Moses," arr. Mark Hayes; Hinshaw HMC704; SATB
- "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lend," tune O WALY WALY, arr. Wilberg; Oxford 0193868180; SATB
It was a real treat to observe Dr. Wilberg lead the choir through the week — teaching, explaining, correcting, inspiring, molding. Based upon his own arrangements from this group as well as other Wilberg titles, here is a short description of his compositional style:
- He enjoys setting familiar tunes that would be well-known by congregations.
- He uses a rich variety of harmonies, often painting the text, often using some dissonance for dramatic effect. He sometimes uses harmonies that slowly and subtly change.
- He frequently uses of the augmented chord as a transition harmony.
- He utilizes the minor secondary dominant harmony over the dominant pedal to create tension, with the secondary dominant eventually changing to the dominant seventh, which may or may not finally resolve to a tonic.
- Inner and lower voices often include accented passing tones and appoggiaturas under the melody line. These dissonances sometimes resolve in an expected manner, but often they "resolve" to another dissonance, and passages may consist of a string of these shifting dissonances. The effect is heightened tension, made all the more effective when they finally fully resolve.
- His accompaniments are often fully independent of the melody; that is, they can be quite orchestral in conception, containing supportive harmonies and counter-melodies rather than reinforcing the melody. Many accompaniments are for organ.
- In setting hymn tunes, he makes frequent use of modulations between stanzas, with three or four modulations in a single setting. His modulations are varied: up a half step, up a whole step, up a minor or major third, down to a lower key, progressing around the Circle of Fifths, or to an unexpected key. He accomplishes the transition sometimes with a prepared modulation interlude, and sometimes rather abruptly.
- Frequent use of divided voices: even though his arrangements are usually marked SATB, it is common for the parts to divide, resulting often in six or more parts. This thicker, more complex vocal texture provides a rich harmonic sound and a fullness of sound in the louder sections.
Wilberg's arrangements are first-rate, challenging, chorally beautiful, and satisfying to sing and hear. He understands how singers sing and how choirs come together. He is always sensitive to the text. It is never music for the sole purpose of moving the emotions of the singers or thrilling the listeners. It is excellent choral music that is also excellent worship music.
Other Mack Wilberg titles (published by Oxford) include:
- "America the Beautiful," SATB, 0193868121
- "The Morning Trumpet," TTBB, unaccompanied, 0193868288
- "Shenandoah," SATB, 4-hand piano, 0193868202
- "Simple Gifts," SATB, flute, piccolo, glockenspiel, organ, 0193864916
- "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" (Charles Wesley)
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