Inför begravningsgudstjänsten. Ett utvecklingsprojekt för begravningsmusik

Abstract

Preparing the Funeral Service. A Development Project for Funeral Music

The main purpose of this article is to describe a project within the parishes of Lund concerning music for funeral services (hymns, organ music, other instrumental music and songs). The project started with a convention where priests, church musicians and funeral directors together discussed issues related to funeral services and especially their music. One aim was to stress that the funeral is a worship service, another to broaden the music of the funeral service. After the convention, work continued in two ways. One of the results was two documents that clarify the interaction and roles of the clergy, church musicians, and funeral directors. After the convention, work also began on material to distribute to relatives of deceased persons before funeral services, with examples of suitable music for funerals. One of the vicars, Lars-Erik Andersson, and one of the church musicians, Johan-Magnus Sjöberg, were appointed as the project management team. The result was a folder containing two CDs, a textbook and a sheet with a greeting from the Church of Sweden in Lund. One of the CDs contains examples of organ music that can be played as an introduction and conclusion to the funeral service. This CD also includes examples of instrumental music and solo songs that can be performed at funerals. The music comes both from the classical repertoire and from contemporary pop music. The examples of organ music and instrumental music are mostly taken from the classical repertoire, since solo songs are mostly contemporary folk or pop songs. The second CD contains examples of a wide range of hymns from The Swedish Hymn Book (Den svenska psalmboken) and from the later additions to this, for example, Hymns in the Twenty-First Century (Psalmer i 2000-talet). The text booklet contains both lists of all recorded music, and an additional number of examples of music, songs and hymns that can be played at a funeral service. When the project management and the church musicians in Lund were interviewed, they mentioned two important effects of the project. Firstly, the repertoire of hymns and even more of instrumental music at funeral services has been broadened. Secondly, the discussions held during the project have led to better cooperation and have entailed that work with the funeral service has developed a deeper dimension.