Composer: J. Richard Freese
Hymn Tune: None
Instrumentation: English horn/piano, originally flugelhorn and piano
Purchase: Directly from composer, rich.freese@gmail.com
Performance
Performed by The Clara Schumann Project: Alana Laufman, English horn, Dr. Kayme Henkel, piano, performed live in concert March 2018
About
I attended college at UW-Madison and became involved with Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel. After I left Madison, Rich Freese did his doctoral work in composition at UW-Madison and became worship coordinator at Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel. We had heard of one another, even though our time at the UW School of Music and Chapel never overlapped. We started communicating when I was looking for music by living composers for oboe and piano for my duo with pianist Dr. Kayme Henkel. Rich had composed music for worship settings for musicians he knew. "Offertory" was originally for flugelhorn and piano. The timbre of the flugelhorn is mellow and transfers nicely to the sound of the English horn.
The piece is short, about 3.5 minutes. It utilizes a repeat after the first sixteen measures, which creates the ability to loop the music as needed. The music is simple to play, but the harmonies give subtle nods to jazz and pop while the accompanying rhythmic motive provides a contemplative atmosphere. The melody is based on a four eighth note motive that reoccurs throughout and develops in volume with the evolving harmonies. The piece needs to be performed well to be effective. Many of the melodic notes are doubled in the harmony and the quiet nature of the piece needs to have enough support to remain beautiful.
I personally like that the form of "Offertory" is based on the 32 bar pop song (although a little bit longer due to transitioning from bridge to A^1). Freese is connecting with listeners, whether in worship or recital on many levels. 32 bar pop songs were all the rage pre-1955 in an era of music known as the "Classic American Song Book". The length, the reoccurring themes, the bridge, will work subliminally with Baby Boomers. Jazz falls right into this Boomer category, while picking up the Xers and a younger intellectual coffee shop crowd, which I would argue fits into the casual style of CCM-type churches. The melody itself is classical (like the era 1750-1825, which popularized the concept of a distinct melody with a distinct accompaniment) in inspiration, making it generally likable to all; who doesn't love a good melody? Finally, as Freese concludes his "A" section, the pedal-toning F# begins a new path of descending and ultimately moving from a long section of dissonance to brief consonance (that Ahhhh! feeling of resolution). This descending pattern in the bass as well as the use of the lowest piano is utilized in popular music today. Us young people want us some bass!
Composer
Born in Tucson, Arizona and spending most of his life in the Midwestern United States, Rich Freese began pursuing music in late high school when he taught himself how to play the electric guitar. He subsequently earned music composition degrees at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Truman State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Born in Tucson, Arizona and spending most of his life in the Midwestern United States, Rich Freese began pursuing music in late high school when he taught himself how to play the electric guitar. He subsequently earned music composition degrees at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Truman State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Freese’s professional activities have focused on church music, education, and composition. He serves as the worship coordinator at Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison, WI, working with a wide variety of music styles and a number of musicians and AV personnel. As an educator, he has taught students of all ages and interests in one-on-one music lessons, classrooms and workshops, and online courses. His original compositions have been performed throughout the United States in venues including art exhibitions and music festivals.
Outside of music and education, pursuits and hobbies include art, reading, video games, and spending time with family.
This piece is an example of a work written specifically for a worship setting, but without a hymn melody in mind. As we see by the title, the piece is for collection of the offering. In a liturgical service, this takes place after the sermon. The calmness and simplicity of the piece lends itself to reflecting on the scripture readings and sermon content. The piece is beautiful and worthy to listen to, but it does not "steal the show" away from Biblical texts and the sermon. This piece is appropriate for use during the offering, or if a time for meditation is planned within the service. The form offers flexibility, allowing musicians to cadence when needed during the service (or even fade out!) It is appropriate for all times of the church year.
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