Wedding Notebook
a resource of the Long Green Valley
Church of the Brethren
Musical Suggestions
Below are a list of possible musical pieces for your wedding. You are in no way limited to them. You may wish to depend on your musicians to help you select what is best. This is fine, even encouraged. Your organist is a valuable resource. Do keep in mind the music "guidelines" found on page 2 of the "order of worship" section.
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Though not an exhaustive list of possibilities, these are from our hymnal. They can be inserted most anywhere in your service. The congregation can sing them (even as a processional or recessional). Your musician can play them, even in a medley. Soloists/trios/quartets can sing them. We have a CCLI license, so hymns/songs not in our hymnal can be put in the bulletin. You do not have to sing all the verses in a hymn. (The links below may have some different words or more or less verses than in our hymnal.)
Classical Music
By no means is classical the "perfect" music for your wedding. Classical music is merely music which has withstood the test of time. Work with your organist (if you are using one) in selecting appropriate numbers. Usually she or he has a wide repertoire of music from which to make suggestions. Below are suggestions that have traditionally been used in weddings. There are, of course, many more possibilities from classical music - as well as from more "modern" music.
A. Preludes
(before Service Begins)Bach, J.S.
Boellman, L.
Franck, Caesar
Handel, G.F.
Manz, P.
Mendelssohn, F.
Peters, F.
Aria
Vaughan-Williams, Ralph
Young, G.
Hymn
Improvisations (or any composer's hymn arrangement/improvisation)
B. Processionals
Bach, J.S.
Campre, A.
Clarke, Jeremiah
Pachelbel, Johann
Wagner, Richard
Bridal Chorus
- "Here Comes the Bride" (from Lohengrin)
C. Recessionals
Bach, J.S.
Beethovan, L.
Clarke, Jeremiah
Dunstable, J.
Handel G.F.
MajorKarg-Elert, S.
Mendelssohn, Felix
Wedding March
(from A
Midsummer Night's Dream)
Moret
Rondeau
Saxton, S.E.
Fanfare
and Tuba Tuen
Wesley, S.S.
Choral
Song
Widor, Chas. M.
Toccata
from Symphony VD.
D. Vocal Music
Bach, J.S.
Bach-Dickinson
Bach-Fryxell
Bairstow
Barnby
Beethoven, L.
Bitgood, R
Brahms, J.
Bunjes, Paul (Ed.)
Burleigh, H.T.
Cassler, G. Winston
Charles, Ernest
Clokey, Jos.
Davies, Ivor
May the Grace
of Christ, our Savior
Diggle, Ronald
A
Wedding Prayer
Dunlop, Fern Glasglow
Dvorak, Anton
Fetler, David
Franck, Caesar
Fryxell, Regina H.
Gore, R
Gounod
Holst
Hummel
Jacob
Lang, C.S.
Ley
Liddle, Samuel
Lloyd, Henry
Lovelace, Austin
Mac Dermid
Malotte, A.H.
Markworth, Henry
Mendelssoh, F.
O'Connor--Morris
Peek,
The God of
Love My Shepherd Is
Polack, H.A.
Roberts
Rowley, A.
Schuetz, Heinrich
Sowerby, Leo
Thiman
Watts, Winter
Weaver, Powell
Wesley -- Old Welsh Tune
Willan, Healey
Vaughan Williams, R.
Young, Gordon
| A guide to traditional wedding music (compiled by staff of UVA music library) | WeddingGlobe.com music suggestions | Weddingzone.net on Choosing the music for your wedding ceremony |
Contemporary Music
Instead of listing possibilities, as we have done in the past, we encourage you to just think through what you might include - especially if it is a "secular" song. A love song that has been a part of your courtship may be nice, but perhaps not appropriate for a worship service. A lot depends upon the words. It may be better for the reception. There are, however, a multitude of delightful contemporary Christian songs appropriate for a wedding service. Because "contemporary" soon becomes "golden oldies," though, it’s better not to list them here. For instance, when was the last time you heard the "Wedding Song"
("There is Love") by Noel Paul Stookey in a wedding? If you answer, "never heard of it," that’s just the point.|
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©2001 Peter L. Haynes