(Part 3 of a 4-part article)
You want your wedding processional music to express your joy, not make your guests yawn!
I discussed in the first part of this article that the focus of the processional is not the music itself, but that the music underscores the significance of the processional in a Christian wedding.
The processional music ought to convey great joy over what is about to occur. Makes sure that your choice of music helps people feel your joy. You don’t want your choice of music to not even be noticed (or worse, to make them yawn)! If the music is not distinctive, your expression of joy might be lost on your guests and your ceremony may not be that memorable.
In the previous parts of this article, I discussed ceremony details that affect your choice of processional. This time, I’ll look at how you might be able to try a different approach to commonly used processionals if you really have your heart set on one of them.
Try to avoid these
I suggest avoiding commonly-used pieces so that it’s easier to express yourself through music. But if a commonly-used piece happens to perfectly express your joy, then by all means, use it.
So just in case you don’t already know, here are the six most common traditional wedding processional music choices:
- Jeremiah Clarke: Prince of Denmark’s March (sometimes called Trumpet Voluntary in D and sometimes incorrectly attributed to Henry Purcell)
- Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D
- Richard Wagner: Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin (also known as Wedding March or more commonly as “Here Comes the Bride”). Wedding Music Unveiled recommends staying away from this for several reasons: This piece is forbidden or discouraged in many Christian churches because of the secular nature of the piece (& pagan themes in some of his operas), in addition to Wagner’s anti-semitic reputation. If those are not reason enough, remember the words that follow “Here comes the bride…” when children sing the words. You know some of your guests will be thinking those same words as you go down the aisle. Do you really want that?
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Air on the G String
But if you must…
If you plan to use one of these pieces, consider some sort of twist from the normal to take away some of the familiarity and give it a little character. This will make it a lot easier to get people’s attention.
For example, you might consider a solo instrument (either instead of or accompanied by your church’s organ). A violin would work well with the Bridal Chorus, Canon in D, or any of the Bach pieces. A trumpet would work well with the Prince of Denmark’s March or Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. A solo piano would work well with the Canon in D or any of the Bach pieces. The combination of piano and flute works especially well for any of the Bach pieces. A classical guitar could be used for any of the Bach pieces.
There are plenty of other instrumental possibilities (such as using an oboe as a solo instrument in the Canon in D or the Bach pieces) which are limited only by your imagination (or suggestions from us, musicians or fellow readers).
If you don’t have solo musicians available, there are still things that can be done to make the piece sound distinctive. Discuss with your primary musician (e.g., your organist or perhaps pianist) your concern that the piece is too familiar and you’d like a more distinctive sound (nothing radical—just something to spice it up a bit). Ask the musician for a different approach to the piece. They have control over parameters such as tempo, stylistic interpretation and organ registrations (which determine the “sound” of the instrument).
In the next (and final) part of this article, I’ll give you a LOT of processional music ideas.
Wrapping up
Do you think there is other music that’s used too often? What interesting approaches have you heard taken with these or other traditional wedding processional music? Join in the discussion—your comments are always welcome and appreciated!
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