In the reading from Genesis, “a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.” Paul’s letter to the Philippians says, “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body. … ” And in Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, while Jesus was praying, “his face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white.” The apostles changed too: “a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.”

Why the emphasis on these changes? And how can music convey the unusual—and scary—meaning of changes so profound they deserved mention in scripture?

This is not an age that pays much attention to experiences beyond our understanding. “Awesome” has become a description of everything from a pair of shoes to a good meal. The word “awful” has almost completely lost its original meaning of “filled with awe.” Pomp and circumstance used to be awe-inspiring; now it can seem tedious and passé.

But in the same way that changing the organ’s registration can give a piece of music an eerie, otherworldly sound appropriate for this kind of text, the choir’s delivery too must convey a sense of awe, a sense of wonder, a sense that all is not what it was. The late choral conductor Oliver Douberly had the word for it: spookiando.

Even a simple, traditional hymn such as “Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here” (the hymn tune  SWABIA) can suggest that sense of wonder with thoughtful organ registration and a hushed intensity in the choir’s singing. Take a little time to experiment; perhaps use the text with a different short meter tune, such as  SOUTHWELL or  ST. BRIDE. It’s a good way to help your assembly feel the apostles’ uncertainty and fear in the face of God’s great mysteries.