Requiscant in Pace

Once again I am sad to report the death of two very prominent and prolific composers of church music... Richard Hillert (1923-2010) is the composer of one of the settings of the Divine Service (LSB, LW, LBW), a composer of organ and choral music, a composer of hymn tunes, and an arranger of many of the hymn tunes in the Lutheran hymnals in use today.

The longtime professor at Concordia, River Forest, was music editor of the Worship Supplement (1969), Inter-Lutheran Committee on Worship (1966-1978), and Lutheran Book of Worship (1978). His gifts to the Church are sung in countless settings and by many different denominations. His Worthy is Christ for ILCW has found acceptance in more than 30 hymnals. A sample of his choral work is here.

He will be sorely missed as a composer, musician, scholar, and churchman -- for us most every Sunday when we sing the music of the Divine Service which he composed.

Richard Proulx (1937-2010) is one of the most widely published contemporary composers in Christendom. He has given to the Church mass settings, canticles, hymn tunes, choral anthems, Psalm tones and refrains, organ works and a host of other musical publications. Proulx was also a conductor of the widely acclaimed The Cathedral Singers, which he founded.

Though perhaps more widely known among Roman Catholics, Proulx long ago transcended denominational circles to produce a great deal of music for the church at large. It is hard to know where to begin to list and chronicle the works of this widely published composer and musician. Hymnals across the ages and a across the denominations bear his musical gift of composition and arrangement and they will stand as his legacy to the Christian world. A tribute to Richard Proulx is on YouTube here

Both of these composers called the greater Chicago area their home. May the souls of these faithful departed rest in peace, according to the mercies of God.