Dr Chris Watson on Singing at Funerals- and the carrying of the coffin.

Celebrancy Blog - Dally Messenger III

Feb 3, 2009: Dr Chris Watson: on Singing at Funerals - and on carrying the coffin. (Dr Watson is Dean of Studies at the International College of Celebrancy.) Dear fellow funeral-celebrants, Some thoughts following two recent (Church) funerals I attended as part of the crowd. SINGING. If live music is to be part of a ceremony, it is worth seeing if somebody can lead the singing. It makes a huge difference, especially if hymns are involved, to have somebody with the ability to make the singing sound like a genuine communal tribute, and not a painful dirge that gets slower and lower. They don't have to be operatic stars - in fact, I have been to some where a very good soloist was useless for leading a crowd. Recently, at an otherwise well-planned ceremony, which incorporated many of the personal details that we have find in the best celebrant funerals, the main planner was surprised when I asked the previous evening if anybody had the job of leading the singing. Of course, those who ask usually get the job, but fortunately there was also a far more competent person present who was involved in the singing at the Church this person had attended for some time before going to a nursing home. He quickly responded and the next morning I was able to join a small group who did lead the singing, and who were pleased to do this as their tribute for a person they had known and respected. Very helpful too was the presence of a good organist who accompanied with authority. Even some hymns that I normally detest came over well, and there were many approving comments from people present. CARRYING THE COFFIN. At a more recent funeral, for my wife's elderly aunt, I spoke to one of the grandsons later who was most disappointed that he and others of his age had not been invited to help carry the coffin at the end of the service. (I think it was especially sad. considering that young people so often feel ill at ease and disconnected from funeral services: here was something they could actually DO, and nobody thought to ask them!) I also recall from my mother's funeral that the use of wheeling rather than lifting allows frailer people to put their hands on the hearse and accompany the last journey of the deceased. It also made it easier to give women a share in this conventionally male job. Technically, this might be seen as Funeral Director's territory rather than the celebrant's, but it is part of the ceremony, and is one way that people can feel they are doing their bit for the memory of the person who has died. I don't think the staff would mind somebody raising the matter, and the bereaved could be grateful for a reminder that it is possible to ask. Chris Watson, Dean of Studies, ICC	Home Celebrancy Blog General Blog ACCC Comments

Feb 3, 2009: Dr Chris Watson:
on Singing at Funerals - and on carrying the coffin.

(Dr Watson is Dean of Studies at the International College of Celebrancy.)

Dear fellow funeral-celebrants,
Some thoughts following two recent (Church) funerals I attended as part of the crowd.

SINGING. If live music is to be part of a ceremony, it is worth seeing if somebody can lead the singing. It makes a huge difference, especially if hymns are involved, to have somebody with the ability to make the singing sound like a genuine communal tribute, and not a painful dirge that gets slower and lower. They don't have to be operatic stars - in fact, I have been to some where a very good soloist was useless for leading a crowd.

Recently, at an otherwise well-planned ceremony, which incorporated many of the personal details that we have find in the best celebrant funerals, the main planner was surprised when I asked the previous evening if anybody had the job of leading the singing.
Of course, those who ask usually get the job, but fortunately there was also a far more competent person present who was involved in the singing at the Church this person had attended for some time before going to a nursing home.
He quickly responded and the next morning I was able to join a small group who did lead the singing, and who were pleased to do this as their tribute for a person they had known and respected. Very helpful too was the presence of a good organist who accompanied with authority. Even some hymns that I normally detest came over well, and there were many approving comments from people present.

CARRYING THE COFFIN. At a more recent funeral, for my wife's elderly aunt, I spoke to one of the grandsons later who was most disappointed that he and others of his age had not been invited to help carry the coffin at the end of the service. (I think it was especially sad. considering that young people so often feel ill at ease and disconnected from funeral services: here was something they could actually DO, and nobody thought to ask them!)

I also recall from my mother's funeral that the use of wheeling rather than lifting allows frailer people to put their hands on the hearse and accompany the last journey of the deceased. It also made it easier to give women a share in this conventionally male job.

Technically, this might be seen as Funeral Director's territory rather than the celebrant's, but it is part of the ceremony, and is one way that people can feel they are doing their bit for the memory of the person who has died. I don't think the staff would mind somebody raising the matter, and the bereaved could be grateful for a reminder that it is possible to ask.

Chris Watson,
Dean of Studies, ICC