My dear friend Robert
Sutherland Lord died this week. It
would be impossible to honor his life to the extent that his remarkable talent
needs to be extolled. He was an elegant
organist who played for services throughout my ministry at Christ Church in
Pittsburgh and directed our choir. He
also was the University Organist at the University of Pittsburgh and played the
Heinz Chapel organ for many, many weddings and other occasions. I officiated at some of the weddings that
took place in that remarkable monument.
He conducted our choir with great beauty. Every Good Friday, the choir would sing the
Gabriel Faure Requiem, which is an elegant piece of music and a great way for
us to observe this solemn occasion.
Bob’s musical discernment was always appropriate for our worship and
helped us all get closer to our Savior.
What I remember most about Bob was his humility. He was a scholar of incredible scope, knowing
more than anyone about the music of Jean Langlais and Charles Tournemire, about
whom he published extensively. Bob had an
exceptional ability to create improvisations on the organ that were frequently
times of wonder. I can remember moments
when Bob would improvise during the distribution of the elements at communion
on themes that I had raised in my sermon.
Often he would touch me deeply with these intimate and subtle musical
treats.
Every Christmas, Bob and Martha would host a choir party
at their home. This was always a very
happy occasion. Martha loved to cook and
her kitchen was always full of not only choir members, but with awesome
creations that would grace the table for what was always a bountiful
feast. Bob had an organ in his living
room and would play for us and the choir would sing in what became for us all a
highlight of that deeply meaningful season.
I will miss him greatly, not only his music, but his personality.
God bless him in his eternal life with the
God whom he loved so very much.