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2007-03-06 issue:

The song leader

A tribute to Professor Walter E. Yoder

by Dwight E. Weldy

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We had just closed our songbooks when I was suddenly aware that I wanted the song to continue—wished for more stanzas. Professor Walter E. Yoder was the song leader during that September 1935 Goshen (Ind.) College chapel my freshman year. Through the years since that memorable occasion the same experience was often repeated.

Professor Yoder, as he was affectionately called by most students, was the usual chapel song leader. His congregational song leading was special and always inspirational; he could blanket a congregation with his spirit. Regardless of the size assembly he was leading, his distinctive song leadership was truly amazing—and even more amazing from our 21st-century vantage point.

Congregations that sang under Professor Yoder’s leadership for any length of time developed a distinctly warm and mellow quality. Both observer and participant could sense a feeling that every individual was contributing fully but with no singer “sticking out.” Seems I can hear it now. Both Goshen College students and the Goshen College Mennonite Church had such a sound that continued for years after Yoder’s passing and was unmatched in any other congregation I have ever heard.

With Walter leading, the congregation phrased music in ways that brought extra meaning to the texts. Tempo was maintained without the weary-travelers-feeling slow-down. He did all this without singing ahead, rushing into the next stanza or talking to us. He allowed us to sing with him and not for him.

How did he do all this? I do not know and doubt anyone knows or knew. I am also certain that if he had been asked, the answer would have been, “I don’t know.”

This unassuming man grew up on a Haw Patch farm southeast of Goshen near Topeka, Ind.; then went to Goshen College, where he came under the influence of J.D. Brunk. After Walter and Matilda (Schertz) were married, they lived on a farm in Illinois, where he farmed, taught school, formed a famous men’s chorus and led the Metamora Mennonite Church to a position of outstanding congregational singing. This continued until 1931, when President Sanford Yoder invited him to teach music at Goshen. There were no obvious mannerisms, no distinctive musical oddities about him that could be detected. To anyone meeting him, Yoder was an ordinary person. What showed was his infectious good humor and a most pleasant personality—friendly yet serious.

Some tell-tale characteristics that showed when he led songs may provide a window to some clues for his success:

1. A genuine, unassuming love for people and music. Witness the songs and hymns he wrote, the number of songbooks he edited, the many years he was chairman of the “Old” Mennonite General Conference Music Committee, the many times he was chosen to lead singing for the large gatherings of General Conference, the frequent invitations to lead singing for special occasions in congregations far and near, and the many friends in and out of music circles, all with no known enemies.

2. A pleasant disposition to cover any irritation he may have felt toward an individual, congregation or choral group he was directing. That disposition tied to his intense feelings for people and music helped oil the way for him to lead songs by inspiration. His choruses (not choirs in that day and age at Goshen) were also led (directed) to a large extent by inspiration rather than by disciplinary remarks. He let us enjoy singing, and that was his mark. He said to the chorus, “If you cannot hear those around you, you’re singing too loud.” With congregations, Professor Yoder seldom used spoken directives; he did not need words to explain what he wanted us to do and how to sing. We simply caught his feelings for songs.

3. Voice quality was certainly a big factor in his ability to lead congregational singing. His high baritone voice could always be heard leading, but it never stuck out. A particular quality in the sound of his voice allowed him to blend with others and even help those voices blend with each other. That quality defies description or comprehension. Today instruments exist that can identify overtones and measure the intensity of each. But if it were possible to so analyze Yoder’s musical sounds, I doubt we would uncover any secrets for his successful song leadership. We will never know how much his voice quality affected our desire to sing with him. But desire to sing with him, we did. And we loved to do it.

Professor Walter E. Yoder was truly a remarkable person and song leader, endowed with that rare combination of God-given talents, endearing him to all he met and allowing him to be a great song leader. We who worked with him or met him, however briefly, can consider ourselves fortunate and blessed. Thanks to God for allowing us to be touched by Professor Walter E. Yoder.
Dwight E. Weldy is a member of College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind.

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