Eulogy for and Tribute to Hal Hopson, August 16, 2025, University Presbyterian Church, Austin, TX – Dr. Charlotte Kroeker

Martha, the Hopson family, and all gathered here today and online, whose hearts are grieving. . .

When driving from Enid to Oklahoma City University for a master’s degree, I saw a readerboard in front of a bank in the small town of Okarche that said, “Success in life is doing what you really want to do and making a living doing it.”  Others may say, “Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation.”  This is Hal.

Hal Hopson had a clear calling and made a living for his family fulfilling that calling.  He is a model for Fred Pratt Green’s text – “How clear is our vocation, Lord, when once we heed your call to live according to your word and daily learn, refreshed, restored, that you are Lord of all and will not let us fall.”  Hal set the text to the tune REPTON in 1996 to honor a retiring musician at the Congregational Church in Southampton, MA.  He would go on to set many such texts as “Take my life and let it be consecrated” and “Take up the cross.” Hal’s calling was the same as his life’s professional work.

Hal was a lifelong learner, looking for inspiration from the best musicians, composers, text writers, clergy, and liturgists.  Among the CMI Hopson archives are his files of hymn tunes, texts, programs, and compositions, all organized to reference when needed. Music from widely divergent sources informed his composition.  For example, Ludwig Senfl, a Swiss/German Renaissance composer was inspiration for arranging “All Folk Now Sing, for Christ Is Born.”  Hal’s love of Russian choral music can be heard in “Prayer of Thankful Praise” sung at the Shenandoah Christian Camp on a YouTube recording.  Watch and be inspired! 

Hal was a listener: to music, ideas, congregations.  He addressed needs and seized opportunities to minister wherever he found them.  He knew his clientele and served them.

Hal could write melody, one of the hardest tasks for any composer.  MERLE’S TUNE, that we sing today, is an example.  His music could have simple elegance without being simplistic.

Hal was a craftsman.  He knew the techniques of writing music well.  No broken part-writing rules, says this former theory professor!

Hal was a musician who thought theologically.  He understood the importance of good texts and developed the ability to edit and write theologically, liturgically, and Biblically faithful words to accompany his music.

Hal continued his work throughout his life.  As he and Martha were around other retirees, Hal chuckled about a task to write for a choir of 3 basses and 5 handbell ringers.  He rose to the needs of his retirement community!

Hal smiled a lot.  The pictures we have seen over the past few weeks reflect more than posing for a photo.  When visiting Hal and Martha a year ago his gift to Robert and me were the jokes in the community newsletter.  He lived with joy.

Hal was a prolific composer.  Jubilate Music Group states Hal published over 3,000 works that comprise almost every musical genre in church music.  MorningStar Music says Hal published with more than 36 publishers.  In the CMI library are 681 original choral pieces, 392 arranged choral works, and 365 texts, the latter often adapted from Scripture and fine poetry.  The CMI organ library holds an additional 414 organ pieces, including introductions and alternate harmonizations of hymns.

Hal is in the stream of fine composers like J.S. Bach who wrote to the glory of God and in service to church. Hal revered and learned from many composers from centuries past who reflect valuable contributions to church music.  Perhaps none of these composers, however, functioned in a broader scope than or with the versatility of Hal Hopson.

Allow me to remind you of the many genres of music Hal has left us:

• Descants
• Introits and benedictions
• Acclamations
• Canticles
• Magnificat and Nunc Dimmitis
• Communion songs to be sung while processing
• Many, many Psalm settings
•  Edition of Psalms & Canticles for Singing, perhaps the best cross-denominational responsorial psalmody collection available
• Concertatos for congregational singing
• Music for instruments, including piano
• Creative Musician Series for congregations, handbells, choirs, organists, pianists, instrumentalists
• Hymn festivals & Cantatas
• 100+ Ways to Improve Congregational Singing
• Anthologies of hymn tunes and psalms
• Accessible arrangements of multi-movement major works

All of these works, with thanks to Hal and Martha for their generosity, are available online and in hard copy at the Church Music Institute, a responsibility we hold sacrosanct, and a library we want to share with all.

Up until the week prior to death, Hal was arranging the Spanish text and melody:  “When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus, and when we’re dying, it is in the Lord.  Both in our living and in our dying we belong to God.”  The faith, servanthood, and work of Hal Hopson is not only a gift from God but also a responsibility to those who have walked with him personally or through his publications.  Now it is up to us to be stewards of this enormous gift. Thanks be to God for Hal Hopson.