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Raymond H. Herbek (1924–2014): A Life in Music

December 3, 2014
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On March 2, 2014, the Feast of the Transfiguration, Raymond H. Herbek began his own transfiguration from an earthly body to an immortal one. I had known Ray, as he was called, for 40 years and always found him to be amiable, interested in what others were doing, and eager to share many wonderful stories about his life and career in music.

Following Ray’s second retirement, he was my regular substitute at the Second Presbyterian Church in Petersburg, Virginia (we both lived in Richmond). There would often be an aria or sacred song that fit the lections, but the small and aging choir would not be able to sing it. On those occasions Ray would occasionally ride to church with me, and I’d sing the aria with him accompanying. Those rides to and from church were good listening opportunities for me. The last one was in January 2014, when I told him I’d like to bring a recorder sometime and have him tell those stories for posterity. He agreed, but sadly, that never happened. What follows are my memories, often sketchy, supplemented with occasional facts from his family.

Raymond Herbek was born in New York City in 1924. His father worked for AT&T; his mother was a homemaker. Though the Herbeks were members of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Mrs. Herbek was the soprano soloist at the prestigious Church of the Ascension on Fifth Avenue. Son Ray began his choir training as a boy soprano at the Church of the Transfiguration, popularly known as the Little Church around the Corner, and was confirmed there. The family lived both in Queens and the Bronx, and Ray commented that it was nothing for a ten-year-old boy to ride the subway by himself to and from the church. 

When his voice changed, Ray’s singing career came to an end, and he had to content himself with turning pages for the organist, which apparently instilled in him his love of the organ and was where he first studied organ. When he filled out the “What Do You Want to Be?” questionnaire in high school, his answer was “church organist.” He reflected, “How often do you get to do what you think you’d like to do? I’ve been very fortunate in that regard.”1

Ray was drafted into the U.S. Army and at one point was stationed at Fort Lee, near Petersburg. He began substituting for the organist at Petersburg’s West End Baptist Church. Following his discharge from military service, he accepted a full-time position there. West End Church had a three-manual Pilcher organ (1940, Opus 1918), rebuilt by Phillip Beaudry & Co. in 1982–84 and left behind in the building when the church subsequently relocated out of the city.  

Richard Cummins, a church musician now in Roanoke, Virginia, is a Petersburg native who began his organ studies with Ray Herbek. He recalled that not only was Ray the first full-time music director at West End Church, but the only full-time church music director in the city.

It was at West End that Ray met his future wife, Leah Jordan. Her family lived catty-corner from the church, and she was appointed to help him with the order of service and explain how things were done there. The Herbek children, Tom and Gary, were born in Petersburg, and Cummins remembers that Ray would stop at a laundromat on his way to their lessons, leave the diapers in the washer, and pick them up afterward.

Leah Herbek had a younger brother who was about the same age as their minister’s son, and the boys were playmates. One Saturday evening, the boys were in the church for some purpose or another. In the minister’s study the typescript for his sermon was laid out on the desk. As reported by the brother, in the margin was the annotation, “cry here.” So much for spontaneity in preaching! 

A chart at back of the printed history of the church lists Raymond Herbek as music director beginning in 1947, adding organist duties in 1949. Ray was baptized at West End Church so that he could transfer his membership to the location of his next church job. He resigned December 10, 1952.2

The invitation to come to Selma, Alabama, arrived unsolicited. Ray related that one day a letter arrived in the mail asking if he would consider a move to First Baptist Church there. He would again be the first full-time musician in that church. The church had a new three-manual Austin organ (Opus 2103), which is still there, plus a large Tiffany window depicting the baptism of Jesus, and a Tiffany mosaic.

The clergyman was an older bachelor who didn’t even own a house, just rented a few rooms. His needs were simple, so he declared that his salary would be no higher than anyone else on the staff—the minister, an assistant, the music director, and the administrator all made $4,800 per year. Ray commented that was the only time in his career that happened.

The Herbek children had respiratory problems due to the extremely humid climate in Selma, and their father resigned his position in October 1954.

The family next moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where Ray became, once more, the first full-time music director of First Baptist Church. It was during this time that he attended the Norfolk division of the College of William and Mary (now Old Dominion University) and received his BA degree in organ. Ray obviously had extensive training even prior to his Petersburg tenure, possibly from the organist/choirmaster of Little Church, since he received his AAGO certification in 1945 and his ChM certification in 1948.

The Herbeks’ next move was to Richmond, Virginia, where Ray would remain for the rest of his life. He began his tenure at the First Baptist Church in August 1962, again the first full-time music director. 

Richmond’s First Baptist Church dates from 1780. At the time of the Herbeks’ arrival it was among the larger churches in Richmond, if not the largest, with more than 3,500 members. It was under the leadership of Dr. Theodore F. Adams (1898–1980) who, among other achievements, had been president of the Baptist World Alliance and on the cover of Time magazine. Dr. Adams believed that a church of such size should offer more music opportunities to its membership, and the decision was made to employ a full-time musician. The post was offered to the incumbent, who declined it in order to remain in his position with Richmond Public Schools. Dr. Adams sought out Ray Herbek. When he arrived, Adams told him (paraphrased), “If you let me know what you’re doing, I will always support you. If you don’t let me know, I can’t help you.” 

The church’s four-manual 1928 Skinner organ, Opus 728, rebuilt in 1953 by Aeolian-Skinner as Opus 728-A, had been played by many famous visiting organists over the years. When the antiphonal division was destroyed in a 1965 fire, it was replaced by Casavant Frères. Casavant replaced the main organ in 1971 with their Opus 3087. With four manuals and 92 ranks it was, and remains, the largest instrument in the city. It was dedicated by Virgil Fox (who had played the previous instrument ten years earlier) with a standing-room-only audience.

First Church had the once-traditional paid quartet in addition to the adult choir. The quartet sat and stood together, surrounded by the choir. Ray got into hot water early on when he decided that the quartet singers should be located in their respective sections, eliciting loud complaints from many over this disruption of tradition.

A set of handbells was quietly donated to the church. Ray joked, “I didn’t know which end of the bell to blow into!” His family recalls Ray coming home one evening with three “suitcases” full of bells. They were removed from the cases and set up on the dining room table, and the family was taught how to play them. Soon the bells were introduced to the church, with the family playing Old Hundredth at a Sunday service. This was the beginning of numerous handbell ensembles, which would eventually play for the Governor of Virginia, at the White House for five presidents, in England and on the Continent, for broadcasts, and play the national anthem for sporting events.

Two of the aforementioned foreign trips were most intriguing. On a trip to Paris, a misstep early on resulted in a broken ankle. Ray declared, “I’m not going to miss Paris,” and carried out the full schedule, not seeking medical attention until the return home.

Another trip was to Brazil, which was probably Ray alone rather than with the choirs. I seem to remember that this may have been arranged through some denominational connections, with Ray playing a series of concerts around the country. One of his sons thinks it may have included other South American countries as well. His organ composition Variations on a Brazilian Folk Song was written for this trip. Tom Herbek remembers that one of his father’s souvenirs was a beautiful blue plate, adorned with luminescent butterfly wings.

During his Richmond years, Ray received a Master of Music degree in composition from Virginia Commonwealth University, probably studying with the late Milton Cherry, and later on a Ph.D. from Columbia Pacific University. In his office at FBC many years ago I remember him pointing to a foot-high stack of music on a shelf—choral, handbell, and organ music—commenting, “Those are all of my published compositions.” Around 2000, when I was writing The Organ in Richmond, published in 2001 by the Richmond AGO chapter, Ray told me that he had compositions currently in print with 25 different publishers. By the time of his death, his total compositional output was some 400 pieces.

This included 21 volumes of handbell music, three collections of organ music, plus individual works. One cantata, Thou Mighty Word, was composed for the 150th anniversary of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and another, The Miracles of the Lord, for the church’s bicentennial in 1980.3 Two of the three organ volumes (Hear My Prayer: Psalms for the Organ and Chime Preludes for the Organ) are in my personal library. Both were published by Broadman Press and are not difficult. Hear My Prayer comprises a dozen selections based on Psalm verses—a prelude, offertory, and postlude each from four Psalms. One of the chime preludes is currently featured on YouTube, played by Finnish organist Marko Hakanpää (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEP7lNdYMEA).

In 1984 a separate choir director was employed at First Church, and Ray was given the title of Distinguished Musician. His duties then included playing the organ, directing six bell choirs, and being composer in residence. September 10, 1989, was observed as “Ray Herbek Day” at the church, marking his retirement. By this time, there were 16 ensembles, vocal and handbell.

Not too long into retirement Ray decided he would apply for a part-time position at a smaller church for “a year or so.” This turned into 17 years at Chamberlayne Heights United Methodist Church, playing the organ and directing adult and handbell choirs. The Chamberlayne Heights folks became travelers, as well, making at least one trip to England. His second retirement, at age 85 in 2009, was the occasion of his last organ recital, to a full house with a gala reception following.

In addition to music and his family, Ray was a great baseball enthusiast. He attended ballgames at Yankee Stadium as a youngster, where he saw such greats as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio. Richmond’s minor-league team for some years was the Richmond Braves, and the Herbeks had season tickets for over 20 years. Ray was very proud of one of his grandsons who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox organization and played for them for two and a half years. Dr. P. J. Flamming, the last FBC clergyman with whom Ray would work, recalled that on his way to the organ Ray would sometimes pop into the study and ask, “Have you got the right pitch lined up?” Flamming would respond, “Well, if I don’t, don’t play the national anthem in the middle of my sermon.”

The Herbeks moved to the Hermitage, a United Methodist home, in 2013. Ray was delighted that they were able to keep the phone number they’d had for over 50 years! Leah Herbek (who passed away on May 25, 2014) had been in declining health for some time. After a number of years of buying prepared foods, Ray was thrilled to be able to sit at a table with linen tablecloth and napkin and order his meal.

A memorial service was held at Chamberlayne Heights United Methodist Church on March 15, 2014, with the Rev. Livingstone Dore giving the sermon, and tributes offered by both Herbek sons, four grandsons, and Dr. Flamming.

Ray began a tradition at FBC that continued during his time at Chamberlayne Heights. One year he played the Toccata from the Widor Fifth Symphony as the Easter Sunday postlude at First Church. A few people stayed to listen. Each year, more and more stayed until, finally, there were hundreds who remained.

Tom Herbek recalled that he knew his father to be a good musician, but he didn’t realize just how good until one Easter when he turned pages for that postlude. While turning a page the whole score came off the music rack and became entangled with the pedals. He was able to retrieve the score but then had no idea where they were! No matter. His father never missed a beat, and finished the piece from memory. It was the postlude to his memorial service, played by former student Dwight Graham. 

 

Notes

1. Donald R. Traser, The Organ in Richmond (Richmond: Richmond Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, 2001), p. 232.

2. Stan H. Covington, Jr., Passing the Torch: A History of West End Baptist Church, Petersburg, Virginia, 1882–1985 (Petersburg, Virginia: West End Baptist Church, 1990), pp. 194, 202, 204.

3. Blanche Sydnor White and Frederick J. Anderson, The Open Door: A History of First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia, 1780–2005 (Richmond: First Baptist Church, 2006), p. 255.

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