Palm/Passion Sunday
I'll say this right away... as tempting as it would be to throw some kind of April Fool's joke into this week's blog, I've decided against it given the solemnity of this week's worship service. So I assure you that every tidbit of information that follows is 100% true.
Some people call this Sunday "Palm Sunday," others call it "Passion Sunday." Really, both names are correct, because both aspects are celebrated. How you describe it is really indicative of which portion of the service you probably enjoy. What is amazing about this service is how it gradually switches through the entire first half from a feeling of celebration and joy to a sense of sorrow, lament, and ultimately, the beginning of Holy Week, our most solemn week of the year. It is also one of the only weeks of the year when a scripture takes the place of a sermon.
HYMNS AND SONGS
All Glory, Laud, and Honor (Opening Hymn- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
This hymn is the traditional response to the opening words of Palm Sunday, which include the telling of the Processional Gospel, where Jesus makes his triumphal entry. The refrain of the hymn comments on one of those opening sentences, which involve the phrase "Hosanna in the highest." The lips of children referred to in the refrain describe the children lining the road as Jesus approaches. This tradition manifests in our service with the reading of the opening sentences and Gospel by two members of the Friends of the Lord choir.
The verses summarize both the Processional Gospel as well as estimating how the people would act and react as Jesus enters. Verse one is a confirmation of the fulfillment of the prophecy that the son of David and the King of Israel will come, manifest in Jesus. Verse three discusses the palm processional itself, where palm leaves were waved in celebration of the arrival of Jesus.
This hymn will feature Bells Of Praise playing both a processional introduction, as well as accompanying the hymn throughout. The sound of the bells will add to the festive, rustic nature of the triumphal entry.
A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth (Hymn of the Day- 9:00 AM)
The course of this service drastically changes from the time between our opening hymn and this hymn at both the 7:45 AM and 9:00 AM service. At 9:00 AM, we will be singing this German chorale led by the Chancel Choir. It is a very profound reaction to the Passion Gospel that we will have just heard, which is summed up nicely in the first line, "A lamb goes uncomplaining forth to save a world of sinners."
Paul Gerhardt, the author of this text, is possibly the most prolific and well known composer of poetry and hymn texts that are still used today. Characteristic of his texts and the corresponding tunes, this hymn is rather long and wandering to our perspective, but the majority of hymns in the 17th century German Lutheran church were in this style. I encourage you to dig deep into the striking, colorful nature of this beautiful text. In fact, it is almost a sermon in itself, with its descriptive language and profound realization of the Passion Gospel. A couple of the many, many examples of reflection are, from stanza three, "O wondrous love! O loving might! To right what mortals cannot right, the Son was sent from heaven," and from stanza four we find the realization that we arrive at with the knowledge gained that by the sacrifice of Jesus, we should no longer fear pain or death.
My Song Is Love Unknown (Hymn of the Day- 7:45 AM, Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
This hymn text, despite being written around the same time as the Gerhardt text, has a much more modern feel to it. It also presents a reflection on the Passion Gospel from a slightly different perspective. Stanza one initially casts a feeling of self doubt in the eye of the singer, asking "Who am I, that for my sake, my Lord should take frail flesh and die?" Unfortunately, this question is never answered by the hymn writer.
Stanza three sums up beautifully the contrast between the beginning of this service and the end. The first two lines comment on the joy of the triumphal entry, contrasting with the harsh word "Crucify," uttered by many of the same people who were rejoicing only days earlier.
Another question is asked in stanza four. What has Jesus done in order to illicit this anger and hatred? The scriptures themselves answer these questions partially, so instead, the hymn goes on to describe that he was crucified despite all of his healing and ministry to the people. Stanza five contrasts the will of the crowd to release a murderer and to condemn Jesus. Despite being betrayed, he did not complain and went willingly off to be punished, knowing all along that it was the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of humanity.
Go To Dark Gethsemane (Communion Hymn- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
While the title of this hymn seems to indicate a mere retelling of Jesus' and the disciple's pilgrimage to the mountain of Gethsemane, it actually runs much deeper.
Each stanza describes a scene leading towards and including the death of Jesus. The conclusion of each stanza features something that we can learn in the example of Jesus. In stanza one, he goes to Gethsemane to pray, therefore we "learn from Jesus Christ to pray." Stanza two vividly describes the punishment and flogging, from which we "learn from Christ to bear the cross." The crucifixion takes place in stanza three, where we "learn from Jesus Christ to die." Finally, the conclusion foreshadows the resurrection, where our Savior will "teach us so to rise."
The music for this hymn is a good example of the contrast between the German style and this later English style. While the writing of both hymns is homophonic, that is, in four parts, this tune has very even, square, predictable phrases, which are more accessible to a wider range of singers, hence its popularity in the 19th century when the growing trend was to put the song back into the voice of the people.
CHORAL ANTHEM
Lamb Of God- arr. F. Melius Christiansen (Postlude- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
Despite being presented at both services, it will be played in two different ways. The 9:00 AM service will feature the Chancel Choir singing this beautiful arrangement of the chorale O Lamm Gottes by F. Melius Christiansen. As those familiar with the Lutheran Choral Tradition knows, the mission of F. Melius Christiansen was to bring back the traditional Lutheran chorales to the forefront in the early 20th century. His dozens of elaborate choral arrangements allowed his newly formed St. Olaf Choir to reinvigorate the popularity of these tunes. His setting of Lamb of God is one of the most straightforward, and by being so, one of the most profound that he has created. As the postlude, it will allow us to enter Holy Week with his sacrifice at the forefront.
At 7:45 AM, I will be realizing my own organ version of the same arrangement.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Finale from Symphony no. 4, op. 13- Charles Marie Widor (Prelude- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
Charles Marie Widor was the greatest French organist of his time. His ten compositions which he titled "Organ Symphonies," were composed to take advantage of the new timbres found in the newly built French organs of the times. The symphonies are typically cast in 5-7 smaller movements, usually featuring a title that you might find in many baroque suites or dances, such as march, minuet, toccata, and others.
This movement is the finale of the Symphony no. 4, and I am sure that you will agree, upon hearing it, that it is a wonderfully exciting, and very fitting piece of music to be used to portray the triumphal entry.
I personally cannot wait to experience my first Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and finally Easter morning here at St. Paul's. I hope you will all enjoy and be fulfilled through all of the wonderful music to be presented this week and beyond.
No comments:
Post a Comment