4th Sunday Of Easter
This week is unofficially known as Good Shepherd Sunday. In addition to the 23rd Psalm, in the Gospel reading we hear Jesus recalling the same scripture. Jesus proclaims himself as the shepherd that guides and watches over his sheep. He is willing to lay down his life for his flock, and by his actions, he is able to overcome death for them. Our music this week comments on multiple aspects of this scripture.
HYMNS AND SONGS
Alleluia, Sing To Jesus (Opening Hymn- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
The redemption provided by Jesus for all of us is alluded to at the end of stanza one with the line "Jesus out of every nation has redeemed us by his blood." The second stanza is one of the more intriguing, and uses a device that is difficult for a sung line to give credence to, and that is a question. Making it more difficult is the use of the tune HYFYRDOL, which is a long, winding tune. It stretches the text significantly, making long sentences difficult to engage with while the tune is being sung. Nevertheless, stanza two ends with an interesting question... "Though the cloud from sight received [Jesus] when the forty days were o'er, shall our hearts forget his promise: "I am with you ever more"?"
This, of course, is the closing statement to the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20). This question is a reminder, or perhaps even a warning to us, that we should never forget Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for us in his crucifixion.
Very few hymns do what this one does in the concluding stanza. Stanza five repeats the words of stanza one verbatim. It is a message that bears repeating however, the kingly nature of the first line, overcoming death in the second, and finally concluding with the words of the angels once again restating our redemption through the blood of Jesus.
My Shepherd You Supply My Need (Hymn of the Day- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
Little needs to be said about the text here. As I have said in Music Notes previously, English hymnist Isaac Watts spent a large portion of his career creating psalm paraphrases. His paraphrase of Psalm 23 is given here, and is a very fitting interpretation of the original psalm. Cast in the second person, it creates a beautiful sense of intimacy and prayer.
Like other famous hymn tunes from the early North American tradition, RESIGNATION was composed and published in the 1835 edition of Southern Harmony, compiled by William Walton. Much like the well known tune BEACH SPRING, this particular tune is cast in four lines, with the from AABA, ie. the first, second, and fourth lines are the same. The form combined with being cast in a pentatonic mode make these early American tunes a joy to sing.
Have No Fear, Little Flock (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
This hymn is based on one verse from Luke 12. Verse 32 says, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Stanza one is a paraphrase of this exact verse. Each subsequent verse is a similar commentary, based on love, praise, healing, and thankfulness.
The tune here is rather interesting. It is known for its characteristic sixteenth-dotted eighth note rhythm. This rhythm, found in the first two full measures as well as the final measure, works beautifully on the word "little" as in stanzas one and two. However, in subsequent stanzas, it creates a rather jarring syllabic effect on the words "high a-" and "raise to." It is a classic problem that just shows how difficult it is to write a text and tune that compliment each other throughout every stanza.
You Satisfy The Hungry Heart (Communion Hymn- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
Stanza one of this hymn ties it together with our message for the week. Just as the shepherd calls his sheep and they know his voice, we follow the Lord when we hear him call our names.
This hymn was written collaboratively by Omer Westendorf and Robert Kreutz. The name of its tune, BICENTENNIAL, should give you a clue as to the reason for its composition. It was premiered in 1976 at the Washington National Cathedral at the Bicentennial National Service.
Praise The Lord, Rise Up Rejoicing (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
In reading through this text, it was pretty clear to me that it was composed in the 20th century, and not from the same era as the tune comes from. The second person narrative, the Eucharist declaring the final victory, and going forth in the spirit are all subtle clues to this. Together with the joyful German tune, its message of praise for the Eucharist declaring the final victory ring true at the end of our service.
CHORAL ANTHEM
The Lord Is My Shepherd- Thomas Matthews (Psalm- 9:00 AM)
Replacing our normal psalm tone this week is a beautiful paraphrase of Psalm 23 set by Thomas Matthews. Set from the King James version, this Matthews setting is very characteristic of the mid-20th century Anglican style. Cast in three parts, it depicts the text beautifully, such as on the line "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." The piece closes with an amazing climax on the line, "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Psalm Prelude, op. 32 no. 3- Herbert Howells (Prelude- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
Herbert Howells, a well known 20th century composer of organ and church music, composed two sets of three "psalm preludes." Rather than being based on the entire psalm, these preludes draw their material from one verse. This prelude is Psalm 23, verse 4, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." The constant drone in the music is in fact the footsteps of the person walking. As the piece grows, it reaches a glorious C major climax, before finally returning to where it began.
HYFYRDOL- Ralph Vaughan Williams (Postlude- 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM)
While Vaughan Williams isn't necessarily known for his organ music, it was a rather significant part of his output. After all, he was instrumental in the creation of the English Hymnal 1906, where many of his hymn arrangements were included (such as SINE NOMINE (For All The Saints)).
This setting of HYFYRDOL features the straight forward presentation of the tune with a three part flowing structure underneath. At the conclusion of the tune, the flowing counterpoint expands to four, five, and all the way to eight voices before finally reaching its conclusion.
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