Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
This week, Jesus finds himself attempting to defend himself and his disciples against a rather trivial accusation. The scribes and Pharisees were notorious followers of their elders. They kept many of the old traditions alive, particularly the idea that they never ate with soiled hands. When they saw the disciples eating with soiled hands, they approached and questioned their true devotion to God.
Jesus flipped this accusation around immediately. Calling them hypocrites, he explained that these "traditions" were created by man, not by God. They are holding strong to these human commandments, but not God's commandments. He then adds that nothing outside of people can enter and defile, but that defilement comes from our own hearts.
PRELUDE
Ricercare on the First Tone- G.P. da Palestrina
The great myth about Palestrina is that he single-handedly saved the future of polyphonic music in the Catholic church in the 16th century. At the time, there was a worry that the recent complexities that had developed in composition would obscure the words of the mass ordinary. In response, Palestrina composed a mass setting for Pope Marcellus as part of the Council of Trent. The Missae Papae Marcelli has become one of the most widely performed and loved mass settings in the world, but it is not exclusively responsible for saving polyphonic music in the church. Many factors were involved.
That anecdote aside, Palestrina is still considered one of the greatest polyphonists of all time, having written dozens of mass settings and motets. His compositions for instrumental ensembles are far fewer in number. The work played today was probably not meant to be performed on the organ. Its original notation was in open score (that is, four lines of music), so it was probably meant for some form of wind ensemble. With careful registration on the organ, I can be able to mimic this renaissance wind sound.
Despite not being a vocal work, the contrapuntal style of Palestrina is one fine display here, with rich sonorities and soaring melodic lines.
OPENING HYMN
How Firm A Foundation
In a couple months, I am planning on giving a Sunday forum about text, music, and how the two relate to each other. While I will probably not use this hymn during that presentation, this is a wonderful example of a fantastic union of text and tune. The title itself, "How Firm a Foundation," is supported by an early American, pentatonic tune with a solid, rhythmic base.
The first stanza sets the tone for what is to come in the rest of the hymn. The "firm foundation" is laid by our faith in the words of Jesus. Stanzas two and three have Jesus speaking directly to us, saying that he will strengthen and guide us through trials and troubles. The stanza four that is listed in the ELW continues these words of Jesus, but I have elected to replace that stanza with what is known as the "traditional" final stanza for the hymn. This new stanza is a message from God, saying that those who put their souls in the hands of Jesus will never be forsaken.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Restore In Us, O God
Our hymn of the day today is written by Carl Daw, former president of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. Generally, his language in hymnody describes the impact that God has on the world. A good deal of his hymns are set in the corporate, congregational voice, and this one is no different, hence the title, "Restore in us, O God."
Set in the common meter of 6686 with one syllable per note, it creates a very short, succinct hymn. Each stanza has a direct focus. The first is love and renewal, second is power and rebirth, third is baptism and conquering death, and the final one is fulfillment of the covenant of Abraham. This may seem contradictory after Jesus called the "old" teaching hypocritical, but the intentions of this old covenant were a promise that someone else (Jesus) would come along and lead them.
OFFERING
Fugal Improvisation on BAYLOR
As I have said in this blog before, improvisation is one of those arts that is quickly becoming extinct. You've heard me do improvisations before, but I have never attempted to improvise a fugue. Counterpoint like that is difficult to write down, let alone come up with spontaneously. The first short phrase of this melody is clean and square, which is the first step to making the counterpoint easier to come up with. It can also easily be played in a variety of keys and is easily converted between major and minor keys. All these factors should (hopefully!) result in a successful improvisation.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil
Jesus focuses on the goodness of our hearts in the Gospel reading today. Our hearts are pure and good, but they also give birth to sin and evil intentions. This song mentions certain afflictions that can overwhelm our hearts (hard, cold, lost), and prayers to relieve these afflictions (break the stone away, warm it with the day, lead me on your way).
In Christ There Is No East Or West
As seen in stanza two of this hymn, the "true hearts" of people are the element that unites all of human kind together. This hymn focuses exclusively on the unity and community of Christ with his people. It is all set to an African American spiritual that has been adapted by Harry T. Burleigh. After being featured in the United Methodist Hymnal published in 1989, it caught on very well and has been included in many of the major denominational hymnals published since.
O That The Lord Would Guide My Ways
Just as the previous hymn calls us to unite with Christians on the road to God, this one asks for guidance to stay on the road. The first stanza begs a bigger question... what exactly is the will of God? Maybe a better question to start with is, is there a TRUE will of God? All we have to really go on is the scriptures and materials that derive from scriptures, such as hymns. Unfortunately, this hymn doesn't really answer that question, nor does it shed any light on an answer, but it does provide a good amount of encouragement and motivation.
Particularly striking is the confession in stanza three that our soul is in fact apt to stray, and that we keep a stricter watch over ourselves. Should we happen to stray, we can only hope that the reliability and steadfast love of God will guide us back to the path.
The fourth stanza will be used as a post communion canticle for today. As we are guided along this road, we go with clean hands, souls, and hearts.
POSTLUDE
Improvisation on FOUNDATION
One other thing about improvisation... it is very important to the success of the improvisation that the subject being improvised on is well known and well liked by the performer. I absolutely love the strength and rhythmic excitement of this tune. While I am dedicating most of my energy to a successful fugal improvisation, my knowledge and love for this tune will hopefully be enough to carry a spontaneous postlude on FOUNDATION.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Music Notes: August 26th, 2012
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
We are in a time of transition in the Lectionary this week. While Jesus is finishing his lessons on being the Bread Of Life and the ramifications of that, he then turns to his followers to embrace this ideology. When his disciples ask a question, he balks. Jesus is truly challenging them here; he's almost giving them an ultimatum. Follow me, eat this bread, drink this cup, or leave.
Simon Peter then steps up and says those immortal words that now permeate our Gospel Acclamations throughout our liturgies. When Jesus asks them where they would go instead, Simon Peter says, "Lord, where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe that you are the Holy one of God."
This statement ushers us into a Lectionary segment on discipleship, which will carry us through to the end of September, all the way to the 140th Anniversary of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
PRELUDE
4 Preludes- Johann Pachelbel
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you should be familiar with my affinity for the "other" great German composer of the late 17th century (there are several others, actually). Pachelbel's output for organ is extensive, ranging from works of large scope and grandeur (such as his Prelude in D minor and several of his chorale settings), to these brief little sketches which encapsulate his style into sometimes as little as 8 measures. You will hear several motives and progressions throughout these small preludes that you will also hear in the Toccata that is the postlude.
OPENING HYMN
For The Beauty Of The Earth
People with a choral background have probably sung John Rutter's arrangement of this late 19th century pastoral text. Rutter's treatment of this text is so different that sometimes people have to take a second look before they even realize it is the same text, especially since Rutter alters the refrain (changing the word "sacrifice" to "joyful hymn")
This is, at once, a hymn of discipleship and thanksgiving. The verses mention all the things that we are thankful for, whether it is nature, time, space, our senses, music, love, family, friends, and the divine countenance we have thanks to the presence of Jesus. Thankfully, the tune DIX lends itself beautifully to being sung in four part harmony, which is certainly appropriate on the line "for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight." While it is referring more to the harmony of our senses rather than musical harmony, it is still an appropriate time to paint the text.
HYMN OF THE DAY
The Son Of God, Our Christ
Without closer inspection, it would be easy to mistake this tune SURSUM CORDA (Latin for "Hearts lifted" or "Lift up your hearts"), as an adapted Gregorian chant, such as PUER NOBIS (see ELW 399), it was actually composed in the early 20th Century. Its four square phrases have a very singable melodic contour.
This hymn tells the story of how the disciples were selected, their early trials, witnessing Jesus' miracles and teachings, and finally the formation of the Christian church. The hymn then makes a fabulous transition (which will be reflected in the organ) to present day, where Christ dares us to continue the work of these original disciples by traveling the world and spreading the good news to all near and far.
OFFERING
Gospel Medley- Don and Kris Meyer
I know very little of what Don and Kris are planning for the offering this week, but I do know that it involves a vocal duet and guitar. Knowing Don and Kris, they'll probably throw a lot of classic, much-loved hymnody together in a way that will likely put smiles on all of our faces.
COMMUNION HYMNS
O Jesus, I Have Promised
This fine example of 19th century hymnody is a favorite of the 5:30 PM Saturday evening service congregation. This hymn can be best described as a commitment to pick up our crosses and follow Christ. It is human nature though for fear and doubt to creep into our minds.
Set in the first person, this hymn, while demonstrating commitment and dedication, also exhibits the fear and doubt that exists in our own minds. In stanza two, our foes are near us, so we pray for Jesus to come closer and shield our souls. We yearn to hear the reassuring words of Jesus in stanza three. Yet as the hymn closes, we remember why we are embarking on this journey. At the end of the road, we remember the promise of God that we will one day rise up to heaven, just as Jesus did.
Note that the final two lines of this hymn are a paraphrase of the first two lines, which creates a cyclical structure that ties the entire hymn together.
Father, We Thank You
"Father, we thank you that you planted your holy name within our hearts."
This pretty much sums it up. One could almost look at Jesus as being a nag. He repeated his messages to his disciples over and over and over... and over again... but at the time, only he knew his endgame. Once these teachings were embraced, we were left with nothing but an overwhelming sense of thanks.
This hymn is in two stanzas, and is structured that the first half of each stanza is more general thanks, where the second half focuses more on thanksgiving for communion; the idea of "bread eternal" is exactly what Jesus wanted his disciples to take from his teachings, and that idea has survived for over two centuries now.
Jesus, The Very Thought Of You
Once again here, this hymn is a case study in 19th century hymnody, particularly the tune. ST. AGNES, while not as well known in the Lutheran church (it is more of a Methodist tune which came from an Episcopalian origin), is one of the many tunes by John Dykes that have stood the test of time. MELITA (Eternal Father, Strong to Save) and NICAEA (Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty), are among his many other famous tunes.
What binds this tune together is its rhythmic structure. Through its four short phrases (or two phrases split in half), it has a consistent rhythmic pattern of "short-short-short-long-short-long-short-long." It comes SO close to being ideal for the text. If it weren't for the unfortunate line, "a sweeter sound than your blest name," where "your" is on a strong beat and "blest" is on a weak beat, the text and tune would be an absolute perfect match. That is the challenge of hymn tune writing. Generally, a tune is adapted to a text, and when it spans multiple stanzas, it can be very difficult to match the oeuvre of a text throughout all of its stanzas.
POSTLUDE
Toccata in E minor- Johann Pachelbel
Pachelbel wrote about 20 toccatas that are still widely published, and this one is unlike many of the others. A typical Pachelbel toccata consists of a rarely moving pedal point with rapid scalar figurations in the hands, going through thirds, sixths, tenths, and multiple sequences along the way.
This toccata begins with a long flourish from the top of the organ down, and then settles into what seems like a typical form with an E pedal point. However, it doesn't take long for Pachelbel to expand out into a fantasia-like period of imitative counterpoint, culminating in a circle of fifths sequence in a dialog between two of the organ manuals. Eventually the manuals combine together, and the piece concludes in the parallel major of where it began.
We are in a time of transition in the Lectionary this week. While Jesus is finishing his lessons on being the Bread Of Life and the ramifications of that, he then turns to his followers to embrace this ideology. When his disciples ask a question, he balks. Jesus is truly challenging them here; he's almost giving them an ultimatum. Follow me, eat this bread, drink this cup, or leave.
Simon Peter then steps up and says those immortal words that now permeate our Gospel Acclamations throughout our liturgies. When Jesus asks them where they would go instead, Simon Peter says, "Lord, where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe that you are the Holy one of God."
This statement ushers us into a Lectionary segment on discipleship, which will carry us through to the end of September, all the way to the 140th Anniversary of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
PRELUDE
4 Preludes- Johann Pachelbel
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you should be familiar with my affinity for the "other" great German composer of the late 17th century (there are several others, actually). Pachelbel's output for organ is extensive, ranging from works of large scope and grandeur (such as his Prelude in D minor and several of his chorale settings), to these brief little sketches which encapsulate his style into sometimes as little as 8 measures. You will hear several motives and progressions throughout these small preludes that you will also hear in the Toccata that is the postlude.
OPENING HYMN
For The Beauty Of The Earth
People with a choral background have probably sung John Rutter's arrangement of this late 19th century pastoral text. Rutter's treatment of this text is so different that sometimes people have to take a second look before they even realize it is the same text, especially since Rutter alters the refrain (changing the word "sacrifice" to "joyful hymn")
This is, at once, a hymn of discipleship and thanksgiving. The verses mention all the things that we are thankful for, whether it is nature, time, space, our senses, music, love, family, friends, and the divine countenance we have thanks to the presence of Jesus. Thankfully, the tune DIX lends itself beautifully to being sung in four part harmony, which is certainly appropriate on the line "for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight." While it is referring more to the harmony of our senses rather than musical harmony, it is still an appropriate time to paint the text.
HYMN OF THE DAY
The Son Of God, Our Christ
Without closer inspection, it would be easy to mistake this tune SURSUM CORDA (Latin for "Hearts lifted" or "Lift up your hearts"), as an adapted Gregorian chant, such as PUER NOBIS (see ELW 399), it was actually composed in the early 20th Century. Its four square phrases have a very singable melodic contour.
This hymn tells the story of how the disciples were selected, their early trials, witnessing Jesus' miracles and teachings, and finally the formation of the Christian church. The hymn then makes a fabulous transition (which will be reflected in the organ) to present day, where Christ dares us to continue the work of these original disciples by traveling the world and spreading the good news to all near and far.
OFFERING
Gospel Medley- Don and Kris Meyer
I know very little of what Don and Kris are planning for the offering this week, but I do know that it involves a vocal duet and guitar. Knowing Don and Kris, they'll probably throw a lot of classic, much-loved hymnody together in a way that will likely put smiles on all of our faces.
COMMUNION HYMNS
O Jesus, I Have Promised
This fine example of 19th century hymnody is a favorite of the 5:30 PM Saturday evening service congregation. This hymn can be best described as a commitment to pick up our crosses and follow Christ. It is human nature though for fear and doubt to creep into our minds.
Set in the first person, this hymn, while demonstrating commitment and dedication, also exhibits the fear and doubt that exists in our own minds. In stanza two, our foes are near us, so we pray for Jesus to come closer and shield our souls. We yearn to hear the reassuring words of Jesus in stanza three. Yet as the hymn closes, we remember why we are embarking on this journey. At the end of the road, we remember the promise of God that we will one day rise up to heaven, just as Jesus did.
Note that the final two lines of this hymn are a paraphrase of the first two lines, which creates a cyclical structure that ties the entire hymn together.
Father, We Thank You
"Father, we thank you that you planted your holy name within our hearts."
This pretty much sums it up. One could almost look at Jesus as being a nag. He repeated his messages to his disciples over and over and over... and over again... but at the time, only he knew his endgame. Once these teachings were embraced, we were left with nothing but an overwhelming sense of thanks.
This hymn is in two stanzas, and is structured that the first half of each stanza is more general thanks, where the second half focuses more on thanksgiving for communion; the idea of "bread eternal" is exactly what Jesus wanted his disciples to take from his teachings, and that idea has survived for over two centuries now.
Jesus, The Very Thought Of You
Once again here, this hymn is a case study in 19th century hymnody, particularly the tune. ST. AGNES, while not as well known in the Lutheran church (it is more of a Methodist tune which came from an Episcopalian origin), is one of the many tunes by John Dykes that have stood the test of time. MELITA (Eternal Father, Strong to Save) and NICAEA (Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty), are among his many other famous tunes.
What binds this tune together is its rhythmic structure. Through its four short phrases (or two phrases split in half), it has a consistent rhythmic pattern of "short-short-short-long-short-long-short-long." It comes SO close to being ideal for the text. If it weren't for the unfortunate line, "a sweeter sound than your blest name," where "your" is on a strong beat and "blest" is on a weak beat, the text and tune would be an absolute perfect match. That is the challenge of hymn tune writing. Generally, a tune is adapted to a text, and when it spans multiple stanzas, it can be very difficult to match the oeuvre of a text throughout all of its stanzas.
POSTLUDE
Toccata in E minor- Johann Pachelbel
Pachelbel wrote about 20 toccatas that are still widely published, and this one is unlike many of the others. A typical Pachelbel toccata consists of a rarely moving pedal point with rapid scalar figurations in the hands, going through thirds, sixths, tenths, and multiple sequences along the way.
This toccata begins with a long flourish from the top of the organ down, and then settles into what seems like a typical form with an E pedal point. However, it doesn't take long for Pachelbel to expand out into a fantasia-like period of imitative counterpoint, culminating in a circle of fifths sequence in a dialog between two of the organ manuals. Eventually the manuals combine together, and the piece concludes in the parallel major of where it began.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Music Notes: August 19th, 2012
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
Last week we took a minor detour from the sermon series based around Jesus as the Bread of Life. In the verses we explore this weekend, Jesus makes a connection between the act of Communion, his parallel of the body and blood to the bread and wine, and the eternal life granted to him and to all of us by his crucifixion. He said that though their ancestors ate bread and still died, it was not the true bread. Only the bread from heaven, brought through Jesus, would grant eternal life.
PRELUDE
Three Preludes on SCHMÜCKE DICH- Timothy Flynn, Marcel Dupré, and Johannes Brahms
Rather than play the longer prelude based on this chorale by J.S. Bach, I've elected to play three shorter versions of the chorale, each from a different era and from a different country.
The first, by contemporary composer Timothy Flynn, features the tune in a solo reed in the tenor registry. It is accompanied by a lyrical, at times dissonant, line of either one or two voices. The use of a partial 2 2/3 tone on the organ creates the illusion of anywhere from 2-4 tones sounding at once.
The second setting by Marcel Dupré is the shortest and most straightforward. Dupré's volume of 79 German chorales are said to be preparatory works to the music of Bach. They emphasize independence in the hands surrounded by a straightforward rendition of the tune. Like the first piece, it is contained in the tenor, and the trio-like quality of the short work means active counterpoint in both the other manual and the pedal.
Finally, the Brahms setting comes from his collection of Chorales, op. 122. It is the most complex harmonically, and the tune is in the soprano. The harmonic structure is very romantic in character, featuring a lot of advanced and complex motion, which contrasts with the tune.
OPENING HYMN
When In Our Music God Is Glorified
This hymn has a very interesting history, particularly as it relates to the tune it is sung to. First of all, when the hymn was originally written in 1971 with the intention to be used with Vaughan Williams' tune SINE NOMINE. It was eventually decided that the tune ENGELBERG, by C.V. Stanford, was not as intrinsically tied to a text as SINE NOMINE was to "For All The Saints," and would be a more appropriate fit.
Both ENGELBERG and SINE NOMINE are similar in character. They are strong, march like, and triumphant... perfectly fitting for the nature of the text. However, if you look in the ELW, immediately preceding the ENGELBERG tune, this same hymn is set to the tune FREDERICKTOWN. Unlike the first two tunes, FREDERICKTOWN has a completely different character. Seeing how the character of these tunes affect the text could be a thesis in itself. What can simply be said is that both tunes reflect the essence of these texts in different, yet very effective ways.
HYMN OF THE DAY
We Eat The Bread Of Teaching
Jesus makes the point that by eating the body and blood in his name, we become one with him. That is the message of this hymn, contained at the end of the refrain, "... we all are one at Wisdom's holy feast." It is likely that this is a new hymn for most. The ELW is the only hymnal where it is contained, which I feel makes it very important that we, as ELCA Lutherans using this hymnal, sing it.
Upon first inspection, it appears that the word Wisdom is being used to depict God. There is good reason for thinking that. After looking closer however, I believe that Wisdom is actually referring to the church universal. In stanzas one and two, Wisdom is referred to as a "she." I'm not saying that God cannot be depicted as female; several hymns do this already (see ELW 735). But if you look at the context of both stanzas, we see that it is more likely that it is referring to the church itself, rather than God of Christ. This, along with the unity between us and Christ, makes this a wonderful hymn of the day.
OFFERING
Prelude in B minor op. 32, no. 10- Sergei Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff wrote two sets of preludes throughout his life. The op. 32 set is the later of the two, and features some of his greatest writing for piano.
Number 10 in the set has possibly the most interesting story behind it. He was inspired by Arnold Böcklin's painting, titled The Return. He composed this set of preludes during his first American tour from 1909-1910, debuting such works as his famous third piano concerto. It's possible that in coordination with the painting, he was longing to return home as well.
The piece is in four sections, the first and fourth of which are similar in character. The middle two contain pianistic elements which are characteristic of Rachmaninoff's signature style. The first features the main melody crammed into the middle of very thick, full, triplet rhythm chords. The second contains large flourishes which lead back to the initial first portion of the piece with its signature dotted rhythms.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Come, Let Us Eat
This traditional Liberian tune, adapted for hymnal usage by Billema Kwillia, is familiar for many of us due to its inclusion in Marty Haugen's liturgy, "Tree Of Life." The first three stanzas are tied to the act of Communion, the first being body, the second blood, and the third being the communal presence among us with Christ at the table.
The concluding stanza will be used separately as a post-communion canticle, as we gather up and go out into the world.
Soul, Adorn Yourself With Gladness
This is one of the most theologically complex hymns in our entire hymnal. If we could sum it up with one line from the hymnal, I would choose line three from stanza one... "Bless the one whose grace unbounded this amazing banquet founded."
Unity, eagerness, joy, and peace are all common themes throughout the stanzas. The metaphor of a bride meeting her husband (as in Revelation) is throughout the second stanza. In the third, the sense of wonder through the miracle of communion almost overcomes the writer, calling it a "glorious consolation" and labeling the Bread of Life as "boundless."
POSTLUDE
ENGELBERG- David Cherwien
It is merely a coincidence that the last several weeks have contained music by David Cherwien. This is a piece that I have wanted to play for a long time, but have always shied away from due to its apparent difficulty.
After an opening fanfare, the work takes off in a torrent of toccata-like eighth notes, all based on the "Alleluia" motive from the ENGELBERG tune. It is as though the word "Alleluia" repeats over and over again each time that motive goes by. The entire tune is presented in the pedals, though the 5/4 time signature that most of the piece is in obscures that slightly. The piece shifts to a 6/4 time about halfway through, which squares the phrases and creates an even foundation for the tune to sound.
The conclusion of the fanfare is similar to the opening, complete with two of the most dissonant, exciting chords in recent organ literature.
Last week we took a minor detour from the sermon series based around Jesus as the Bread of Life. In the verses we explore this weekend, Jesus makes a connection between the act of Communion, his parallel of the body and blood to the bread and wine, and the eternal life granted to him and to all of us by his crucifixion. He said that though their ancestors ate bread and still died, it was not the true bread. Only the bread from heaven, brought through Jesus, would grant eternal life.
PRELUDE
Three Preludes on SCHMÜCKE DICH- Timothy Flynn, Marcel Dupré, and Johannes Brahms
Rather than play the longer prelude based on this chorale by J.S. Bach, I've elected to play three shorter versions of the chorale, each from a different era and from a different country.
The first, by contemporary composer Timothy Flynn, features the tune in a solo reed in the tenor registry. It is accompanied by a lyrical, at times dissonant, line of either one or two voices. The use of a partial 2 2/3 tone on the organ creates the illusion of anywhere from 2-4 tones sounding at once.
The second setting by Marcel Dupré is the shortest and most straightforward. Dupré's volume of 79 German chorales are said to be preparatory works to the music of Bach. They emphasize independence in the hands surrounded by a straightforward rendition of the tune. Like the first piece, it is contained in the tenor, and the trio-like quality of the short work means active counterpoint in both the other manual and the pedal.
Finally, the Brahms setting comes from his collection of Chorales, op. 122. It is the most complex harmonically, and the tune is in the soprano. The harmonic structure is very romantic in character, featuring a lot of advanced and complex motion, which contrasts with the tune.
OPENING HYMN
When In Our Music God Is Glorified
This hymn has a very interesting history, particularly as it relates to the tune it is sung to. First of all, when the hymn was originally written in 1971 with the intention to be used with Vaughan Williams' tune SINE NOMINE. It was eventually decided that the tune ENGELBERG, by C.V. Stanford, was not as intrinsically tied to a text as SINE NOMINE was to "For All The Saints," and would be a more appropriate fit.
Both ENGELBERG and SINE NOMINE are similar in character. They are strong, march like, and triumphant... perfectly fitting for the nature of the text. However, if you look in the ELW, immediately preceding the ENGELBERG tune, this same hymn is set to the tune FREDERICKTOWN. Unlike the first two tunes, FREDERICKTOWN has a completely different character. Seeing how the character of these tunes affect the text could be a thesis in itself. What can simply be said is that both tunes reflect the essence of these texts in different, yet very effective ways.
HYMN OF THE DAY
We Eat The Bread Of Teaching
Jesus makes the point that by eating the body and blood in his name, we become one with him. That is the message of this hymn, contained at the end of the refrain, "... we all are one at Wisdom's holy feast." It is likely that this is a new hymn for most. The ELW is the only hymnal where it is contained, which I feel makes it very important that we, as ELCA Lutherans using this hymnal, sing it.
Upon first inspection, it appears that the word Wisdom is being used to depict God. There is good reason for thinking that. After looking closer however, I believe that Wisdom is actually referring to the church universal. In stanzas one and two, Wisdom is referred to as a "she." I'm not saying that God cannot be depicted as female; several hymns do this already (see ELW 735). But if you look at the context of both stanzas, we see that it is more likely that it is referring to the church itself, rather than God of Christ. This, along with the unity between us and Christ, makes this a wonderful hymn of the day.
OFFERING
Prelude in B minor op. 32, no. 10- Sergei Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff wrote two sets of preludes throughout his life. The op. 32 set is the later of the two, and features some of his greatest writing for piano.
Number 10 in the set has possibly the most interesting story behind it. He was inspired by Arnold Böcklin's painting, titled The Return. He composed this set of preludes during his first American tour from 1909-1910, debuting such works as his famous third piano concerto. It's possible that in coordination with the painting, he was longing to return home as well.
The piece is in four sections, the first and fourth of which are similar in character. The middle two contain pianistic elements which are characteristic of Rachmaninoff's signature style. The first features the main melody crammed into the middle of very thick, full, triplet rhythm chords. The second contains large flourishes which lead back to the initial first portion of the piece with its signature dotted rhythms.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Come, Let Us Eat
This traditional Liberian tune, adapted for hymnal usage by Billema Kwillia, is familiar for many of us due to its inclusion in Marty Haugen's liturgy, "Tree Of Life." The first three stanzas are tied to the act of Communion, the first being body, the second blood, and the third being the communal presence among us with Christ at the table.
The concluding stanza will be used separately as a post-communion canticle, as we gather up and go out into the world.
Soul, Adorn Yourself With Gladness
This is one of the most theologically complex hymns in our entire hymnal. If we could sum it up with one line from the hymnal, I would choose line three from stanza one... "Bless the one whose grace unbounded this amazing banquet founded."
Unity, eagerness, joy, and peace are all common themes throughout the stanzas. The metaphor of a bride meeting her husband (as in Revelation) is throughout the second stanza. In the third, the sense of wonder through the miracle of communion almost overcomes the writer, calling it a "glorious consolation" and labeling the Bread of Life as "boundless."
POSTLUDE
ENGELBERG- David Cherwien
It is merely a coincidence that the last several weeks have contained music by David Cherwien. This is a piece that I have wanted to play for a long time, but have always shied away from due to its apparent difficulty.
After an opening fanfare, the work takes off in a torrent of toccata-like eighth notes, all based on the "Alleluia" motive from the ENGELBERG tune. It is as though the word "Alleluia" repeats over and over again each time that motive goes by. The entire tune is presented in the pedals, though the 5/4 time signature that most of the piece is in obscures that slightly. The piece shifts to a 6/4 time about halfway through, which squares the phrases and creates an even foundation for the tune to sound.
The conclusion of the fanfare is similar to the opening, complete with two of the most dissonant, exciting chords in recent organ literature.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Music Notes: August 12th, 2012
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
First off, I wanted to say that the season for our church choirs to begin is drawing near. Next week I will have detailed dates about when each ensemble begins, but until then, I would love anyone and everyone in the congregation to truly consider being a part of our Chancel Choir, Bells of Praise, REJOICE Worship Team, and our various children's choirs. Please contact me with any information or inquiries.
As I mentioned last week, the Lectionary recently embarked a multi-week exploration of Jesus as the Bread of Life. Spoken primarily in his own words, it shows us that the celebration of Holy Communion is an irreplaceable, necessary portion of our worship, applicable to us today just as it was over 2000 years ago.
I also briefly discussed the challenge of keeping an extended worship focus engaging and interesting for the congregation. Not only is it difficult to do musically, but it is taxing for the Pastor as well to keep the messages from becoming repetitive. One source of flexibility present is within the rest of the Lectionary readings. This week, the Old Testament reading is from 1 Kings, where the prophet Elijah is in the wilderness in fear of his life. Elijah feels he is the only one remaining who is doing God's work, and that all others have betrayed him. Queen Jezebel even sent out assassins to chase Elijah. While in the wilderness, Elijah heard the word of the Lord. Despite the language from God to Elijah being rather brutal, the message that we should take from it is that God renewed Elijah's passion for life and his God, resulting in Elijah heading back into the world and reclaiming his rightful place.
PRELUDE
Gather Us In- Jeffrey Honoré
Jeffrey Honoré is the Director of Liturgical Music at St. Matthias Parish in Milwaukee, WI, where he was the recipient of the Vatican II Award for Distinguished Service in 1999. Several of his choral and organ works have received wide publication, including his wonderful arrangement of the hymn "My Life Flows On In Endless Song" (which you will hear Chancel Choir do some time this year).
As has been a common theme with our organ music lately, this arrangement of the Marty Haugen hymn is in three parts. The inner and outer parts feature the tune in a solo stop with a dance like figure surrounding it. The middle section is slower, and contains fragments of the tune in the string section of the organ (on the Zimmer organ at St. Paul's, that is two stops).
OPENING HYMN
Gather Us In
Marty Haugen has been writing lovely hymns, tunes, liturgies, and choral anthems for GIA Publications for over 25 years now. In that time, he has presented musical workshops and conferences around the world, and has served on many boards for hymnal planning and collection.
Gather Us In is a rather interesting hymn. Most hymn tunes are designed in a way that they remain in one tonal center using what are called "diatonic" pitches, meaning, the main seven scale degrees (ie. do, re, mi, fa, etc...). The tune for Gather Us In throws the diatonic pitches out the window in the second measure with the appearance of a C-natural. Haugen employs a technique using the parallel major and minor scales, allowing for a wide variety of harmony.
Despite these radical (for a hymn tune) shifts in harmonic center, Gather Us In is surprisingly singable, due to its accessible range and repetition of certain melodic and rhythmic figures. This helps the text, which describes each and every member of a worshiping community, come through cleanly.
HYMN OF THE DAY
O God Of Every Nation
Elijah was redeemed by God while he was in the wilderness. For a man who hit rock bottom, only the Word of God could bring him back, and the reassurance he got was exactly what he needed at the time. The primary message of this hymn is for those of us who need our own reassurance. Stanza one is a prayer to God to unite us as a people, people from every race and land. Stanzas two and three continue this petition, citing all the things that we need redemption from, whether it is greed, war, racism, or ignorance.
The closing stanza looks to the future once God's work is done. Like Elijah must have seen the sun rise as his faith was restored, the sun rises with the dawn at the conclusion of this final stanza when we all see the way to love and peace.
OFFERING
Steal Away- arr. Harry T. Burleigh
The verses to this African American spiritual could have been said by Elijah during his time in the wilderness. "My Lord calls me, he calls me by the thunder. The trumpet sounds within my soul," certainly sounds like a redemptive experience.
While it can be spun to fit well with the preaching text, its true meaning is contained within the refrain, "Steal away home, I ain't got long to stay here." Like many songs from this tradition, there is a desire to go "home" with Jesus. Despite the horrific lives lived by African slaves in the early 19th century and before, as the generations went by, a culture of hope and triumph prevailed. All over the spirituals you will see examples of hope and thankfulness following those of despair (ie. "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, Glory, Hallelujah!).
Harry T. Burleigh, before William Dawson and later Moses Hogan, was one of the most prolific early arrangers of these spirituals. You will hear throughout the work how he colors the words being sung through the piano accompaniment.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Let Us Break Bread Together
The conclusion of our Hymn of the Day talks about the sun rising on the dawn of a new day. This spiritual picks up right where that left off, "When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, oh Lord, have mercy on me." The "despondent joy" as I mentioned in Steal Away, is present here as well.
The author of this spiritual, like many others, is unknown. It is likely that it was created spontaneously. As it was passed down through oral tradition, it evolved and eventually became the version we know now.
How Small Our Span Of Life
After passing away in 2007, the world lost a wonderful preacher, theologian, and hymn writer in Herman G. Stuempfle. This hymn is a fantastic example of his work. Here we see an expansive text contrasting the length of our lives with the eternity of God. The language in stanza two of time and space is wonderfully evocative. These two spans of time are crossed by Christ when he left the infinite span of heaven to come to Earth and redeem our mortal lives. The concluding stanza thanks God for the guiding pathway (the one he gave Elijah) he gives each of us.
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
If you are a frequent partaker in the theater, you may know that this hymn plays a very crucial part in Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Our Town. The words certainly are reflective of a small community with close ties.
John Fawcett, the author of this text, was a British pastor and theologian. The story behind this hymn is both interesting and inspiring. Pastor Fawcett was a much loved pastor in the very small English town of Wainsgate. He had a growing family and his meager salary was hardly sufficient for supporting them. In 1772 he received a call to one of the largest Baptist churches in London, and chose to accept. However, the reaction to his leaving was so strong and fervent that he elected to stay. In commemoration of this, he crafted this hymn, whose first stanza reads,
"Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The unity of heart and mind is like to that above." It has gone on to become one of the paramount hymns of Christian love and unity.
POSTLUDE
Improvisation on LLANGLOFFAN
As I have mentioned before, I spent a week in July at the Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts. One of my main areas of study was that of organ improvisation. One thinks of improvisation as spontaneous music making, but without some type of form, the "spontaneous" music will fall flat due to lack of structure and organization.
Thus, an improvisation should at least be thought out slightly in advance in order to create the structure necessary for a coherent piece of music. When improvising on a hymn tune, it makes it that much easier, since a good portion of the music is already written for you. The tune will be combined with a repeating subject featuring smaller fragments of the tune, and will hopefully create a piece of music that sounded like it was written down well in advance.
First off, I wanted to say that the season for our church choirs to begin is drawing near. Next week I will have detailed dates about when each ensemble begins, but until then, I would love anyone and everyone in the congregation to truly consider being a part of our Chancel Choir, Bells of Praise, REJOICE Worship Team, and our various children's choirs. Please contact me with any information or inquiries.
As I mentioned last week, the Lectionary recently embarked a multi-week exploration of Jesus as the Bread of Life. Spoken primarily in his own words, it shows us that the celebration of Holy Communion is an irreplaceable, necessary portion of our worship, applicable to us today just as it was over 2000 years ago.
I also briefly discussed the challenge of keeping an extended worship focus engaging and interesting for the congregation. Not only is it difficult to do musically, but it is taxing for the Pastor as well to keep the messages from becoming repetitive. One source of flexibility present is within the rest of the Lectionary readings. This week, the Old Testament reading is from 1 Kings, where the prophet Elijah is in the wilderness in fear of his life. Elijah feels he is the only one remaining who is doing God's work, and that all others have betrayed him. Queen Jezebel even sent out assassins to chase Elijah. While in the wilderness, Elijah heard the word of the Lord. Despite the language from God to Elijah being rather brutal, the message that we should take from it is that God renewed Elijah's passion for life and his God, resulting in Elijah heading back into the world and reclaiming his rightful place.
PRELUDE
Gather Us In- Jeffrey Honoré
Jeffrey Honoré is the Director of Liturgical Music at St. Matthias Parish in Milwaukee, WI, where he was the recipient of the Vatican II Award for Distinguished Service in 1999. Several of his choral and organ works have received wide publication, including his wonderful arrangement of the hymn "My Life Flows On In Endless Song" (which you will hear Chancel Choir do some time this year).
As has been a common theme with our organ music lately, this arrangement of the Marty Haugen hymn is in three parts. The inner and outer parts feature the tune in a solo stop with a dance like figure surrounding it. The middle section is slower, and contains fragments of the tune in the string section of the organ (on the Zimmer organ at St. Paul's, that is two stops).
OPENING HYMN
Gather Us In
Marty Haugen has been writing lovely hymns, tunes, liturgies, and choral anthems for GIA Publications for over 25 years now. In that time, he has presented musical workshops and conferences around the world, and has served on many boards for hymnal planning and collection.
Gather Us In is a rather interesting hymn. Most hymn tunes are designed in a way that they remain in one tonal center using what are called "diatonic" pitches, meaning, the main seven scale degrees (ie. do, re, mi, fa, etc...). The tune for Gather Us In throws the diatonic pitches out the window in the second measure with the appearance of a C-natural. Haugen employs a technique using the parallel major and minor scales, allowing for a wide variety of harmony.
Despite these radical (for a hymn tune) shifts in harmonic center, Gather Us In is surprisingly singable, due to its accessible range and repetition of certain melodic and rhythmic figures. This helps the text, which describes each and every member of a worshiping community, come through cleanly.
HYMN OF THE DAY
O God Of Every Nation
Elijah was redeemed by God while he was in the wilderness. For a man who hit rock bottom, only the Word of God could bring him back, and the reassurance he got was exactly what he needed at the time. The primary message of this hymn is for those of us who need our own reassurance. Stanza one is a prayer to God to unite us as a people, people from every race and land. Stanzas two and three continue this petition, citing all the things that we need redemption from, whether it is greed, war, racism, or ignorance.
The closing stanza looks to the future once God's work is done. Like Elijah must have seen the sun rise as his faith was restored, the sun rises with the dawn at the conclusion of this final stanza when we all see the way to love and peace.
OFFERING
Steal Away- arr. Harry T. Burleigh
The verses to this African American spiritual could have been said by Elijah during his time in the wilderness. "My Lord calls me, he calls me by the thunder. The trumpet sounds within my soul," certainly sounds like a redemptive experience.
While it can be spun to fit well with the preaching text, its true meaning is contained within the refrain, "Steal away home, I ain't got long to stay here." Like many songs from this tradition, there is a desire to go "home" with Jesus. Despite the horrific lives lived by African slaves in the early 19th century and before, as the generations went by, a culture of hope and triumph prevailed. All over the spirituals you will see examples of hope and thankfulness following those of despair (ie. "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, Glory, Hallelujah!).
Harry T. Burleigh, before William Dawson and later Moses Hogan, was one of the most prolific early arrangers of these spirituals. You will hear throughout the work how he colors the words being sung through the piano accompaniment.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Let Us Break Bread Together
The conclusion of our Hymn of the Day talks about the sun rising on the dawn of a new day. This spiritual picks up right where that left off, "When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, oh Lord, have mercy on me." The "despondent joy" as I mentioned in Steal Away, is present here as well.
The author of this spiritual, like many others, is unknown. It is likely that it was created spontaneously. As it was passed down through oral tradition, it evolved and eventually became the version we know now.
How Small Our Span Of Life
After passing away in 2007, the world lost a wonderful preacher, theologian, and hymn writer in Herman G. Stuempfle. This hymn is a fantastic example of his work. Here we see an expansive text contrasting the length of our lives with the eternity of God. The language in stanza two of time and space is wonderfully evocative. These two spans of time are crossed by Christ when he left the infinite span of heaven to come to Earth and redeem our mortal lives. The concluding stanza thanks God for the guiding pathway (the one he gave Elijah) he gives each of us.
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
If you are a frequent partaker in the theater, you may know that this hymn plays a very crucial part in Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Our Town. The words certainly are reflective of a small community with close ties.
John Fawcett, the author of this text, was a British pastor and theologian. The story behind this hymn is both interesting and inspiring. Pastor Fawcett was a much loved pastor in the very small English town of Wainsgate. He had a growing family and his meager salary was hardly sufficient for supporting them. In 1772 he received a call to one of the largest Baptist churches in London, and chose to accept. However, the reaction to his leaving was so strong and fervent that he elected to stay. In commemoration of this, he crafted this hymn, whose first stanza reads,
"Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The unity of heart and mind is like to that above." It has gone on to become one of the paramount hymns of Christian love and unity.
POSTLUDE
Improvisation on LLANGLOFFAN
As I have mentioned before, I spent a week in July at the Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts. One of my main areas of study was that of organ improvisation. One thinks of improvisation as spontaneous music making, but without some type of form, the "spontaneous" music will fall flat due to lack of structure and organization.
Thus, an improvisation should at least be thought out slightly in advance in order to create the structure necessary for a coherent piece of music. When improvising on a hymn tune, it makes it that much easier, since a good portion of the music is already written for you. The tune will be combined with a repeating subject featuring smaller fragments of the tune, and will hopefully create a piece of music that sounded like it was written down well in advance.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Music Notes: August 5th, 2012
10th Sunday After Pentecost
After a two week break, Music Notes is back. I spent a week at the Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts, immersed in a week long study of organ improvisation, choral rehearsal technique, and other issues relating to theology, music, and the church. It is always my favorite conference to go to, and it is always a wonderful source of affirmation for me. Upon returning, I made some changes with our organ at St. Paul's, and while you may not notice them unless one is closely playing attention, I have been able to take steps to make our small but versatile organ even more useful and practical for hymn playing of all types.
Discussion of the music of this week needs to begin with the Lectionary as it was last week. Beginning last week, and continuing through the month of August, is a five week series of readings from the Gospel of John, where Jesus demonstrates the principal that he is the Bread of Life, and anyone that follows him will never be hungry. The reading for this week ends with this exact declamation made by Jesus, but prior to it, Jesus teaches one of his most important lessons. His followers ate and were filled, but where did this food come from? How would they get more? Jesus miraculously created loaves of bread on the shore of the sea, and the public was hungry for more. Jesus instructs that it isn't this perishable food that they should be seeking, but rather the food that endures for eternal life. It was not Moses that provided the bread for their ancestors in the wilderness, but it was in fact provided by God.
A series of readings such as these provide a difficult challenge for hymn selection. When 4-6 weeks of similar readings are presented, it becomes challenging to make sure the hymnody selected reflects the readings and message, but also remains versatile and not repetitive.
PRELUDE
DOVE OF PEACE- David Cherwien (Prelude- 9:00 AM)
Last week I played David's arrangement of the tune HOLY MANNA. David Cherwien is well known for his inventive, creative, and daring organ interpretations. DOVE OF PEACE is the hymn tune associated with the hymn "I Come With Joy," Brian Wren's poem which the summer choir will sing later in the service. The piece is in three sections, with a loose ABA format. The exterior sections feature a rambling, pastoral sequence with the tune on top on a separate manual. The B section modulates to a chromatic third relationship, with the tune presented homophonically in the strings of the organ. When the A section returns, the tune is in canon with itself, using the original orchestration as well as the higher register of the accompaniment.
OPENING HYMN
Praise The Lord! O Heavens (Opening Hymn- 9:00 AM)
Much of Jesus' message in the Gospel reading this week is reflected here. For instance, the end of stanza one ("...laws which never shall be broken for their guidance he has made.") could be referring to, for example, the mandate that Jesus' followers seek the eternal bread of life. Jesus promises that this is the way, and in stanza two, the hymn says, "never shall his promise fail."
The tune for this hymn, titled AUSTRIA, has a rich and colorful history. The tune was originally penned by Joseph Haydn, one of the finest composers from the "classical" era of music. The tune has its roots in German folk song, and Haydn was heavily influenced by the English national anthem "God Save The King." He reportedly said that he wanted the German's to have a universal song that they could sing with the same amount of pride and patriotism that the English people had. Years later, he reworked it and incorporated it into the second movement of one of his Op. 76 String Quartets, the "Emperor," heard here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc34Jr9udlU
For the next centuries, it was used at various celebrations across Austria and Germany. In the early 20th century, it came under fire as it would occasionally be used by the Nazi's in Germany as part of their nationalistic propaganda, along with the music of Richard Wagner and other famous German composers. This created a stigma surrounding the tune which still exists today. Thankfully, the tune is started to be accepted again as what it was intended to be, that is, a joyful song of celebration and pride.
HYMN OF THE DAY
All Depends On Our Possessing
This German chorale, one of dozens translated into English by Catherine Winkworth, is presented here with its original chorale tune. The tune itself has gone on to be used with a multitude of other texts.
A lot of trust is necessary to embrace Jesus' task of embracing the enduring food of eternal life. As this translation says, "They who trust with faith unshaken by their God are not forsaken."
This food and the results of it are the primary subject of stanza two. The voice of this stanza is someone who has accepted that Jesus is the way. They have been led to many joys and and are confident that they will be inside of God's good graces as he guides them through their lives and will always remain at their side.
The remainder of the hymn continues to reaffirm the ideas of faith, trust, and grace that we can only obtain by embracing a life of faith just as the singer of this hymn did.
OFFERING
I Come With Joy (Offering- 9:00 AM)
This is the final week of Summer Choir this Summer, and for this week, I challenged them with a task that I wish more choirs were willing to undertake. I feel that one of the more difficult tasks for an SATB choir is to be able to sing in unison. When a choir is singing in 4 part harmony, the primary responsibility of each section is to first unify with each other. Once that happens, the tuning usually falls into place. But to sing a beautiful, free, released unison tone, each choir member has to listen extra hard in order to make sure that they are unified with every single singer in both pitch and vowel. It is an extremely important skill for a choir of any size, and it allows their message to be delivered with the utmost clarity and precision.
That message in "I Come With Joy" is love. The word love appears in four out of the five stanzas. This is the love that Jesus had for us when he made his ultimate sacrifice (in stanza one), the community of love that we take part in each week during Holy Communion (in stanzas two and three), and finally the love that binds us all together as Christians (in stanza five).
COMMUNION HYMNS
What A Fellowship, What A Joy Divine (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
This beautiful gospel hymn by Elisha Hoffman and Anthony Showalter was inspired by a verse from the book of Deuteronomy, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deut. 33:27). It has found a home in many motion pictures, most recently throughout the remake of True Grit (2010), as performed by bluegrass singer Iris Dement. It has also been performed by singers such as Alan Jackson, George Jones, and others.
Most performances of this song involve an up-tempo, jubilant rendition of the hymn. As wonderful and as spirit filled as those performances can be, I choose to play the hymn as more of a 12/8 gospel ballad. The sense of peace and comfort that the text provides suits itself better for a more reflective, contemplative rendition of the hymn.
Blessed Assurance (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
Fanny J. Crosby spent her entire life working towards the mission of the church worldwide. Blind since infancy, she became one of the most prominent figures in American evangelical life. She was one of the premiere figures of the gospel song period, penning over 8000 hymns in her life.
Blessed Assurance is likely Crosby's most loved hymn. The anecdote behind it goes that the tune writer, Phoebe Knapp, was having a new pipe organ installed at her church while Crosby was visiting. In lieu of the organ, Knapp plunked out a new tune she was working on on the piano. When asked what she thought of it, Crosby responded by saying, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine."
POSTLUDE
Toccata in Seven- John Rutter (Postlude- 9:00 AM)
As the title indicates, this is a toccata in 7/8 time. Generally, a toccata involves a very active rhythmic structure. Many toccatas for church performance are based on a hymn tune, but this was a free standing composition by Rutter, suitable for both church and concert use.
Set in a three part ABA form, the middle section, with it's slower chords and dialogue between manuals and pedals are surrounded by a rhythmic pattern with clear, square phrases. Characteristic of the English style of composition, this work features a good deal of modulation, pan-diatonicism (two keys at once), and colorful harmonies.
After a two week break, Music Notes is back. I spent a week at the Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts, immersed in a week long study of organ improvisation, choral rehearsal technique, and other issues relating to theology, music, and the church. It is always my favorite conference to go to, and it is always a wonderful source of affirmation for me. Upon returning, I made some changes with our organ at St. Paul's, and while you may not notice them unless one is closely playing attention, I have been able to take steps to make our small but versatile organ even more useful and practical for hymn playing of all types.
Discussion of the music of this week needs to begin with the Lectionary as it was last week. Beginning last week, and continuing through the month of August, is a five week series of readings from the Gospel of John, where Jesus demonstrates the principal that he is the Bread of Life, and anyone that follows him will never be hungry. The reading for this week ends with this exact declamation made by Jesus, but prior to it, Jesus teaches one of his most important lessons. His followers ate and were filled, but where did this food come from? How would they get more? Jesus miraculously created loaves of bread on the shore of the sea, and the public was hungry for more. Jesus instructs that it isn't this perishable food that they should be seeking, but rather the food that endures for eternal life. It was not Moses that provided the bread for their ancestors in the wilderness, but it was in fact provided by God.
A series of readings such as these provide a difficult challenge for hymn selection. When 4-6 weeks of similar readings are presented, it becomes challenging to make sure the hymnody selected reflects the readings and message, but also remains versatile and not repetitive.
PRELUDE
DOVE OF PEACE- David Cherwien (Prelude- 9:00 AM)
Last week I played David's arrangement of the tune HOLY MANNA. David Cherwien is well known for his inventive, creative, and daring organ interpretations. DOVE OF PEACE is the hymn tune associated with the hymn "I Come With Joy," Brian Wren's poem which the summer choir will sing later in the service. The piece is in three sections, with a loose ABA format. The exterior sections feature a rambling, pastoral sequence with the tune on top on a separate manual. The B section modulates to a chromatic third relationship, with the tune presented homophonically in the strings of the organ. When the A section returns, the tune is in canon with itself, using the original orchestration as well as the higher register of the accompaniment.
OPENING HYMN
Praise The Lord! O Heavens (Opening Hymn- 9:00 AM)
Much of Jesus' message in the Gospel reading this week is reflected here. For instance, the end of stanza one ("...laws which never shall be broken for their guidance he has made.") could be referring to, for example, the mandate that Jesus' followers seek the eternal bread of life. Jesus promises that this is the way, and in stanza two, the hymn says, "never shall his promise fail."
The tune for this hymn, titled AUSTRIA, has a rich and colorful history. The tune was originally penned by Joseph Haydn, one of the finest composers from the "classical" era of music. The tune has its roots in German folk song, and Haydn was heavily influenced by the English national anthem "God Save The King." He reportedly said that he wanted the German's to have a universal song that they could sing with the same amount of pride and patriotism that the English people had. Years later, he reworked it and incorporated it into the second movement of one of his Op. 76 String Quartets, the "Emperor," heard here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc34Jr9udlU
For the next centuries, it was used at various celebrations across Austria and Germany. In the early 20th century, it came under fire as it would occasionally be used by the Nazi's in Germany as part of their nationalistic propaganda, along with the music of Richard Wagner and other famous German composers. This created a stigma surrounding the tune which still exists today. Thankfully, the tune is started to be accepted again as what it was intended to be, that is, a joyful song of celebration and pride.
HYMN OF THE DAY
All Depends On Our Possessing
This German chorale, one of dozens translated into English by Catherine Winkworth, is presented here with its original chorale tune. The tune itself has gone on to be used with a multitude of other texts.
A lot of trust is necessary to embrace Jesus' task of embracing the enduring food of eternal life. As this translation says, "They who trust with faith unshaken by their God are not forsaken."
This food and the results of it are the primary subject of stanza two. The voice of this stanza is someone who has accepted that Jesus is the way. They have been led to many joys and and are confident that they will be inside of God's good graces as he guides them through their lives and will always remain at their side.
The remainder of the hymn continues to reaffirm the ideas of faith, trust, and grace that we can only obtain by embracing a life of faith just as the singer of this hymn did.
OFFERING
I Come With Joy (Offering- 9:00 AM)
This is the final week of Summer Choir this Summer, and for this week, I challenged them with a task that I wish more choirs were willing to undertake. I feel that one of the more difficult tasks for an SATB choir is to be able to sing in unison. When a choir is singing in 4 part harmony, the primary responsibility of each section is to first unify with each other. Once that happens, the tuning usually falls into place. But to sing a beautiful, free, released unison tone, each choir member has to listen extra hard in order to make sure that they are unified with every single singer in both pitch and vowel. It is an extremely important skill for a choir of any size, and it allows their message to be delivered with the utmost clarity and precision.
That message in "I Come With Joy" is love. The word love appears in four out of the five stanzas. This is the love that Jesus had for us when he made his ultimate sacrifice (in stanza one), the community of love that we take part in each week during Holy Communion (in stanzas two and three), and finally the love that binds us all together as Christians (in stanza five).
COMMUNION HYMNS
What A Fellowship, What A Joy Divine (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
This beautiful gospel hymn by Elisha Hoffman and Anthony Showalter was inspired by a verse from the book of Deuteronomy, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deut. 33:27). It has found a home in many motion pictures, most recently throughout the remake of True Grit (2010), as performed by bluegrass singer Iris Dement. It has also been performed by singers such as Alan Jackson, George Jones, and others.
Most performances of this song involve an up-tempo, jubilant rendition of the hymn. As wonderful and as spirit filled as those performances can be, I choose to play the hymn as more of a 12/8 gospel ballad. The sense of peace and comfort that the text provides suits itself better for a more reflective, contemplative rendition of the hymn.
Blessed Assurance (Communion Hymn- 9:00 AM)
Fanny J. Crosby spent her entire life working towards the mission of the church worldwide. Blind since infancy, she became one of the most prominent figures in American evangelical life. She was one of the premiere figures of the gospel song period, penning over 8000 hymns in her life.
Blessed Assurance is likely Crosby's most loved hymn. The anecdote behind it goes that the tune writer, Phoebe Knapp, was having a new pipe organ installed at her church while Crosby was visiting. In lieu of the organ, Knapp plunked out a new tune she was working on on the piano. When asked what she thought of it, Crosby responded by saying, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine."
POSTLUDE
Toccata in Seven- John Rutter (Postlude- 9:00 AM)
As the title indicates, this is a toccata in 7/8 time. Generally, a toccata involves a very active rhythmic structure. Many toccatas for church performance are based on a hymn tune, but this was a free standing composition by Rutter, suitable for both church and concert use.
Set in a three part ABA form, the middle section, with it's slower chords and dialogue between manuals and pedals are surrounded by a rhythmic pattern with clear, square phrases. Characteristic of the English style of composition, this work features a good deal of modulation, pan-diatonicism (two keys at once), and colorful harmonies.
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