Our Gospel lesson for the Third Sunday of Advent continues where last week's left off. In talking to the crowd, John the Baptist heralds the One who will be coming soon. People were confounded and asked a lot of questions. John warned them all that they should be generous, rich in integrity, and honorable to those around them. He then baptized them with water, proclaiming the good news that their Messiah would soon be arriving.
PRELUDE
Prelude from "Suite for Organ, op. 50" - Robert Below
The tone of this piece throughout is one of mystery and expectation, just like Advent. This opening section of the work spends a good majority of the time oscillating between two chords. It expands significantly in the middle, but never really settles into a tonal center. As the piece concludes, we hear a fragment of the plainsong Conditor Alme Siderum (Creator of the Stars of Night).
OPENING HYMN
Fling Wide The Door
Many Advent hymns, both in and out of the ELW, talk of preparation for the coming of Christ. The choral anthem Two Kings by Joseph Clokey describes the preparation of the banquet hall for the arrival of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. This hymn is in a similar vein, as the doors and gates are opened so the King of Glory may enter. Stanzas one through three could be just as appropriate for Christ the King Sunday. The Advent message comes in stanza four. I joked with Stephanie the other night about how if a hymn has the word "come" in it, and that "come" relates to Jesus in some way, it could be an Advent hymn. In most cases, it's actually true!
This tune is a delightful, dance like German tune (one of the few that actually dances!) from the 18th century. I think it's interesting that they included a four part harmonization in the hymnal, since this tune is much more effective when sung strongly in unison.
HYMN OF THE DAY
On Jordan's Banks The Baptist's Cry
The PUER NOBIS tune (written even earlier than our previous one) is wonderful for shorter texts like this one. Each stanza contains two short phrases, some of which are complete sentences, and others which make up one sentence each stanza.
The text, which is sourced from our Gospel reading for the day, tells the story of John the Baptist announcing the coming of the Lord. Stanza two even references the baptismal covenant he promises ("Then cleansed be every life from sin..."), as well as a reference to Isaiah 40, where we make straight the crooked paths. The closing stanza contains when of the few Advent-Trinitarian statements in the hymnal, as the coming Son joins the ever present Father and Holy Spirit.
COMMUNION HYMN
Around You, O Lord Jesus (7:45 AM Only)
We moved from Germany to Austria, and now we head to Denmark where this tune came from. Though the tune is of Danish origin, the text comes from poet Frans Mikael Franzen, who is of Finnish and Swedish origin. He is most known for the Advent hymn we sang last week, "Prepare the Royal Highway."
Unlike "On Jordan's Banks..." which generally ends each stanza with a complete thought, stanzas one and two of this hymn are a continuous thread of thankfulness and acknowledgement of the Communion rite. The third stanza concludes with a petition of discipleship and gratefulness that we will show Jesus for the rest of our lives.
CLOSING HYMN
Hark, the Glad Sound
We continue our journey through Europe where we end in jolly ol' England with the team of Doddridge and Haweis. Despite collaborating on several hymns, "Hark The Glad Sound" is the only one that survived to make it into our ELW hymnal. The text and tune are uniquely appropriate for each other. The opening four notes are a wonderful statement of excitement, as is the anticipatory nature of the ascending sequence throughout the second half of the tune.
POSTLUDE
Scherzo and Dance from "Suite for Organ, op. 50"- Robert Below
Despite being called "Scherzo," it doesn't really have the characteristics of a standard scherzo. A scherzo is traditionally a very fast dance in 3/4 time. Normally this 3/4 is at such a quick tempo that it actually sounds like each measure is its own beat, usually grouped into four measures which sound like four big beats.
This movement of the suite actually goes through an amazing number of time signature changes, usually revolving around mixed meters (5/8, 7/8, etc...). The piece concludes in grand style with a freely composed chorale repeated three times.
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