Music Notes: April 28th, 2013

Fifth Sunday After Easter

This weekend we have a celebration of our vocations.  What are we called to do with our lives.  For some people, this is a solid foundation that governs their lives.  For others, it is unfortunately a source of stress, whether it be for lack of satisfaction, or inability to find what they are truly meant for in this world.

Regardless, every vocation has its place, and we will be celebrating those this weekend, when worshipers will be asked to bring something representing their work to place at the nearly completed ark.  We have a wide variety of vocations as a part of our church community, and they will all be recognized.

PRELUDE

Jesus Calls Us O'er The Tumult (From Gospel Preludes, Book 3)- William Bolcom

William Bolcom composed four books of Gospel Preludes in the first half of the 20th century.  These varied pieces are all based on early American hymn tunes, and offer some of the most inventive and unique organ writing ever to be heard.

Book 3, from which Jesus Calls Us O'er The Tumult comes, is actually one of his simplest ones in terms of form and structure.  The tune is clearly heard as a solo, underneath a slow, lilting accompaniment, with a lot of motion in the pedal.  The piece is cast in F# major, which is a rather uncommon key for the organ.  It creates sonorities that just aren't heard that often, and explores new tonal structures throughout.  Of all of Bolcom's settings, this one most closely resembles a "traditional" organ piece.

OPENING HYMN

How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord

This lovely modern hymn by British composer Fred Pratt Green explores the work we do, the vigor with which we do it, and the hardships dealt with through the journey.  God gives us strength and energy as we go through the good times (stanza one), and the hard (stanza two).

Stanza three is a very interesting theological statement.  We aren't the only ones with burdens.  The ones who came before us also dealt with hardships, and what we have learned from them influence our lives today.  Despite this, there seems to be a bit of an accusation in this stanza, accusing us of "the casual way we wear your name."  By "obscur(ing with our) faults," we both minimize and forget what those who came before us have done.

All is not lost.  By living our lives in a God-like fashion and staying strong to our convictions, we are honoring those saints, ourselves, and the Son of God who was sacrificed for us so we may live.

HYMN OF THE DAY

You Have Come Down To The Lakeshore

This hymn is normally used as a call to discipleship.  Taken a step further, all of these futures disciples are being called to a vocation.  This vocation is one of the most important to ever exist.  These original twelve disciples have spawned countless others, and live on today as our cardinals and archbishops called by the Pope.

Earlier I mentioned those who may not be fully engaged with or fulfilled by their current vocations.  I think those people are looking for a "lakeshore" moment.  What a wonderful experience it must have been for the future disciples who may not have been fully satisfied with their careers as fishermen.  They needed someone to find them and show them what they were truly meant to do with their lives.  I would say it worked out pretty well for them.

COMMUNION HYMNS

Jesus Calls Us O'er The Tumult

This is another hymn which serves as an important call to discipleship.  Where the previous hymn puts the focus on the individual, this hymn by Cecil Alexander puts the focus back on to the community.  At the conclusion of stanza one we hear the call clearly, "Christian, follow me."

St. Andrew, referred to in stanza two, was one of the fishermen which Jesus approached at the lake.  We hear an account of that meeting in stanza two, demonstrating how he and all the disciples turned away from their homes, work, and families, all for Jesus' sake.

The remainder of the stanzas puts the focus back on to us.  We are called to ignore vanity and false idols, and join in the love of Jesus through all our joys, sorrows, pain and toil, so that we may serve him to our highest abilities.

We Place Upon Your Table Lord

The bread and wine, the "tokens of our daily work," are expanded upon here.  Stanza one explains what these are, but it is not until stanza two that we hear about just how special these things are.  "Within these simple things there lie the height and depth of human life."  Thanks to this gift from communion, we are given a refreshing renewal of life, and strength to go on to our vocations during the week.

CLOSING HYMN

Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling

The composer of this hymn, Timothy Rees, was a Bishop of Llandalf in England.  He was actually the first Anglican see from Wales to be appointed to such a position.

In addition to his responsibilities there, he also composed several hymns, the one which we sing today is likely his most well known.

As a cap to our music and worship today, this hymn sends the Holy Spirit with us as we depart worship.  As the first hymn hearkened back to our saints, this hymn does as well at its conclusion, "Holy Spirit, ever binding age to age and soul to soul, in communion never ending, you we worship and extol."

POSTLUDE

Blessed Assurance (from Gospel Preludes, Book 3)- William Bolcom

The three preludes from book 3 are actually meant to be performed back to back to back.  The first one is the prelude today and has a definitive ending on its own.  This second one actually transitions directly into the third, but there is a nice stopping point near the middle.  The opening section of this boisterous prelude is very interesting rhythmically.  While the hymn "Blessed Assurance" is cast in triple time with rhythm based on three's, Bolcom's setting actually puts it into duple.  Despite this, it still has a "swing" to it.  Dissonant grace notes and a rollicking bass line add a wonderful dimension to this great tune.