Music Notes: June 9, 2013

Synod Week/Third Sunday after Pentecost

With this being the convention week of the NE Iowa Synod, our pastoral leadership and several congregation members will be attending the Synod Assembly at Luther College in Decorah. 

Pr. Charles Infelt, a wonderful pastor and frequent worship leader at our REJOICE service will be leading our Sunday worship this week.  He has elected to depart from the Lectionary this week, and instead will be preaching on the Parable of the Mustard Seed, surrounded by the message I believe he will title “Increase Our Faith.”  The hymns and service music will reflect this concept.

Prelude
The Lord’s Prayer- Albert Hay Malotte

This week, a congregation member asked me why we never sing the Lord’s Prayer anymore.  Specifically, she was referring to this famous version penned in the 1930’s by Albert Hay Malotte.  Malotte, a church organist and film composer, is easily best known for this melodic setting, which features many features of 1930’s compositional techniques.  Specifically, the chord progression found in the climactic phrase heard in much of the music and many of the film scores from that time.

Rather than sing it specifically this week (I personally believe this melody is unsuitable for congregational singing), I found an organ version that I am more than happy to play this week. 

Opening Hymn
Open Now Thy Gates Of Beauty

Benjamin Schmolck wrote a great deal of hymns for the early Lutheran church, but this is one of the few that survives and remains in use.  This translation by Catherine Winkworth gives us a text of joy and gratefulness for the space in which we gather and the actions we do in that space.  Whether it be prayer or praise, our souls become interlaced with God as he acts as our "guiding star through life."  As is the theme for this Sunday, stanza four asks for God to increase and quicken our faith, so that we may use God’s gifts to the best of our abilities.

Hymn of the Day
Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Unlike many hymns that take years and years to compose the poem, music, and finally be published, Great Is Thy Faithfulness took less than a year to go from preliminary thought to publication.  Thomas Chisolm composed this poem in 1923, describing the faithfulness of God through his (and by extension, our) life/lives.  He sent the completed poem to composer William Runyan who set it to music and it was published shortly afterwards by Hope Publishing Company.  Thanks to exposure from various church groups, the Moody Bible Institute, and televangelist Billy Graham, Great Is Thy Faithfulness has gone on to become one of the most beloved hymns in the repertoire.

Offering
Si Mes Vers Avaient des Ailes! - Reynaldo Hahn

Though he was born in Venezuela, Reynaldo Hahn was naturalized in France, and went on to have a successful career in the French style of melodie.  This style is the French version of the popular German lied, and was usually serious in nature.  This contrasted from the more popular style of French song, the chanson.  

The melodie is intrinsically connected through text and tune.  The two are intertwined together in such a way that they support each other and make sense in the context of the entire song.  All the great French composers of the time (Berlioz, Debussy, Delibes, Ravel, et. al,) wrote melodies. 

This melodie with a poem by Victor Hugo, was composed when Hahn was only thirteen years old.  It became an instant hit, and assured Hahn a life time of success in the musical realm.  The poem is two verses, and the singer is pondering whether or not her words are actually strong and powerful enough to reach God.

Closing Hymn
How Firm A Foundation

As I have said in this blog in the past, How Firm A Foundation is a wonderful union of text and tune.  The early American tune is well supported by an inspiring, wonderful statement of faith.

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.  Stanza four continues these words of Jesus, which brings life full circle, saying that even when we are grown and lived a full life, we will still be lambs in Jesus' flock.

Postlude
Toccata in E minor- Johann Pachelbel

Like most Pachelbel Toccatas, this piece has a lot of florid passagework in the manuals over a pedal tone.  Unlike several others, however, this one has a more imitative, contrapuntal nature to it, as opposed to scales in thirds, sixths, and tenths.  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.  Towards the end of the piece, the two voices imitate each other in sequence, before finally resolving in major and coming together at the conclusion.