Music for June 21, 2015 + The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost + Confirmation

Confirmation Sunday

Vocal Music

• O Thou Who Camest from Above – Philip W. J. Stopford (b. 1977)
• Gracious Spirit, Dwell With Me – K. Lee Scott (b. 1950)

Instrumental Music

• Symphony No. 5: IV. Adagio– Charles Marie Widor (1844-1937)
• Symphony No.5: V. Toccata – Charles Marie Widor

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew.)

• Hymn 688 A mighty fortress is our God (EIN FESTE BURG)
• Hymn 297 Descend, O Spirit, purging flame (ERHALT UNS, HERR)
• Hymn 608 Eternal Father, strong to save (MELITA)
• Hymn 535 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (PADERBORN)

The choir makes a rare summer appearance this Sunday as Bishop Andy Doyle visits Good Shepherd to confirm new members to Christ's church.  We'll be singing two anthems based on hymns dealing with the Holy Spirit.

Our offertory anthem is a well-known text by Charles Wesley set to an original new tune by English composer Philip W. Stopford. Listen for the interval of a rising fourth (the same notes as "Here Comes the Bride") sung as an opening motif which is used throughout the piece. The men of the choir sing the first stanza in unison. The treble voices join the men on stanza two, still in unison, but in the second half of the piece you'll hear a deviation from the original melody, taking us to the feeling of a higher key. At the phrase "in humble prayer and fervent praise." the organ drops out and the choir sings in four-part harmony for the first time in this piece. Stanza three starts with the women singing the motif in unison to be joined by the men for four part harmony, a capella, while they modulate to a new key. The final stanza starts with choir in unison except for a soaring descant from the sopranos.

We sang this just a month ago, but are repeating it now as the third stanza speaks so well to the confirmands:

Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
to work and speak and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.

K. Lee Scott wrote the communion anthem, a pairing of the text "Gracious Spirit, Dwell in Me" with the Gregorian chant tune "Adoro te devote."  We sang this anthem on Pentecost, but since it has great relevance to confirmation (and Pentecost was on Memorial Day weekend, when half of you weren't here), we are singing it again.

Scott was born in Langdale, Alabama and earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Choral Music from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He later became the Director of Choral Music there. Today he is still on the faculty at the university as a part-time instructor as his work as a freelance composer keeps him busy. He has had over 100 of his works published, through 11 different publishing companies.

Our opening hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, is often referred to as “the battle hymn” of the Reformation. Many stories have been relayed about its use. Albert Bailey writes,

It was, as Heine said, the Marseillaise of the Reformation…It was sung in the streets…It was sung by poor Protestant emigres on their way to exile, and by martyrs at their death…Gustavus Adolphus ordered it sung by his army before the battle of Leipzig in 1631…Again it was the battle hymn of his army at Lutzen in 1632…It has had a part in countless celebrations commemorating the men and events of the Reformation; and its first line is engraved on the base of Luther’s monument at Wittenberg…An imperishable hymn! Not polished and artistically wrought but rugged and strong like Luther himself, whose very words seem like deeds. (The Gospel in Hymns, 316)

As you can see, this is a hymn close to the hearts of Protestants and Lutherans, a source of assurance in times of duress and persecution. The text is not restricted, however, to times of actual physical battles. In any time of need, when we do battle with the forces of evil, God is our fortress to hide us and protect us, and the Word that endures forever will fight for us.