Friday, July 17, 2015

Music for July 19, 2015 + The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Instrumental Music

  • Tribute (Lullaby) – Craig Phillips (b. 1961)
  • A Tune for the Tuba – Eric Thiman (1900-1975)
  • Meditation on “Repton” -  Robert A. Hobby (b. 1962)
  • O Perfect Love - Gordon Young (1919-1998)

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982.)

  • Hymn 525 - The Church’s one foundation (AURELIA)
  • Hymn 653 - Dear Lord and Father of mankind (REPTON)
  • Hymn 343 - Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless (ST. AGNES)
  • Hymn 708 - Savior, Like a shepherd lead us (SICILIAN MARINERS)

Lots of organ music this week, and all of it, I think, is immediately accessible even to those not particularly fond of the organ. Two of the pieces are original works with no reference to a hymn tune. 

The communion piece, Tribute, was written by Craig Philips, the organist and director of music at All Saints (Episcopal) Church in Beverly Hills. He wrote this at the request of concert organist David Craighead in honor of David's concert manager, Karen McFarlane. It is a gentle piece with the opening melody played on the krummhorn, one of the oldest organ sounds that in its most familiar form has a tone resembling that of the clarinet. It's written in 3/4 time, so it lends itself to the feel of a lullaby (which is probably why Philips sub-titled it thus so.)

The closing voluntary features another distinctive organ sound, the tuba. Much like the trumpet, it is a reed-stop with a brassy sound, but at 16' pitch, meaning it sounds an octave lower. This is a work written by the organist and composer Eric Thiman, who was active in England in the middle of the 20th century. Largely self-taught, he was Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music, and from 1956 to 1962, Dean of the Faculty of Music at London University. He was also organist and choirmaster at the City Temple in London, a Congregational Church where he achieved renown as an improviser of great skill. This Tuba Tune is in a form often used for trumpet tunes on the organ, with the solo featured on the opening theme, followed by the exact same theme with the full organ. The most famous example of that is the Trumpet Voluntary (Prince of Denmark's March) used so often at weddings.

The two other organ works are based on hymn tunes. 

Robert A. Hobby
C.H.H.Parry
We start of with Robert Hobby's straightforward setting of the tune Repton, used for the hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. The tune first appeared in Charles H. H. Parry's oratorio Judith with the text, "Long since in Egypt's plenteous land, Our fathers were oppressed." Some time later this chorus was published separately as an anthem with the words which we will sing today as a hymn later in the service. It's a glorious melody, with a second half of the hymn tune that gradually builds toward a high note with such sweeping grandeur that one cannot fail to feel the passion of the music. 

At the last minute I had to substitute an organ voluntary for the vocal selection originally scheduled for today. Since I knew Father Bill was going to preach on recent events concerning marriage, I thought I would play Gordon Young's setting of the little-used wedding hymn, O Perfect Love. Regardless of your thoughts about marriage equality, you have to admit the text of the hymn, written in 1848 by Dorothy Francis Blomfield for her sister's wedding, is appropriate for any couple pledging their love for each other. It is a prayer that the marriage will be blessed with love, faith, endurance, and other qualities that lead to a strong relationship. The fourth stanza is a doxology addressed to the members of the Trinity.
O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,
that theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
whom thou in sacred vow dost join in one.  
O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance
of tender charity and steadfast faith,
of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
with childlike trust that fears no pain or death. 
Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife;
grant them the vision of the glorious morrow
that will reveal eternal love and life

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Music for July 5, 2015 + The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music
  • Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown – setting by K. Lee Scott (b. 1950) Danial Ward, bass-baritone
Instrumental Music
  • Variations on an American Tune – Gordon Young (1919-1998)
  • Variations on “God Save the King” – Charles Wesley (1757-1835)
Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew.)
  • Hymn 636 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord (FOUNDATION)
  • Hymn R 37 Father, we love you (GLORIFY YOUR NAME)
  • Hymn 536 Open your ears, O faithful people (TORAH SONG) 
  • Hymn 716 God Bless Our Native Land (AMERICA)
  • Hymn 718 God of our fathers, whose almighty hand (NATIONAL HYMN)

The fiberglass-and-steel “Statue of Liberation
Through Christ” at World Overcomers Outreach 
Ministries Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
A Christian, an American, and a church musician walk into a bar. The Christian looks at the church musician and says, "Let's sing a hymn!" The American says, "Yes! Let's sing "America, the Beautiful!" The church musician says, "I just came in here for a drink."

The Sunday near Independence Day is one day when I just want a drink.

My friend and fellow church musician, David Perry Ouzts, writes a blog similar to mine, and his post for this Sunday is called Fanfares and flag-waving: How to be Episcopalian for the 4th of July. I want to quote some of it here:
As a liturgist, the Sunday nearest to the fourth of July is always a Sunday of great compromise. As an Episcopal parish, we do not just throw out the readings (AKA “the propers”) for the day: that’s “liturgically illegal” according to the Book of Common Prayer and actually requires permission of “the Diocesan” (a.k.a. the Bishop).
On the other hand, in a country in which we give thanks for our religious freedom, praying in church for our country and its leaders is quite acceptable. Moreover, our hymnal, The Hymnal 1982, contains a small section of “National Songs,” those hymns that we all love and probably learned as school children. In fact, our Book of Common Prayer contains an entire set of proper readings for liturgies if held on the exact day of Independence Day in a given year; these propers never supplant the Sunday propers but are available for use, even as private devotions.
Well, like David and the Church of the Holy Communion in Memphis, we are going to go for the middle ground, the via media, as good Episcopalians are wont to do. I'm playing variations on "God Save the Queen" during communion, as written by Charles Wesley Junior, the son of the imminent hymn writer and Anglican priest. Charles junior was a musical child prodigy who became an organist and composer who spent most of his career as the personal organist of the English Royal family. 

God Save the Queen is, of course, the tune we Yanks use as for the words "My country, 'tis of thee," which we'll sing at the Independence Day Celebration after church in the Great Hall. It is also the tune for the communion hymn this morning, God bless our native land, a hymn that is a prayer for any land or nation. I feel it's fitting for a worship service.

The opening and closing voluntaries are based on a familiar hymn that, while it is not 'patriotic,' carries a real American flavor. Gordon Young wrote these variations on the tune NETTLETON (Come, thou fount of every blessing) for the dedication of an organ in Fort Worth. The theme and seven variations show off the colors of the organ in different and unique ways. Sometimes the theme (melody) is apparent. Other times it is only hinted at with fragments and chord progressions from the hymn. The last movement will be used at the closing voluntary. Why not stay and listen to this brilliant finale and let the lines for hot dogs die down!

The closing hymn is often referred to as the "National Hymn." Daniel C. Roberts wrote this "God of our Fathers" in 1876 for July 4 centennial celebrations in Brandon, Vermont, where he was rector at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. This hymn puts God first, and is constantly addressed to Him as a prayer for the nation, without reference to American superiority. The second and third stanzas allude to a nation's need for God's law and guidance to maintain peace. It was published in the Protestant Episcopal Hymnal of 1892.

Don't forget to vote for your ten favorite hymns. The top 15 will be sung in church during August. You can email your choices to jacksonhearn@goodshepherdkingwood.org
The deadline is July 5!