Music for January 10, 2016 + The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Vocal Music

• When Jesus Came to Jordan – Southern Folk Hymn

Instrumental Music

• Christ, Our Lord, to Jordan Came, BWV 684 and 685 – J. S. Bach
• Fugue in G (The ‘Gigue’ Fugue)  BWV 577 – J. S. Bach

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

• Hymn 76 - On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s, cry (Winchester New)
• Hymn R157 - We believe in God Almighty (Divinum Mysterium)
• Hymn 297 - Descend, O Spirit, purging flame (Erhalt uns, Herr)
• Hymn - Shall We Gather at the River (Hanson Place)
• Hymn 135 - Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (Salzburg)

What?" you ask. "Didn't we just hear about Jesus' baptism in Advent?"

Technically, no. We heard Luke 3:7-18 in church on Advent III, which tells of John's message and prophecy of Christ's baptism, but the story ended there, with verse 18. Today we continue that story with Jesus' actual baptism, and the voice from heaven saying “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

So THAT'S the reason you've recently sung some of the same hymns and heard the same anthem as you will this week. We remember Christ's baptism, and in doing so, remember our own, when God claims us as his own, his beloved.

The River Jordan figures prominently in today's hymns, anthem, and organ music. The choir will sing the hymn When Jesus Came to Jordan to be Baptized by John, by Fred Pratt Green, the prolific British Methodist pastor and hymn writer. The Rev. Mr. Green wrote this text to help explain the "why" of Jesus' baptism. It has been paired with a tune from the American songbook Southern Harmony of 1854. We will be singing a simple, austere version of this hymn-tune with bells and an ostinato (a continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm) sung by the men of the choir.

Baptism of Christ by Lambert Sustris (1515-1584)

The opening and communion voluntaries are two distinctly different treatments of the same Lutheran Chorale by Johann Sebastian Bach.  In the early 1730s, Bach began publishing volumes of music for Keyboard called Clavierübung, which is German for "Keyboard Practice." In 1739 the third volume came out which consisted mainly of hymns for the Catechism (a summary of the principles of Christian religion used for the instruction of Christians). Unlike the other Clavierübung volumes I and II, this include some works for organ (Pedaliter) as well as keyboard (Manualiter). The opening prelude is Bach's first setting of the tune (which can be found in our hymnal at hymn 139) for two keyboards and pedal. In the bass there is an incessant flow of sixteenth notes which depicts the running waters of the Jordan River. In the right hand, there are two lines of music which rise and fall, intertwining with each other. Hermann Keller suggests that this represents Christ and John the Baptist in the baptismal act. 

The other chorale prelude, played at the beginning of communion, is in a slightly higher key and in 3/4 time rather than 4/4 time. This little fugue uses only the first eight notes of the chorale as the subject, but inverts that theme for the counter-subject. Again Hermann Keller suggests that the three entries of the subject and the three inversions, represent the three immersions at baptism.

Hymn 76 - On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s, cry (Winchester New) - Yes, we sang this hymn in December, but it so perfectly fits this Gospel reading that we are singing it again. The tune, Winchester New, was referred to by one of my musician friends this week as "death by quarter notes."  Unfair! I think it is a stately tune that fits the words quite well, and fully half the editors of hymnals that included this text agree with me as they use this tune for these words.