Music for November 29, 2020 + The First Sunday of Advent

Vocal Music

• Pieta, Signore! – Alessandro Stradella (1645?-1682?)
• Richard Murray, baritone

Instrumental Music

• Prelude and Fugue in E Minor, BWV 533 – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
• “Sleepers, wake!” A voice astounds us, BWV 645 – J. S. Bach
• Introduction and Fanfare on “Helmsley” – Bruce Neswick (b. 1956)
• Hope – Joel Raney (b. 1946)
• Prelude in G Major, BWV 568 – J. S. Bach

This Sunday we begin our four-week journey through Advent to Christmas. The themes are all about watching for Christ. This Sunday's Gospel come from the Gospel according to Mark:

Mark 13:24-37

“But in those days, after that suffering,

    the sun will be darkened,

    and the moon will not give its light,

    and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.  Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Music for this Sunday draws heavily on this passage, and especially the thoughts that are highlighted in bold type. Beginning with the opening voluntaries. First you'll hear the Prelude and Fugue in E Minor of Bach. It's nicknamed "The Cathedral Prelude and Fugue, with the fugue also nicknamed Nachtwächterfuge (The Night Watchman Fugue). More on that later.

It's a work from his youthful period, when Bach was still in his twenties. He had just got his first real job in Arnstadt. This position as a highly paid organist had fallen into his lap in 1703, after a brilliant performance when testing the new organ. But a couple of years later, it was actually criticism of his organ playing that was given as one of the reasons for letting him go. He was supposed to have used too many curious variationes and strange notes in his chorale preludes. The church council believed that this confused the congregation.

In this concise Prelude and fugue, we hear both sides of the coin. In the prelude, there are short pedal solos, shaking tremolos for both hands, and series of full chords for keyboard and pedal simultaneously – all exciting musical elements which can also be used, if necessary, to test an organ’s sound and speed of response.

These elements return in the fugue, which opens with a moving theme which gives it the Night Watchman sobriquet. It begins modestly and almost hesitantly, but later with increasing assurance. Towards the end, there is a passage where Bach makes the left hand stand out rather dissonantly against the right hand, in opposition to the rules of composition. This is precisely the sort of “frembde Thone” (strange notes) to which people later objected in Arnstadt. Here, we see a youthful and rather impetuous Bach. On the one hand, an excellent job application, and on the other a reason for dismissal.

The second voluntary before the service is the wonderful organ setting of the aria from Cantata 140, "Wachet Auf!" It's a transcription of the tenor solo (Zion hears the watchmen singing) that Bach himself arranged for the organ. It is one of his most famous pieces. It consists of only three melodic lines: unison violins and violas play a graceful melody over the chorale tune sung by the tenors and a basso continuo. (One the organ, the right hand plays the violin part, while the left hand plays the tenor part on a trumpet stop. The basso continuo is just the bass line, played on the pedal.) It is an example of Bach’s counterpoint at its elegant and imaginative best, all the more remarkable in the knowledge it was part of a frenetic cantata output, written during a period when he had grown disillusioned with his social and musical position in Leipzig.

What I love about the piece is how the beautiful, flowing melody, casually proceeding, is at once interrupted by the cry of the watchman on the blaring trumpet (a perfect instrument of warning.)

During communion, Richard Murray will sing of staple of Italian art song, Pietà, Signore.  It is a religious song, also known as Aria di chiesa, Air d'église and Kirchen Arie. It is often attributed to the Italian Baroque composer Alessandro Stradella, but there is every reason to believe that it was composed by a 19th century composer, either François-Joseph Fétis, Abraham Louis Niedermeyer, or Gioachino Rossini.

The closing voluntary is another work from Bach's early Arnstadt period. It opens with a descending G Major scale. This glorious main theme is split between statements in big chords and scale-like runs down the keyboard, but the two elements are often imaginatively presented in combination. 

Music for November 22, 2020 + Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• King of Glory, King of Peace – K. Lee Scott (b. 1950) 
• Jade Panares, Soprano

Instrumental Music

• Suite Gothique – Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
• Introduction-Choral
• Menuet gothique
• Prière à Notre-Dame
• Toccata
• At the Name of Jesus – arr. Michael Burkhardt (b. 1957)

Since the last Sunday of Pentecost (Advent begins next Sunday!) is called Christ the King Sunday, our solo and the communion voluntary are based on hymns which refers to Christ as King.

The text for the offertory solo is by George Herbert, a Welsh-born poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England who was born on April 3, 1593 at Black Hall in Montgomery, Wales. His family on his father's side was one of the oldest and most powerful in Montgomeryshire, having settled there in the early 13th century and improving and consolidating its status by shrewd marriage settlements and continuous governmental service. 

George Herbert, 1593-1633

His father died when Herbert was three and a half years old so George's mother, Magdalen, who was by all accounts an extraordinary woman, moved the family first to Shropshire, then to Oxford, and then finally to a house at Charing Cross, London to facilitate the education of her ten children. George was tutored at home and then entered Westminster School, probably in 1604, a distinguished grammar school that not only grounded him in the study of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and music, but also introduced him to Lancelot Andrewes, one of the great churchmen and preachers of the time. From Westminster, Herbert went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1609 and began one of the most important institutional affiliations of his life, one that lasted nearly 20 years.

Herbert wrote much of his poetry during his Cambridge years. He began, auspiciously enough, with a vow, made in a letter accompanying two sonnets sent to his mother as a New Year's gift in 1610, "that my poor Abilities in Poetry, shall be all, and ever consecrated to Gods glory." 

Herbert wrote poetry in English, Latin and Greek. Shortly before his death in 1633, he sent a literary manuscript to Nicholas Ferrar, the founder of a semi-monastic Anglican religious community at Little Gidding, reportedly telling him to publish the poems if he thought they might "turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul", otherwise to burn them. Later that year all of his English poems were published in The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations. It was so popular that there were at least 11 editions of The Temple in the 17th century alone.

One of the poems which has become most loved is Praise, a seven stanza poem of 4 lines each, which contains the three stanzas which make up the text for today's solo. This hymn has been set to music by many composers. Today's solo, King of Glory, King of Peace,  was written by K. Lee Scott, an American composer born, raised, and still living in Alabama. Scott attended The University of Alabama School of Music, where he has since served as adjunct faculty as well as for Music departments or The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Samford University. 

I am  delighted to have former choir member and staff singer Jade Panares sing for us this day. Jade is a graduate of Atascocita High School and the University of Houston School of Music.

The hymn At the Name of Jesus has been lovingly arranged by Lutheran organist Michael Burkhardt. Listen for an accompaniment that seems to hover above the melody which I will be playing on the oboe. We've put the text in the service leaflet so that you can read the words while listening (since we can't sing in church just yet!)

Music for November 15, 2020 + The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Instrumental Music

• Partita on “St. Anne” – Paul Manz (1919-2009)

                I. Theme
                II. Adagio
                III. Canon
                IV. Presto
                V. Pastorale
                VI. Fugue-Finale

• A Pleasant Thought – Florence B. Price (1887-1953)
• Mit Freuden Zart – Gerald Near (b. 1942)

Paul Manz

O God, our help in ages past, by Issac Watts, is one of the best paraphrases of the first six verses of Psalm 90. Since that is the psalm for this Sunday, I decided to play Paul Manz's partita (or variations) on ST. ANNE, which is the tune used for the hymn. Paul Manz was a Lutheran organist, who had a particular talent of improvising organ music based on hymns. These variations were probably improvised by Manz during a recital or one of his Hymn Festivals, and later published as Partita on St. Anne.

There are six movements which may or may not correspond to the six stanzas of Watt's hymn. The first movement is very straightforward, with an underlying rhythmic motive reminiscent of J. S. Bach's organ setting of the German Choral WER NUR DEN LIEBEN (BWV 642). The second movement also harkens back to music of Bach and German baroque composers with its ornamented solo line over an imitative accompaniment. You'll still be able to hear the melody if you listed closely.

In the third movement, Manz leaves the familiar realm of 18th century counterpoint and becomes more impressionist in style. The melody will be found in canon, with the right hand playing the melody in an undulating style in normal quarter-note rhythms, while the left hand plays the same melody, but in HALF-NOTE rhythms, and with some harmonies that we might find disconcerting. It sounds as if the two hands are playing two different songs in two different keys!

The fourth movement is much lifelier, as you can tell by its title, Presto. The accompaniment will be in both hands, featuring a spinning counter-melody against a leaping part in the other hand. These melodic fragments bounce back and forth between the two hands while the feet play the melody.

One of the loveliest movements is the Pastorale (fifth movement). Pastorales are generally in 6/8 or 9/8 metre, at a moderate tempo, and this is no exception. The accompaniment has a lyrical melody which could stand alone by itself, without the addition of the hymn-tune that comes in, played by the left hand.

I'll play the last movement as the closing voluntary, for it's drive and excitement is perfect for music that should encourage us to leave this place with joy and commitment.

During communion I'll play a simple melody by the African American composer, Florence B. Price. I discovered her in February when I was looking for non-idiomatic music by Black composers. She has a fascinating story, and I encourage you to review what I wrote about her here. 

During the preparation of the elements I will be playing Gerald Near's setting of the hymn tune MIT FREUDEN ZART. The order of service will have the words to the hymn Lord Christ, when first thou cam'st to earth, Hymn 598 in The Hymnal 1982. It is especially appropriate to the Gospel reading this day.

Music for November 8, 2020 + The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• How Great Thou Art – Stuart K. Hine (1899-1989), Amy Bogan, soprano

Instrumental Music

• Suite for Organ – Gerald Near (b. 1942)
• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence – Rudy Davenport (b. 1948)
• Festive Trumpet Tune – David German (b. 1954)

Amy Bogan sings a favorite of many in the congregation, "How Great Thou Art," by Stuart K. Hine. Hine was a British Methodist missionary on a mission trip in Ukraine in 1931 when he heard the Russian translation of a German song inspired by Carl Boberg's poem "O Store Gud" (O Great God). Hine began to translation the song to English and added several verses. The third verse was inspired by the conversion of villagers in Russia who cried out to God loudly as the repented and realized God's love and mercy - "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in." 

Stuart K. Hine

Stuart Hine and his family left Ukraine as famine and World War Two began, and settled in Somerset, Britain where he continued to serve as a missionary to Polish refugees. The fourth verse of "How Great Thou Art" was inspired by displaced Russians who experienced great loss and looked forward to seeing their loved ones again in heaven - "When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation to take me home, what joy shall fill my heart."

The final English version of "How Great Thou Art" was published in 1949 and quickly spread among Britain, Africa, India and America. 

The opening voluntaries are all from a suite by American composer Gerald Near. Now living in Arizona, he is director of music and organist at St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal church in Green Valley, Arizona. He's been connected to Episcopal churches most of his career, including St. Matthew's Cathedral in Dallas. I think it's because of his understanding of Anglican music that I find his compositions very appealing. He's written much music based on chant, and traditional hymn-tunes of the church, but this Suite, written in 1965 when he was 27 years, has only one movement based on a hymn tune. 

It opens with a Chaconne. Originally a fiery and suggestive dance that appeared in Spain about 1600 in moderate triple meter, the chaconne became a popular compositional form of composers of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a series of variations built on a short phrase in the bass. This form often is confused with the form Passacaglia, and honestly, there is little difference. Near uses a short, 2-bar motive as the repeated bass line (called a "ground bass") in the pedal while he employs the tonal resources of the organ to vary the accompanying music found in the manuals (keyboards). You will hear the same eight notes in the pedal 18 times (except for variation 14 which finds the motive, not in the pedal, but in the top line of the music.

In the middle movement, the American folk tune Land of rest is set as a sarabande. A sarabande is also a dance in triple meter that originated in Central America back in the sixteenth century. It became popular in the Spanish colonies before making its way to Europe. At first, it was regarded as being rather scandalous, even being banned in Spain for its obscenity. Baroque composers, such as Handel, adopted the sarabande as one of the movements for the suites they were writing at the time.

The Suite ends with a Final (We musicians pronounce it fee-nahl) in A-B-A form. The A section is a dialogue between the Full organ on the great with a less-full organ sound on the accompanying choir manual. In the B section, you will hear a jaunty melody played on the organ's trumpet stop, accompanied by flutes. Then the A section returns just like the beginning to bring the whole thing to a close.

LAND OF REST is the tune used for hymn 620 in our hymnal, Jerusalem, my happy home, which is appropriate for today's readings. (It is also used for the communion hymn I come with joy and a favorite setting of the Sanctus that we often sing in the summer.)

Another hymn that was appropriate for today is the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silence. During communion, I will be playing a piano setting of that tune, PICARDY, arranged by the composer Rudy Davenport. I played another piece by him last month.