Christmas Eve, 6:30

Vocal Music

• Ding Dong Merrily on High – Charles Wood (1866-1926)
• On Christmas Night – Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
• Infant Holy, Infant Lowly – arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
• Christmas Mass for St. William’s – Richard Shephard (1949-2021)
• Psalm 96 (based on "Vom Himmel Hoch") – Thomas Pavlechko (b. 1962)

Instrumental Music

• Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her– Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
• In the Bleak Midwinter – Allen Orton Gibbs (1910-1996)
• Festive Flourish On 'Joy To The World' – Michael Dell (b. 1959)

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

• Hymn 83 - O come, all ye faithful (ADESTE FIDELIS)
• Hymn 87 - Hark! The herald angels sing (MENDELSSOHN)
• Hymn 96 - Angels we have heard on high (GLORIA)
• Hymn 101 - Away in a Manger (CRADLE SONG)
• Hymn 111 - Silent night, holy night (STILLE NACHT)
• Hymn 100 - Joy to the world (ANTIOCH)

This has been a tough year for the choir, rebuilding from the year of no rehearsals. We've lost people to sickness, retirement, or refusal to vaccinate. So the choir anthems are familiar carols from years past. New to us this year is a setting of the ordinary of the mass (Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei) which is based on traditional but lesser known carols. (Besançon; Sussex Carol; Joseph Dearest; This Endris Night). 

Christmas Mass for St. William's was written by English composer Richard Shephard, who died this year. He is acclaimed as one of the most significant composers of church music today. Dr. Shephard was educated at The King’s School, Gloucester and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His anthems and service settings are sung widely in the cathedrals and churches of the UK and they have a considerable following in the USA. He held the Lambeth Doctorate of Music from Oxford University and two Honorary Doctorates from the University of the South (Sewanee, TN) and the University of York (York, UK).

Like the choral music, the organ works are all based on Christmas hymns. The first is based on a traditional German Chorale (text by Martin Luther) arranged by Johann Pachelbel of the Canon fame. It has two settings, actually. The first is a trio, with the pedal carrying the melody. The second begins as a fughetta, using the opening phrase of the hymn as its subject. It then turns into a brilliant toccata, again with the melody in the pedal.

The second organ prelude is on the tune Cranham by Gustav Holst. It is by Alabama composer Allen Orton Gibbs. She was a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatory of Music (now the Music Department of Birmingham-Southern College), where she later became a member of the faculty. An organist and pianist, for many years she was organist at McCoy United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Her compositions include works in a variety of genres: choral anthems, organ works, vocal solos, hymn tunes, and music for handbells. Most of her compositions were written for her own use, or for friends and colleagues, or to fulfill commissions. Since her death in 1996, many of these have been published.

The closing voluntary is one of my favorite Christmas works for organ. Micahel Dell used Henri Mulet's toccata Tu Es Petra (Thou art the Rock) as an outline for his flourish on "Joy to the World." The melody can be heard as a canon, alternating between the hands and the feet

Music for December 19, 2021 + The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Vocal Music

• There Is No Rose of Such Virtue – Jessica Nelson (b. 1983)

Instrumental Music

• My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord, BWV 648 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Savior of the Nations, Come! BWV 659 – Johann Sebastian Bach
• Fuga sopra il Magnificat, BWV 733 – Johann Sebastian Bach

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

• Hymn 75 Blest be the King whose coming (VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN)
• Hymn R-129 Sing, my soul, sing out my praises (PLEADING SAVIOR)
• Hymn 54 Savior of the nations, come (NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND)
• Hymn 56 O come, O come, Emmanuel (VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL)
• Hymn 66 Come, thou long expected Jesus (STUTTGART)

A new melody and enticing harmonic language bewitchingly transform the traditional 15th century text, "There Is No Rose," which is our offertory anthem this Sunday. It is by a good friend of mine, Mississippi native Jessica Nelson. Jessica currently serves as organist/choirmaster of St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson, MS. (where Bill Richter first served as a priest). She also directs the Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy, which many of you have heard me talk about as I attend almost every year. 

She holds degrees from Millsaps College and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, as well as the Colleague Certificate from the American Guild of Organists. In 2015, she was appointed to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music of the Episcopal Church in the United States and also serves on the board of the Leadership Program for Musicians. Jessica has taught on the music faculties of the University of North Alabama and Northeast MS Community College. She has a wicked sense of humor and a feisty fur-baby named Eloise.

The text for "There Is No Rose" is from the earliest collection of polyphonic music written in English, the Trinity Carol Roll, a collection of thirteen English carols held by the Wren Library at Trinity College, Cambridge. The texts are all composed in Middle English, but several, such as "There Is No Rose," are macaronic, incorporating Latin phrases from the liturgy of the Catholic Church. You'll hear these Latin phrases at the end of each verse.

Mary's Song of Praise, the Magnificat, is the focus of  the service this Sunday. The Gospel reading relates the meeting of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, both great with child, when Mary comes forth with the words, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior." We'll sing a paraphrase of that great hymn, and hear organ works based on a German choral setting of the text. 

The closing voluntary is actually a fugue over the Gregorian Chant theme. With the title Fuga sopra il Magnificat (Fugue over the Magnificat), you would expect a more prominent placement of the melody in this compact organ prelude. But the Gregorian Magnificat melody that Bach uses here is persistent. It was written when Bach was still a young man, during his time in Weimar.

Music for Sunday, December 12, 2021 + The Third Sunday of Advent

Vocal Music

• Lo! He Comes, an Infant Stranger – Simon Mold (b. 1957)

Instrumental Music

• Fantasy on “Veni Emmanuel” – Robert C. Lau (1943)
• Savior of the Nations, Come! – Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
• Lord Jesus, the Only Son of God – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

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

• Hymn 616 - Hail to the Lord’s anointed (ES FLOG EIN KLEINES WALDVÖGELEIN)
• Hymn R-122 - Canticle 9: The first song of Isaiah (Jack Noble White)
• Hymn R-26 - Jesus, name above all names (Nadia Hearn)
• Hymn R-278 - Wait for the Lord (Taizé)
• Hymn 59 - Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON)

The choir introduces a new Advent carol at the 10:15 service this Sunday. Using a text from the 1800s, English Simon Mold has written a grand tune in the Anglican tradition, which makes sense, as he started singing as a boy when he was a chorister at Peterborough Cathedral. 

Simon Mold

After reading English Language and Medieval Literature at Durham University, where he was a cathedral choral scholar, Simon embarked upon a teaching career principally in the south of England, and sang in several cathedral choirs. His interest in composition began at Peterborough where he directed a performance of one of his own choral pieces in the cathedral whilst still a boy chorister, and subsequently Simon’s music has been widely published, performed, recorded and broadcast by groups such as the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir, London, and Lesley Garrett’s BBC television series Christmas Voices. 

In addition to his sacred music Simon’s output includes secular choral pieces, instrumental works and contributions to the organ repertoire; he has also written a number of song cycles. Simon has additionally been a regular contributor to various musical and literary magazines, and has written widely on diverse aspects of music, language and literature. A verse collection, Poetry of the Peak, was published in 2019.

Robert Lau

At last week's concert by the choirs of Lone Star College, Kingwood, they sang a beautiful setting combining the 15th century chorale "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" with "The Rose" that Bette Midler made famous. Afterwards, one of the concert goers remarked, "That was really interesting." 

I cautioned that he be careful with that word. It could mean, "That was different, captivating, attention grabbing" or it could mean, "Well, that was weird. What were they drinking?" (For the record, the "Rose" mash-up that Evok sang was in the first catergory.)

"Different" could be said about the opening voluntary this Sunday. The fantasy on the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is certainly different. The work opens with the melody in the pedal, on a plaintive sounding reed stop, while the hands accompany on the string sound of the organ. So far so good. 

But then there is a new chant-like melody, interspersed with loud, wild chords. I like to think this sympbolizes the shape the world was in with a Savior. There is a lot of struggle and strife as the phrase "Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall Come to Thee" comes to a climax. Then it all stops before we hear a soft echo of the "Rejoice" theme as the piece comes quietly to a close.

Robert Lau, the composer holds degrees from Lebanon Valley College, The Eastman School of Music and The Catholic University of America. He was a member of the faculty of Lebanon Valley College from 1968-89, holding the academic rank of professor and chairing the Department of Music. He is currently an adjunct member at Penn State - Harrisburg where he teaches in the School of Humanities. Dr. Lau was Organist/Choirmaster at Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church, Camp Hill

Music for December 5, 2021 + The Second Sunday of Advent

Vocal Music

• Come, Though Long Expected Jesus – Marty Wheeler Burnett (b. 1961)

Instrumental Music

• Benedictus – Alec Rowley (1892-1958)
• Partita on Comfort, comfort, ye my people (PSALM 42) – Johann Pachelbel (1661–1733)
• Prepare the Way, O Zion – Paul Manz (1919-2009)

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

• Hymn 76 - On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (WINCHESTER NEW)
• Hymn R-128  - Blessed be the God of Israel (FOREST GREEN)
• Hymn 67 - Comfort, comfort, ye my people (PSALM 42)
• Hymn R-92 - Prepare the way of the Lord (Taizé)
• Hymn 65 - Prepare the way, O Zion (BEREDEN VAG FOR HERRAN)

Marty Wheeler Burnett

This Sunday the choir sings a new anthem by Houston native (and friend of mine), Marty Wheeler Burnett. It is a lush setting of the famous Charles Wesley text, "Come, thou long expected Jesus," with a melody more suited to the feeling of longing and hope found in Wesley's words that the plodding tune found in our hymnal.

Marty got her degrees in organ performance from Rice University in 1988, and in 2010 she received her doctoral degree, with a liturgical music focus, from Sewanee: The University of the South. In 2020 Marty joined the faculty of  Virginia Theological Seminary as the Associate Professor of Church Music and Director of Chapel Music.

Prior to her appointment at VTS, Marty led and coordinated the music ministry at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska. An award-winning educator, Burnett previously served as Director of Fine Arts and Associate Professor of Music at College of Saint Mary in Omaha. She is the immediate past-president of the Association of Anglican Musicians, an organization of musicians and clergy serving the Episcopal Church.

+ + +

As you know, each Sunday we sing a Psalm that is part of the lectionary readings for the day, but this year, three of the four Sundays in Advent designate a Canticle be sung instead of a Psalm. (A Canticle is a hymn or chant, typically with a biblical text, forming a regular part of a church service. The most common Canticle is Glory to God in the highest (Gloria in excelsis), which is Canticle 6 (Rite I) or 20 (Rite II). The canticle for Advent II is Canticle 4 or 16, The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus Dominus Deus). That's why I am playing a piece called Benedictus for the opening voluntary. However, it is not based on the canticle, but on two lines from a poem by Christina Rossetti, a litany of praise entitled: "All Thy Works Praise Thee, O Lord: A Processional Of Creation".  Those two lines are

Christina Rossetti

I bring refreshment —  I bring ease and calm.

Because so much of Rossetti's poetry is Christian, one can assume that Rossetti is talking about Christ. But in this poem (very much like a canticle, actually), Rossetti has each individual piece of creation sing a three line hymn of praise, starting with seraphs, cherubs, angels, heavens, sun, moon, comets, winds, fire, heat, winter, spring, frost, night, light, thunder, clouds, until we finally get down to Medicinal Herbs, who sing:

I bring refreshment,—

                      I bring ease and calm,—

I lavish strength and healing,—

                                I am balm,—

We work His pitiful* Will and chant our psalm.

Alec Rowley was an English composer, organist, and pianist who taught composition at Trinity College in London. His name was known to many through his writing and through the many educational pieces that he wrote, staple fare for many a beginner or amateur player. His more demanding work as a composer has been unfairly neglected, save for the music he wrote for choirs and organ.

* at Rossetti's time, 'pitiful' still had the alternate meaning of 'compassionate.'