Music for July 31, 2022 + The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• At the River – Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
• Amy Bogan, soprano

Instrumental Music

• Trumpet Intrada – John S. Dixon (b. 1957)
• Andantino – César Franck (1822-1890)
• Toccata in G Dorian– Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706)

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

• Hymn 408 Sing praise to God who reigns above (MIT FREUDEN ZART)
• Hymn 421 All glory be to God on high (ALLEIN GOTT IN DER HÖHE)
• Hymn 533 How wondrous and great thy works, God of praise! (LYONS)
• Hymn 302 Father, we thank thee who hast planted (RENDEZ A DIEU)
• Hymn R136 Alleluia (ALLELUIA)
• Hymn 594 God of grace and God of glory (CWM RHONDDA)
• Psalm 49:1-2, 4-10 – Tone IIa

At the River

Aaron Copland was often referred to as the Dean of American Composers. Incorporating elements of jazz and folk songs into his compositions, Copland was known for liberating the art world from European influences, and popularizing indigenous American music. Along with his fellow American composers Charles Ives, Samuel Barber, John Duke, Amy Beach and Edward MacDowell, Copland was interested in preserving hymns, Native American melodies and African-American spirituals. This includes his two sets of Old American Songs from 1950 and 1952, the second set was premiered by baritone William Warfield and the composer. Copland gave each song his personal musical style while retaining its original flavor (and, in some cases, echoes of instrumental accompaniment from banjo or harp). 

The hymn tune “At the River” (or “Shall We Gather at the River”) was written in 1865 by Robert Lowry, a Baptist pastor, composer, poet, chancellor at the University of Lewisburg, and editor and compiler of Sunday school songs. “At the River” was sung at memorial concerts for Copland and for Leonard Bernstein. (Next week we will hear some of Bernstein's music.)

Trumpet Intrada

Here is a new work by John S. Dixon. He was born in England and grew up about fifty miles east of London, near the Thames River estuary. Starting piano studies at age 6, he progressed to pipe organ at age 11. His first composition for public performance was the score to an original book for a youth theatre production when he was 16.

In spite of that early interest in music, he did not choose to make music his major field of study or his career. However. he remained active in music and theater while studying for the bachelor of arts degree at Oxford University and later at Harvard, where he earned an MBA.

He moved to America permanently in 1988, where he became a member of Providence Presbyterian Church, where he now serves as Organist and Composer-in-Residence. He reside in Norfolk.

Andantino

While I was at the American Guild of Organists convention in Seattle this summer, I was reminded that 2022 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of César Franck, the  Belgian-French composer of the last half of the 19th century. Though he is well known for his Symphony in D Minor, he is perhaps best known as a composer of organ music which had an emotional engagement, technical solidity, and seriousness comparable to that of German composers.

Much of his organ music is of an extended length, making it difficult to program in the musical life of the average parish Sunday service. But late in life he wrote of volume of organ music called L'Organiste, a collection of 59 short works written in 1889 and 1890 for the harmonium and is most often played on organ. The communion voluntary is one of those pieces.

Toccata in G Dorian

The closing voluntary is a toccata by the South German Baroque organist Johann Pachelbel. It's written in the mode of G Dorian, which is almost the same as G minor. What separates them, however, is that the "major" sixth in Dorian gives it a far more tasteful and distinguished tone rather than a sad, woeful one in the Aeolian mode. This "major" sixth creates an uplifting and bright spot in the mode so the Dorian mode takes on a more fulfilling, encouraging, and intense feel.

Music for Sunday, July 24, 2022 + The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

 I am out of town at the Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy, Thanks to Karen Silva who is playing the piano in my absence. I will be back on July 31.

Jackson Hearn

• Hymn 376    Joyful, joyful, we adore thee
• Hymn 421    All glory be to God on high
• Hymn 615    "Thy kingdom come!"
• Hymn 707    Take my life and let it be
• 711    Seek ye first the kingdom of God
• Hymn 410    Praise, my soul, the king of heaven

Music for Sunday, July 17, 2022 + The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Instrumental Music

• Partita on “Liebster Jesu” – Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)
• Sonata in A – Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
• Festive Trumpet Tune – David German (b. 1954)

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

• Hymn 440 - Blessed Jesus, at thy word (LIEBSTER JESU)
• Hymn 421 - All glory be to God on high (ALLEIN GOTT IN DER HÖHE)
• Hymn 488 - Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart (SLANE)
• Hymn R-266 - Give thanks with a grateful heart (GIVE THANKS)
• Hymn R201 - Be still, for the Spirit of the Lord (BE STILL)
• Hymn 344 - Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing (SICILIAN MARINERS)

Partita on “Liebster Jesu” – Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)

The opening voluntary is a set of variations on the tune for our opening hymn. The tune, written in 1664 for text written by Tobias Clausnitzer in 1663, was a favorite of Johann Sebastian Bach and other Lutheran musicians.

There will be three settings. The first is in 4/4 time, and includes a running eighth  note figure. The second is in 6/8 time. Both settings follow the exact form of the hymn (AABB) and are written for the manuals only (no pedal). The third setting is in 6/8, but begins with a little fugue in the manuals before adding the straight melody in the pedals.

Sonata in A – Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)

The communion voluntary is one of the 555 keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti, the Italian -born composer born same year as Bach and Handel. His other compositions for opera and church pale in comparison to his keyboard works.

Scarlatti started off as an organist at the Royal Chapel in Naples when he was only sixteen years old.  He continued to work at the Royal Chapel until 1704. Then, in 1709, Scarlatti was commissioned for service to the exiled queen of Poland, Marie Casimire. This was where he met Handel. Scarlatti and Handel performed at the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni in a trial of skill. When Scarlatti was judged to be better than Handel at the harpsichord, word began to spread about the young composer. Scarlatti then went on to teach music to Maria Magdalena Barbara, a Portuguese princess, where he became the master of music for Maria’s household. When the princess was crowned Queen of Spain, Scarlatti served the Spanish Royalty till his death in 1757.

Due to the nature of his appointment to the Portuguese and Spanish courts, most of his music was published after his death. Still, the sonatas were highly regarded by musicians such as Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Béla Bartók and Heinrich Schenker.

Domenico Scarlatti died in Madrid, Spain on July 23, 1757. His residence and his music have been preserved as part of Spanish Cultural Heritage. Many of his descendants still live in Madrid to this day.

Festive Trumpet Tune – David German

This festive trumpet tune (descriptive, if not original, title) was written by organist David German for his own wedding when he was director of music at Calvary Church in Charlotte. These days, he is director of music at Stephens Valley Church in Nashville. He attended  Moody Bible Institute, Olivet College, and Winthrop University. 

Music for July 10, 2022 + The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Walk In Peace – Lowell Prescott (21st Century)

Instrumental Music

• Prelude on “Evan” – Gordon Young (1919-1998)
• Prelude in C – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Prince of Denmark’s March – Jeremiah Clarke (c.1674-1707)

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

• Hymn 390 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (LOBE DEN HERREN)
• Hymn 609 - Where cross the crowded ways of life (GARDINER)
• Hymn R266 - Give thanks with a grateful heart (GIVE THANKS)
• Hymn 602 - Jesu, Jesu, fill us with thy love (CHEREPONI)
• Hymn 610 - Lord, whose love through humble service (BLAENHAFREN)
• Psalm x – Tone IIa

Walk in Peace

Christine and Matthew Donley are singing a duet on a text based on verses from John and Proverbs, Walk in Peace. Christine is the new choral director at Kingwood Park High School, after working for a number of years at Riverwood Middle School.

Walk in Peace is composed by Lowell Prescott, a composer living in Minneapolis, MN. Prescott has worked as an educator, church musician, and vocalist in addition to his work as a web developer and a video and audio editor.

Instrumental Music

I have been gone all week to the Biennial Convention of the American Guild of Organists, held this year in Seattle, Washington. Since there has been no time to practice, I will be playing pieces from my Wedding Playlist, music that I can play at the drop of a hat. 

First is a setting of a little known hymn tune connected to the prose setting of the 23rd Psalm, The Lord’s my shepherd; I’ll not want. Prelude on "Evan" was composed by the American composer Gordon Young.

Young was born in McPherson, Kansas and educated at Southwestern College (Winfield, Kansas) and the Curtis Institute (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) where he was a student of Alexander McCurdy. After serving churches in Philadelphia and Kansas (where he also worked as a radio organist and newspaper critic), Young became the music director (for fifteen years) at First Presbyterian Church in Detroit, where he was a visible and important presence in the American church music scene. He also taught organ on the faculty of Wayne State University. Young published voluminously, and his organ and choral works were in the catalogs of most major American publishers.

During communion you will hear the famous Prelude in C from Das wohltemperierte Klavier (The Well-Tempered Clavier, or Keyboard) by Johann Sebastian Bach. Many people recognize it as the accompaniment for Ave Maria by Charles Gounod.

Jeremiah Clarke was an English Baroque composer, who is best remembered for the popular keyboard piece commonly known as the "Trumpet Voluntary," although its proper title is the Prince of Denmark's March. This piece was thrust into the public consciosness by its use as the processional at the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles.