Music for July 31, 2016 + The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• O Saviour, Hear Me– Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787), arr. Dudley Buck; Jennifer Wright, Mezzo-soprano

Instrumental Music

• Sonata in A for Oboe: II. Andante – Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
• Versets for the Kyrie (Messa della Domenica) – Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)
• Trumpet Tune in D – Georg Philipp Telemann

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982.)

• Hymn 408 - Sing praise to God who reigns above (Mit Freuden zart)
• Hymn 510 - Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove (St. Agnes)
• Hymn 533 - How wondrous and great thy works, God of praise! (Lyons)
• Hymn 325 - Let us break bread together on our knees (Let Us Break Bread)
• Hymn 594 - God of grace and God of glory (Cwm Rhondda)
• Psalm 49:1-2, 4-10 - Audite haec, omnes – tone II

Gluck

Christoph Willibald Gluck was a composer that bridged the Baroque period (Bach and Handel) and the Classical Period (Haydn and Mozart). It was during this time that Italian opera really began to dominate the opera world, and Gluck became one of the major players in that scene. He wrote over 40 operas, and of these, Orfeo ed Euridice is the best known. It is a treatment of the story of the legendary musician Orpheus and his journey to the Underworld to bring back his beloved Eurydice—an ancient illustration of the power of music.

By far the best known excerpts from any of Gluck's operas is the ‘Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ from the French version of Orfeo. This tune (for it was not an aria) constantly appears among lists of the favorite melodies from classical music. (It was the last selection played each night when WKNO-FM, the classical music station in Memphis, went off the air at midnight - back when stations went OFF the air at night!)

Dudley Buck

In 1880, Dudley Buck, the most influential American organist and church musician of that time, wrote sacred lyrics and arranged this piece for alto solo. It has since become a staple of sacred classical solo repertoire. The calm, graceful melody which was originally played on the flute is perfect for the pleading, penitential text that Buck wrote. It's always been a favorite of mine, and this Sunday we are fortunate to have Jennifer Wright, our alto section leader, sing it for us. She last sang in June for the Dvorak Mass in D when we sang it in the Eucharist.