Music for March 19, 2017 + The Third Sunday in Lent

Vocal Music

• As Pants the Hart - Joel Martinson (b. 1960)

Instrumental Music

• Lenten Contemplation – William E. Moats (20th-21st C.)
• Antiphonal Celebration  – Kevin McChesney (b. 1963)

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

• Hymn 522 - Glorious things of thee are spoken (AUSTRIA)
• Hymn 143- The glory of these forty days (ERHALT UNS, HERR)
• Hymn 686 - Come thou fount of every blessing (NETTLETON)
• Hymn R122 - Surely it is God who saves me (FIRST SONG OF ISAIAH)
• Hymn R9 - As the deer (AS THE DEER)
• Hymn 690 - Guide me, O thou great Jehovah (CWM RHONDDA)
• Psalm 95 - Tone IIa

Kevin McChesney

This Sunday we feature the Good Shepherd Bell Choir in two pieces by contemporary American composers. The opening voluntary is a piece in 6/8 time called Antiphonal Celebration - not the most Lent-like title, but a nice way to start the service. It is by Kevin McChesney, a free-lance specialist in handbells who is in demand as a workshop leader across the country. Previously he was a church music director in Methodist and Presbyterian churches as well as accompanist and co‑director for the vocal music department at Air Academy High School, where he co‑directed a major production each fall season for eleven years. McChesney graduated with highest honors from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BMus in Composition and Theory. A composer and arranger of handbell music, Kevin currently has over 450 titles in print.

Listen for the antiphonal dialogue between treble and brass bells. The piece combines a lyrical melody with strong rhythmic energy, and uses mallets and the bell technique called martellato, where the bells are rung directly into the table pads.

The other piece uses both the full set of bells plus our three octaves of handchimes. It is a lovely medley of hymns associated with the Lenten season: SOUTHWELL (Lord Jesus, Think on Me), GETHSEMANE (Go to Dark Gethsemane), and HERZLIEBSTER JESU (Ah, Holy Jesus), all from the Hymnal 1980. This arrangement is by William E. Moats, a former band and orchestra director from Ohio. Moats graduated from Kent State University in Music Education and from Ball State University with a Master of Arts degree in Music.

He also served as choir director at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Kettering, Ohio for 15 years.  In addition to vocal choir he directed a brass ensemble, church band, folk ensemble, and handbell choir. In addition to handbell music, he has published band music, string orchestra music and brass chamber music.

Mr. Moats is currently semi-retired, currently directing an adult vocal choir in Mechanicsville, Virginia.