Music for Sunday, November 21, 2021 + Christ the King

Vocal Music

• With a Voice of Singing – Martin Shaw (1875–1958)

Instrumental Music

• Praeludium in A – Johann Krieger (1651-1735)
• The Peace May Be Exchanged – Dan Locklair (b. 1949)
• Praeludium from Suite in D Minor – Johann Krieger

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

• Hymn 494 Crown him with many crowns (DIADEMATA)
• Hymn 645 The King of love my shepherd is (ST. COLUMBA)
• Hymn 488 Be thou my vision (SLANE)
• Hymn R227 Jesus, remember me (Jacques Berthier)
• Hymn 544 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun (DUKE STREET)

May 26, 2019 + The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Rogation Sunday

Vocal Music

• Grant Us Thy Peace – Felix Mendelssohn

Instrumental Music

• Shalom (Peace) – Dan Locklair
• Prelude on “Shall We Gather at the River” – Gordon Young
• Fugue in C Major, BWV 531 – J. S. Bach

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

• Hymn 405 - All things bright and beautiful (ROYAL OAK)
• Hymn 490 - I want to walk as a child of the light (HOUSTON)
• Hymn 424 - For the fruits of all creation (EAST ACKLAM)
• Hymn 513 - Like the murmur of the dove’s song (BRIDEGROOM)
• Hymn - Shall we gather at the river (HANSON PLACE)
• Hymn 292 - O Jesus, crowned with all renown (KINGSFOLD)
• Psalm 67

Two themes run throughout the service today. The prevailing theme comes from Jesus' promise to his followers, found in today's Gospel of John:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. - John 14:27

First is a contemplative organ piece by North Carolina composer Dan Locklair. Locklair is Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has written symphonic works, a ballet, an opera, and numerous solo, chamber, vocal, and choral compositions, in addition to some important organ works.

Today's opening voluntary is from his Æolian Sonata, written in 2002 for a recital celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Duke University Chapel’s Æolian pipe organ. The second movement,  Shalom (Peace),  is marked “Serene and unhurried.” It is a quiet and simple movement that lyrically dialogues flute and clarinet sounds as it gently reflects on the Hebrew word for peace. Locklair prefaced this movement with the dedication:

In remembrance of the darkness of September 11 from which emerged hope for Peace and joy in Thanksgiving.

The other "peaceful" reference is the anthem Grant Us Thy Peace (Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich), written by Felix Mendelssohn in a style inspired by Bach. It is one of the Opus 23, Sacred Choruses, written during the period following the Mendelssohn's first period of  public success with such undisputed masterpieces as the String Octet and the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Based on a text by Martin Luther, which itself was inspired by the Latin text "Da Pacem Domine," Mendelssohn wrote it after a visit to the Vatican in 1831. It is for four-part choir and string orchestra with organ. The floating introduction leads  directly into the quietly contemplative first verse set for men alone. The women then sing the melody while the men provide a counter-melody.  Only the last verse utilizes the full forces available, and does so with a generous warmth of expression that leaves one in no doubt that ultimate peace cannot be far away.

The other theme running through the service is the blessing of agriculture, commerce, and the stewardship of creation. In addition to being the Sixth Sunday of the Easter Season, today is Rogation Sunday. Rogation Sunday is the day when the Church has traditionally offered prayer for God’s blessing on the fruits of the earth and the labors of those who produce our food. The word “rogation” is from the Latin rogare, “to ask.” Historically, the Rogation Days (the three days before Ascension Day) were a period of fasting and abstinence, beseeching God’s blessing on the crops for a bountiful harvest. Few of us today directly derive our livelihood from the production of food, yet it is good to be reminded of our dependence upon those who do and our responsibility for the environment.

The closing voluntary is noteworthy in that it is one of the earliest organ works by Bach, probably written when he was around 15 years old. Other than one entrance of the fugal subject, there is little for the pedal to do other than reinforce the bass line at cadences. And in contrast to his later fugues which were written for four (or more!) voice parts, this one rarely goes beyond three parts, more often existing happily in a two-part texture. But listen to the youthful exuberance! It is an example of perpetual motion as in every bar (except one) there are running sixteenth notes:

Music for November 29, 2018 + Christ the King Sunday

Vocal Music

• Christ the Glory - Jean - François Lallouette (1651-1728)
• And Still the Bread is Broken – David Ashley White (b. 1944)

Instrumental Music

• Praeludium in A – Johann Krieger (1651–1735)
• The Peace May Be Exchanged – Dan Locklair (b. 1949)
• Praeludium from Suite in D Minor – Johann Krieger

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

• Hymn 494 - Crown him with many crowns (DIADEMATA)
• Hymn 57 - Lo, he comes with clouds descending (HELMSLEY)
• Hymn 450 - All hail the power of Jesus’ name (CORONATION)
• Hymn R229 - Let all mortal flesh keep silence (PICARDY)
• Hymn R227 - Jesus, remember me (Jacques Berthier)
• Hymn 544 - Jesus shall reign (DUKE STREET)
• Psalm 93 - Tone VIIIa

The last Sunday of the liturgical year is Christ the King Sunday, where we commemorate the Kingship of Christ. We'll sing many of your favorite hymns which refer to crowns and kingdoms.
The anthems, too, that Jesus is the King.

Lalouette

The offertory anthem refers to Jesus as the King of Glory. It is a work by a little known French composer of the Baroque period (ca. 1600–1750), Jean-François Lalouette. A very talented musician, he was a student of composition with the great opera composer Jean-Baptiste de Lully. Appointed as Lully’s assistant, Lully asked Lalouette to complete the internal parts of some of Lully’s opera, Isis. However, after Lalouette claimed credit for writing the better part of the opera, Lully fired him as his aide.

He must have been a difficult person with which to work, as he was fired from or denied opportunity to apply for several jobs during his lifetime. However difficult he must have been, he must have also been talented, as he won appointments at both the Cathedral in Rouen and Notre Dame in Paris, where he ended his career.

Born the same year as Lalouette, but in Germany, was the composer Johann Krieger. Krieger was renowned in his time, often put on par with J. S. Bach and Georg Frideric Handel. G.F. Handel himself confessed how much he owed to Krieger. Today, however, his fame fails in comparison to those great masters.

The Communion voluntary is a movement from Rubrics, a liturgical suite for organ in 5 movements by the North Carolina composer Dan Locklair. It was composed during the spring of 1988 in Winston Salem on a commission from the Organ Artist Series of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for their 10th anniversary year celebration, culminating in April 16, 1989 with the world premiere of Rubrics in Pittsburgh by the American organist, Mary Preston. The titles for each movement are from the instructions (rubrics) to the services for the book of common prayer. The Peace May Be Exchanged is from the Thanksgiving for the birth of a child, page 445. This lyrical Aria, featuring a solo diapason color parentheses accompanied by strings and double pedal throughout close parentheses, is based in D major.

Music for September 11, 2016 + The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy’s Sake – Richard Farrant (c.1530-1580) or John Hilton (1565-1708?)
• What Does the Lord Require? – Erik Routley (1917-1982)

Instrumental Music

• Elegy – George Thalben-Ball (1896-1987)
• Shalom (Peace) – Dan Locklair (b. 1949)
• Postlude in B-flat Major – John E. West (1863-1929)

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982.)

• Hymn 423 - Immortal, invisible, God only wise (St. Denio)
• Hymn 470 - There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (Beecher)
• Hymn 377 - All people that on earth do dwell (Old 100^th)
• Hymn 645 - The King of love my shepherd is (St. Columba)
• Hymn 708 - Savior, like a shepherd lead us (Sicilian Mariners)
• Psalm 51:1-4, 7-8, 11 - Miserere mei, Deus (Tone VIIIb)

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I dare say that very few things in the past 50 years have shaken the country like that horrible day. But out of pain come acts of hope and beauty. Such is the piece that I play today for the communion voluntary.

Dan Locklair

Dan Locklair wrote his Æolian Sonata between late January and March for a recital celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Duke University Chapel’s Æolian pipe organ in June 2002. This was the last organ the Æolian Organ Company built before they merged with the E.M. Skinner Organ Co., forming the great American classic organ company,  Æolian-Skinner.

In three movements, The Æolian Sonata musically celebrates the heritage and continued use of the historic Æolian organ in Duke Chapel, but it also pays tribute to the spirit of the American people in the aftermath of the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks. The title for each movement is in a different language, symbolically paying tribute to the outpouring of support that Americans have felt from peace-loving people throughout the world. In a spiritual way, the music of each movement is a reflection on its title, with these words being indicative of a healing nation.

The second movement,  Shalom (Peace),  is marked “Serene and unhurried.” It is a quiet and simple movement that lyrically dialogues flute and clarinet sounds as it gently reflects on the Hebrew word for peace. Locklair prefaced this movement with the dedication:

In remembrance of the darkness of September 11 from which emerged hope for Peace and joy in Thanksgiving.

Locklair is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina (USA). He holds a Master of Sacred Music degree from the School of Sacred Music of Union Theological Seminary in New York City and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Presently, Dr. Locklair is Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The choir's anthem is a choral setting of a sixteenth century prayer by Henry Bull, set to music by either Richard Farrant or John Hilton, both English composers of sacred music. Farrant was organist at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, in the middle of the sixteenth century, while Hilton was known as a counter-tenor and organist, most notably at Trinity College, Cambridge. In the beginning, the music is in a simple, a capella, hymn-like style which befits the reflective and restful mood of the text, but at the words "that we may walk in a perfect heart" the choir has a chance to play around with the rhythms of the words and sing much more independently of each other, finally ending with a contrapuntal "amen."

The communion anthem is a hymn from our hymnal. Early in 1949 Albert F. Bayly wrote this text based on Micah 6:6-8 as one of a series of seventeen hymns he was writing on the Old Testament prophets. His objective was to present the prophets "in the light of the climax and fulfillment of the Old Testament revelation in the coming of Christ." "What Does the Lord Require" asks questions and states commands as if Micah were a modern-day prophet. The refrain line "Do justly. . ." subtly shifts from the imperative voice in stanzas 1 through 3 to a corporate confession in stanza 4. Erik Routley composed SHARPTHORNE in 1968 to be published as a setting for Bayly's text in a British hymnal. Sharpthorne is a village in Routley's native county of Sussex, England.

Don't forget the Concert of Remembrance and Peace tonight at Strawbridge United Methodist Church. Members from our choir will be a part of this event.

Music for February 8, 2015 + The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Vocal Music

• A Gaelic Blessing – John Rutter (b. 1945)
• May the Peace of God – Israeli, arr. Geoff Weaver (b. 1943)

Instrumental Music

• Flourish and Chorale – Michael McCabe (b. 1941)
• The Peace May Be Exchanged (from Rubrics) – Dan Locklair (b. 1949)
• Toccata in Seven – John Rutter

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

• Hymn 423 Immortal, invisible, God only wise (ST. DENIO)
• Hymn 529 In Christ there is no East or West (MCKEE)
• Hymn R191 O Christ, the healer (ERHALT UNS, HERR)

The 1940s is, by far, my favorite decade. I love 40s music. I love 40s movies. I love listening to 40s old-time radio programs. And, judging from today's music list, I love playing music by composers born in the the 40s. All of the choral and organ music this week is by composers born during that great decade. John Rutter, arguably one of the most performed choral composers of the past forty years, has written hundreds of small choral works and several larger works, several of  which have become part of the core concert repertoire the world over. We are singing his A Gaelic Blessing, which is a staple of choirs around the world. It was written as a parting gift for Mel Olsen, the beloved choir director of First United Methodist, Omaha, in 1978. A Gaelic Blessing has become a popular choice at christenings, weddings and funerals. (It was used at the Commendation at the Funeral Mass for Tip O'Neill.) Sometimes known as 'Deep Peace', this piece became a hit in 2003 when a recording of it by Aled Jones was released. The music says words are from an old Gaelic Rune, (an Old Norse word rune meaning 'letter', 'text' or 'inscription'), but there were no Gaelic runes - only Germanic ones - so it is safe to say it's just an old Gaelic blessing.

Dan Locklair, who appears to be as fond of pipe smoking
as he is of pipe organs.

Among the organ pieces today, a favorite is the communion voluntary by the North Carolina native Dan Locklair. This piece is the fourth movement of his liturgical suite for organ called Rubrics. Commissioned in 1988 for the Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, its extra-musical impetus and subsequent titles for each movement of Rubrics came the instructions (rubrics) to the services for The Book of Common Prayer.

Peter Hardwick, writing in The Diapason, has called Rubrics “one of the most frequently played organ works by an American composer.” Movements from Rubrics were not only heard at the Washington National Cathedral funeral service of President Ronald Reagan in 2004, but also as a part of the January 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. service in the same venue during the Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama. The fourth movement,  “The Peace may be exchanged,” is a lyrical piece, featuring a solo diapason color, accompanied by strings and double pedal throughout.

The opening voluntary, Flourish and Chorale, begins with, yes, a flourish - a trumpet fanfare - with an angular melody in the right hand accompanied by some pretty dissonant chords in the left hand. The flourish announces, so to speak, the arrival of the chorale, a much more lyrical, dignifed procession before it returns with more crashing chords at full organ. It is written by Michael McCabe, a man with two very distinct and varied professions. In addition to being an organist, composer, and teacher, he is also chief nurse anesthetist at the Omaha Surgical Center in Nebraska.

• Immortal, invisible, God only wise (ST. DENIO) A verse from 1st Timothy, ("Now unto the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever.") is the basis for this hymn of pure praise. The rollicking anapestic rhythm of the Welsh melody rushes the singer along to the climactic poetic thought of God being invisible only because he is hidden by the splendor of light.
• In Christ there is no East or West (MCKEE) The text was written by John Oxenham (the pen name for William Arthur Dunkerly) for a pageant in 1913, and is an example of a prophetic hymn - one that states the ideal to be achieved rather than the present situation. In our hymnal it is paired with a tune that has strong African-American roots, but according to a letter from Charles V. Stanford to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (who arranged the tune for piano in his Twenty-Four Negro Melodies, 1905), MCKEE was originally an Irish tune taken to the United States and adapted by African American slaves. It became associated with the spiritual "I Know the Angels Done Changed My Name." 
• O Christ, the healer (ERHALT UNS, HERR) Here is a contemporary hymn that speaks to both individual and societal disease. F. Pratt Green's hymn does this beautifully, naming the link between personal and corporate life as "conflicts that destroy our health" and that find relief only when the healing wholeness of life in Christ "shall reach the whole of humankind." 

The youth of the St. Gregory choir will sing their rehearsal benediction, May the Peace of God, at the beginning of communion. The Israeli folk melody gives this simple song of blessing a haunting quality. It is arranged by Geoff Weaver, another British musician, whose lifelong passion has been teaching and spreading the music of God's people from all over the world. Through his work for the Church Mission Society, he has had teaching assignments in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Nigeria, and published two volumes of World Praise.