FOLLOWING JESUS: Music for January 15, 2023 + The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Vocal Music

• What Wondrous Love – Steven Pilkington (21st C.)

Instrumental Music

• Chorale Prelude on “Salzburg” – Aaron David Miller (b. 1972)
• Air on “Kelvingrove” – Matthew C. Corl (b. 1965)
• Premiere Suite: III. Fanfares – Jean Joseph Mouret (1682-1738)

Congregational Music (all hymns from The Hymnal 1982 with the exception of the communion hymn which is from Lift Every Voice and Sing II.)

• Hymn 494 - Crown him with many crowns (Diademata)
• Hymn 533 - How wondrous and great thy works (Lyons)
• Hymn 135 - Songs of thankfulness and praise (Salzburg)
• Hymn - I have decided to follow Jesus (Assam)
• Hymn 550 - Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult (Galilee)
• Psalm 40:1-12 - Expectans, expectavi (simplified Anglican chant by Jerome Meachan)

Wondrous Love

Steve Pilkington

Sometimes nothing can beat a simple, plaintive melody for its beauty. Such is my opinion of the Southern folk hymn, What wondrous Love Is This? In the version the choir sings this week, you never hear the voices in more than two-part harmony, and that is when they are singing in canon (The men echoing the women four beats later.) Their singing is accompanied on the piano with a flowing, eighth-note piano part.

 

As we read the Gospel lesson about Jesus beginning his ministry, I thought this anthem raised some valid questions to stimulate thought about why Jesus  would "lay aside his crown for (our) soul."

The arranger, Steve Pilkington, serves on the faculty of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. as Associate Professor of Sacred Music. He also oversees all the music ministries at Christ Church United Methodist in  New York City, where he has been Director of Music and Organist since 1994. 

Chorale Prelude on "Salzburg"

Aaron David Miller

Aaron David Miller serves as the Director of Music and Organist at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and maintains an active recital schedule. He has been a featured performer at four National Conventions for the American Guild of Organists since 1996, the most recent being the 2016 convention here in Houston. He also is a prolific composer, and Dr. Miller’s many solo organ, choral, and orchestral compositions are published by Augsburg Fortress, Oxford University Press, Paraclete Press, ECS, Morning Star and Kjos Publishing House. 

One of his shorter compositions is the opening voluntary. It is a setting of our presentation hymn, Songs of thankfulness and praise. The tune in our hymnal is set in 4/4, or common time. In this setting, Miller sets the tune in 6/8 time, which gives it a lilting, dance-like feel. The melody is played with the left hand on the trumpet stop, while the right hand and pedal provide the flowing accompaniment.

Air on Kelvingrove

KELVINGROVE is a Scottish tune which has been used in recent years for the hymn "Will you come and follow me?" (also known as "The Summons.") Neither the text nor tune is in our hymnals, and when the text was included in the supplement to the Episcopal hymnal, Wonder, Love, and Praise, it was unfortunately set to another tune. Even the Renew Hymnal (which Good Shepherd bought before the publication of

Wonder, Love, and Praise) does not include the great hymn.

The text is by John Bell, a hymn writer and pastor in the Church of Scotland, who focuses on the renewal of the church’s worship. His approach is to compose songs within the identifiable traditions of hymnody that began to address concerns missing from the current Scottish hymnal:

I discovered that seldom did our hymns represent the plight of poor people to God. There was nothing that dealt with unemployment, nothing that dealt with living in a multicultural society and feeling disenfranchised. There was nothing about child abuse…,that reflected concern for the developing world, nothing that helped see ourselves as brothers and sisters to those who are suffering from poverty or persecution.

This hymn is prophetic, using many words not usually found in traditional hymns. “The Summons” of Christ is to a radical Christianity. We are challenged to “leave yourself behind” and to “risk the hostile stare” (stanza two), “set the prisoner free” and “kiss the leper clean” (stanza three), and “use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around” (stanza four).

The organ arrangement is by Matthew Corl, Associate Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Florida where he is principal organist and directs several ensembles.

He is a graduate of Westminster Choir College, 

Music for May 1, 2022 + The Third Sunday of Easter

Vocal Music

• An Easter Greeting – Martin How (b. 1931)

Instrumental Music

• Christ Lay in Death’s Strong Bands – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
• Chorale – Michael Larkin (b. 1951)
• Premier Suite: Rondeau – Jean Joseph Mouret (1682-1738)

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

• Hymn 374 Come, let us join our cheerful songs (NUN DANKET ALL UND BRINGET EHR)
• Hymn 417 This is the feast of victory (FESTIVAL CANTICLE)
• Hymn 255 We sing the glorious conquest (MUNICH)
• Hymn R202 Sing alleluia to the Lord (SING ALLELUIA)
• Hymn 535 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (PADERBORN)
• Psalm 30:1,3-6, 12-13– Tone Ib

Martin How

Easter is not just a day. It is a season, and we continue that season by singing An Easter Greeting by the modern English composer Martin How. How has spent most of his career with the Royal School of Church Music where he was known principally as a choir trainer specializing in the training and motivation of young singers. In this capacity he initiated and developed the RSCM Chorister Training Scheme which has since been used in various forms in many parts of the world. Since his retirement from the RSCM he has returned to organ playing as an honorary member of the music staff at Croydon Minster.

The anthem today is evidence of his interest and devotion to writing music for young or beginning singers. While An Easter Greeting may be easy to put together as a choir, it is still quality music which is fun to sing and interesting to listen to.

The opening voluntary is Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 625, a selection from the Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) by Johann Sebastian Bach. Orgelbüchlein is a collection of 46 preludes for organ almost exclusively written during the 1708-1717 period, while Bach was court organist in Weimar. The collection is defined by Bach himself  as '[a book] in which a beginning organist receives given instruction as to performing a chorale in a multitude of ways while achieving mastery in the study of the pedal, since in the chorales contained herein the pedal is treated entirely obligatory'. 

The English translation of the title is "Christ lay in death's bonds." It's an Easter hymn by Martin Luther with a melody is by Luther and Johann Walter. The melody as set by Luther (with help from Walter) seems to have strong correlations with parts of the Easter chant, Victimae paschali laudes. It's in a minor key, but it's joyful 16th-note motif in the accompaniment helps to give this work a sort of dignified elation.

Michael Larkin

Michael Larkin, Director of Music Ministry St. Mary Anne's Episcopal Church in North East, MD, has written a contemplative piano piece called Chorale which I am using as a communion voluntary today. In addition to his church work, he is chairperson of the vocal/choral department and a voice teacher at the Wilmington Music School in Wilmington, DE. He also is founder and music director of the New Ark Chorale of Newark, DE. In addition, Dr. Larkin is Eastern Division Chairperson for Music and Worship for the American Choral Directors Association. He is known nationally as a clinician and adjudicator in various aspects of vocal/choral music as well as the church music profession, especially the subjects of liturgy, worship planning, and musical and professional concerns for the church musician.

While you may not recognise the name Jean-Joseph Mouret, you'll surely recognize his music. Mouret  was a French composer whose dramatic works made him one of the leading exponents of Baroque music in his country. Even though most of his works are no longer performed, Mouret's name survives today thanks to the popularity of the Rondeau from his first Suite de symphonies, which has been adopted as the signature tune of the PBS program Masterpiece and is a popular musical choice in many modern weddings. It is the closing voluntary this morning.

Music for April 10, 2016 + The Third Sunday of Easter

Vocal Music

• A Song to the Lamb – Donald Pearson (b. 1953)
• Dona Nobis Pacem – traditional round

Instrumental Music

• Second Suite: Air – Jean Joseph Mouret (1682-1738)
• Premiere Suite: Rondeau – Jean Joseph Mouret

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

• Hymn 182 - Christ is Alive! Let Christians sing (Truro)
• Hymn 255 - We sing the glorious conquest before Damascus’ gate (Munich)
• Hymn R18 - Come, let us with our Lord arise (Sussex Carol)
• Hymn R202 - Sing alleluia to the Lord (Sing Alleluia)
• Hymn 535 - Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (Paderborn)

Easter joy continues this Sunday with a festive anthem by Donald Pearson, Director of Music and Organist at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Parish, Antioch, California. He had been Director of Music and Organist for the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Denver, Colorado for almost 25 years and had established a program of national and international prominence. It was for this choir that he wrote his setting of the canticle Dignus Est, which is based on the verses from Revelation that we will hear today in worship. Though written for congregational involvement, we are singing it as a choir anthem. Listen for the antiphon (refrain) which begins the piece and appears after every few verses. Handbells and finger cymbals give the anthem a truly festive touch.

Long-time fans of PBS's Masterpiece Theater will no doubt recognize the closing voluntary this Sunday. It is the theme song of that venerable series, often referred to as "Theme from Masterpiece Theatre." However, it's originally from one of the two Suites de symphonies (1729) by the French Baroque composer Jean Joseph Mouret. The first suite, renowned for its Masterpiece Theatre theme, is entitled "Fanfare for trumpets, timpani, violins, and oboes" and dedicated to the son of the Duchess of Maine, the Prince of Dombes.  The Second Suite contains the opening voluntary for this Sunday, a lyrical if unassuming piece simply entitled Air. Unlike the rich chords of the Rondeau, it is only in two parts, played on nothing but 8' and 2' flutes on contrasting manuals.

Mouret is an interesting subject. He had a career including vast popularity and a sudden fall from success. His father was a silk merchant and avid amateur violinist who saw to it that his son received complete instruction in music. Details of this education are unknown, but musical historians consider it likely that it occurred in the choir school of Notre Dame des Doms, an important regional church.

Mouret's family's wealth, his charm, and his lovely singing voice made him welcome in the best company. By 1707, he was in Paris, where he was appointed music master for the Marshall of Noailles. By 1709, he had the position of Director of music at the court of Sceaux. In 1714 to 1718, he was the orchestra director of the Paris Opéra and in 1717 he became director of the Italian Theater. In an age when Greek tragedies, pastoral romances, and historical operas were de rigeur, Mouret was bold enough to introduce comedy into his operas.

In 1718, he was given a royal privilege to publish music and in 1720 was appointed an ordinaire du Roy, as singer in the King's chamber. He was music director of the Concert Spirituel from 1728 to 1734. This appointment marked the beginning of the end of his great success, for the Concert Spirituel had financial and legal problems that affected him personally. In 1734, the troubled institution was taken over by the Académie Royale de Musique, which fired Mouret. In 1736, the Duke of Maine died and Mouret lost his position at Sceaux. In 1737, the Italian Theater had a change of policy that resulted in Mouret losing that job as well. Within four years, he had lost all sources of income and was essentially maintained as a charity case by the Prince of Carignan, who annually gave him a pension.

It is intriguing to note that George Frideric Handel went through periods of such reverses but was able to find a way to have a comeback. Mouret was not as fortunate or resilient; his spirit was progressively broken by all of these career misfortunes and in 1737, he began to go mad. Just after his 50th birthday, he was placed in the care of the Fathers of Charity at Charenton and died in that institution eight months later. (from the AllMusic.com biography by Joseph Stevenson.)