Music for Sunday, September 26, 2021 + The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Wash Me Throughly (Chandos Anthem No. 3) – George Frideric Handel 

Instrumental Music

• Prelude on “Mit Freuden Zart – T. Frederick H. Candlyn (1892-1964)
• If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee – Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780)
• If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

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 R168 If you believe and I believe (trad. Zimbabwe)
• Hymn 343 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless (ST. AGNES)
• Hymn R291  Go forth for God (GENEVA 124)
• Psalm 19:7-14 Psalm Tone VIIIa

In 1717, George Frederick Handel became the composer in residence at Cannons, the court of James Brydges, who became the First Duke of Chandos in 1719. As part of his responsibilities, he wrote eleven "anthems" for use in the chapel there, but these are more than just a simple anthem. They are multi-movement works which foreshadow the greatness found in his oratorios. Handel was limited in the resources available to him, so it was written for only three voices (soprano, tenor, and bass) with intimate instrumental forces of oboe, two violins, and basso continuo (usually the organ with the bass line doubled by an instrument). It is true chamber music.

G. F. Handel (without his wig)

The choir will sing the third movement of the third Chandos anthem, which is based on verses from Psalm 51. Originally written for alto and tenor, today the entire choir will be singing together. Handel himself chose the texts for all the Chandos Anthems, using primarily as his source the Psalter of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

The opening voluntary is a organ prelude on the Bohemian Brethren tune from the 16th century, MIT FREUDEN ZART. It is set for organ by the esteemed former organist of St. Thomas Church, New York City, T. Frederick H. Candlyn. Born in England, he moved to the United States at age 23 to become the organist/choirmaster at St. Paul's, Albany. He moved to St. Thomas in 1943, where he stayed until his retirement in 1954. His name is still prominent in the choral libraries of church choirs in this country.

The accompanying photo shows the rector of St. Pauls, George Taylor, presenting Candlyn with an umbrella in recognition of 25 years of perfect attendance in Sunday School! 

If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee is hymn 635 in the Hymnal 1982, and its lyrics are especially appropriate for the scripture readings this Sunday. Since we won't get a chance to sing it, I encourage you to read the text while waiting during communion, or after you get back to your seat. I'm playing two different settings of the German chorale, Wer nur den lieben Gott, both by German composers of the Late Baroque. Johann Ludwig Krebs (composer of the communion voluntary) was held in high regard by his contemporaries, including the older musician J. S. Bach, who made up a play on their two names ( Krebs [crab or crayfish] and Bach [brook or stream]) by saying "He is the only crayfish in my stream." It is not surprising that many of his works, especially his organ compositions, are very much like those of Bach

Music for September 19, 2021 + The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Grant Us Thy Peace – Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Instrumental Music

• Was Gott tut, das is wohlgetan – Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)
• Song Without Words: Consolation, Op. 30, #3 –Felix Mendelssohn
• Allegro in B flat Major – Felix Mendelssohn

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982.)

• Hymn 390 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (LOBE DEN HERREN)
• Hymn 636 - How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord (FOUNDATION)
• Hymn 660 - O Master, let me walk with thee (MARYTON)
• Hymn 482 - Lord of all hopefulness (SLANE)
• Psalm 54 - Psalm Tone VIIIa

Felix Mendelssohn was exposed to Lutheran hymns during his musical studies, which included the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was then inspired to try his hand at writing chorale cantatas as part of his musical Studies in 1831.  He composed today's anthem, Verleih uns Frieden (Grant Us Thy Peace) in 1831 as one of eight chorale cantatas based on Lutheran hymns. He later chose only Verleih uns Frieden for publication.

The text is Martin Luther's "Verleih uns Frieden", a paraphrase of Da pacem Domine, a Latin prayer for peace from the 6th or 7th century based on biblical verses 2 Kings 20:19, 2 Chronicles 20:12,15 and Psalms 72:6–7. It was a regular close of church services in Luther's time. Surprisingly, Mendelssohn did not use the melody which was associated with Luther's text, but composed a  new melody following the style of recent hymns in clear major-key tonality.

Felix Mendelssohn

The melody appears three times, rendering the complete text each time. It is introduced by the men alone, then repeated by the trebles, with the men singing counterpoint, and finally appears in the sopranos in a mostly homophonic four-part setting.

Robert Schumann said about the composition: "The small piece deserves to be world famous and will become so in the future; the Madonnas of Raphael and Murillo cannot remain hidden for long."

The communion voluntary is another piece by Mendelssohn, this time on the piano. Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) is a series of short lyrical piano songs by Mendelssohn written between 1829 and 1845. The works were part of the Romantic tradition of writing short lyrical pieces for the piano, although the specific concept of "Songs Without Words" was new. 

Mendelssohn resisted attempts to interpret the songs too literally, and objected when his friend Marc-André Souchay sought to put words to them to make them literal songs:

What the music I love expresses to me, is not thought too indefinite to put into words, but on the contrary, too definite. (Mendelssohn's own italics)

However, that has not kept people from doing that very thing. The melody from Opus 30, No. 3 has been turned into a hymn-tune called CONSOLATION, which is used for several texts, the most prevalent being "Still, still with thee, the purple morning breaketh," by Harriet Beecher Stowe. (Extra points if you can tell me what famous novel she wrote.) It has published in several older hymnal, but is now out of fashion.

Music for Sunday, September 12, 2021 + The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• The Mind of Christ – K. Lee Scott (b. 1950)

Instrumental Music

• Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now – Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
• God Extends an Invitation – Anne Krentz Organ (b. 1960)
• Trumpet Tune – Georg Philipp Telemann

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of  "I have decided" which is from Lift Every Voice and Sing.)

• Hymn 525 - The church’s one foundation (AURELIA)
• Hymn 675 - Take up your cross, the Savior said (BOURBON)
• Hymn - I have decided to follow Jesus (ASSAM)
• Hymn 473 - Lift high the cross (CRUCIFER)
• Psalm 116:1-8

K. Lee Scott

Birmingham, Alabama composer Lee Scott has taken the hymn "May the mind of Christ, my Savior" and set it to the tune BATTY for a lovely anthem.  The text is called a "catalog" hymn, which list different things the believer asks: "May the mind of Christ," the "word of God," the "peace of God," and the "love of Jesus." The hymn was first published in the London children's hymnbook Golden Bells (1925) and has gained popularity in recent hymnals.

This text is attributed to Kate Barclay Wilkinson, an English woman from the turn of the 20th century. Little is known about Wilkinson's life: a member of the Church of England, she was involved in a ministry to girls in London and a participant in the Keswick Convention Movement. She was married to Frederick Barclay Wilkinson.

The tune is a Moravian melody by the German composer Johann Christoph Kühnau

Anne Krentz Organ

The communion voluntary is a setting of a Brazilian hymn, Nuestro padre nos invita,  arranged for the piano by the Lutheran composer Anne Krentz Organ, the Director of Music Ministries at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, IL.  She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Valparaiso University, a Master of Music degree in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Illinois, and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Church Music from Concordia University in River Forest, IL.

She came to a career in church music in a roundabout way.  She says,

I have a bachelor’s degree in piano performance, and a master’s degree in piano pedagogy. Piano teaching was my intended career. But the Spirit works in mysterious ways, and I began subbing for a Saturday evening service. Attendance was around 40-50 people, all of whom went up for communion at the same time, none of whom brought their hymnals along with them. There I would be, week after week, playing the communion hymn(s) verse by verse. That didn’t seem helpful, and at the same time, I was considering what to propose for my final project at Concordia [University]. It occurred to me that some “Reflections” on hymn tunes for holy communion might be useful. I arranged five communion tunes for piano, which were subsequently published by Augsburg Fortress as my first collection of piano arrangements.

Music for Sunday, September 5, 2021 + The Fifthteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• O Christ, the Healer, We Have Come – Richard W. Gieseke (b. 1952)

Instrumental Music

• Jesus, be in My Heart - Arranged by Kim Robertson
• What Wondrous Love is This - Arranged by Carol Kappus:
• Dance of the Fairy Folk - Carol Kappus
• Ned of the Hill , Ireland, arranged by Kim Robertson
• Fantasy on “Nun Danket All” – Aaron David Miller (b. 1972)
• Hymn 374, Come, let us Join Our Cheerful Songs

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

• Hymn 371 Thou, whose almighty word (MOSCOW)
• Hymn R266 Give thanks with a grateful heart (GIVE THANKS)
• Hymn 493 O for a thousand tongues to sing (AZMON)
• Psalm 146 - Tone VIIa

folk lever harp

This Sunday we welcome Kingwood resident Miriam Freiter to our 10:15 service. Miriam is a folk harpist who will be playing the harp before the service and during communion.

The folk harp is smaller than it's cousin, the orchestral harp. It's what you often hear when listening to Celtic Music. That's why you'll be hearing several pieces this weekend from Ireland, or written in that style. The pieces Mim will be playing are written by two of America's leading folk harpists.

Kim Robertson  is an American Celtic harp player from Wisconsin. Classically trained on piano and orchestral harp, her work encompasses over 20 album projects, several volumes of harp arrangements, instructional videos, and an international itinerary of concerts and retreats. 

Carol Kappus  is an award-winning Celtic harper and singer specializing in Scottish music including traditional songs, songs of Robert Burns, and songs in Scots Gaelic. Based in Michigan, she gives performances, teaches private lessons, and leads workshops.

The choir will be singing an original setting of the hymn Oh Christ, the Healer, We Have Come. It is written by Missouri composer Richard W. Gieseke. Gieseke attended Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, studying under Dr. Carl Schalk and Dr. Richard Hillert. Now retired, he  has served in several Lutheran congregations with smaller church choirs, providing the opportunity to write for unison and three-part choirs. 

The closing organ voluntary is a bold, splashy arrangement of hymn 374 (Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs) by another midwestern composer, Aaron David Miller. 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. 

Aaron David Miller

Dr. Miller began his studies in organ performance under the guidance of Carlene Neihart in Kansas City and continued in Chicago with David Schrader. At this time, he attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where he studied composition with Bruce Horst. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1995 from the Eastman School of Music, studying organ performance with David Craighead, Russell Saunders, David Higgs, and Michael Farris, and composition with Samuel Adler and Joseph Schwantner. Dr. Miller completed his graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music, earning his Master of Music degree in 1997 and his Doctor of Musical Arts in 1999. He studied composition and organ performance with McNeil Robinson.

Music for Sunday, August 29, 2021 + The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Bread of the World, In Mercy Broken – arr. Carlton Young (b. 1926)

Instrumental Music

• Flourish and Chorale – Michael McCabe (b. 1941)
• Vater Unser im Himmelreich – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Allegro – Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

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 707 - Take my life, and let it be (HOLLINGSIDE)
• Hymn R145 - Lord, I want to be a Christian (I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN)
• Hymn 344 - Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing (SICILIAN MARINERS)
• Psalm 15 - Psalm tone VIIIa

The anthem is a rather simple setting of the one-stanza hymn found in our hymnal at hymn 301, "Bread of the world in mercy broken," using the same tune.

Written by the 19th century English Bishop Reginald Heber, the text, "Bread of the World" was first published posthumously in 1827, subtitled "Before the Sacrament." The first two lines of this hymn refer to the bread, representing Jesus' broken body, and to the wine, representing Jesus' shed blood. Later, the parallel structure of the lines referring to the broken heart and shed tears of repentant sinners emphasizes the sorrow of the believer over the sin that necessitated Christ's suffering. Through our confession of sin and participation in Communion, we remind ourselves that it is only “by Thy grace our souls are fed.”

The tune, RENDEZ À DIEU, was one of the tunes used in the Genevan Psalter, a hymnal published in 1551 that presented the psalms in a metrical form in French. It was created under the supervision of John Calvin for liturgical use by the Reformed churches of the city of Geneva.

Carlton "Sam" Young

Carlton R. Young,  a teacher, editor, composer, and conductor, set the hymn for a mixed choir of two parts. He has the unique distinction of serving as editor of two revisions of hymnals for Methodists: The Methodist Hymnal, 1966; and The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989.

Professor Young has served on the faculties and directed graduate studies in church music at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University; and Scarritt College; and is Emeritus Professor of Church Music, Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He was visiting professor of church music, Tainan Presbyterian College and Seminary, 1995-2004, and The Methodist School of Theology, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia, 2004, and 2007.

Dr. Young is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, East Ohio Conference. He is married to the former Marjorie Lindner. They have four children: Robert, James, Carol, and Richard; and six grandchildren: Brook, Rebecca, Dyami, Kirby, Lena, and Raymond.

The opening voluntary is an exhilarating piece by Nebraska composer and organist Michael McCabe. McCabe began his study of piano and organ as a child. As a student at Creighton University, McCabe was appointed university organist and choir director. During a 20 year military career, various assignments provided McCabe with unique opportunities to study with leaders in the field of Anglican church music, including Leo Sowerby, David McK. Williams, Thomas Matthews, and Dale Wood. McCabe has served numerous churches, including Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. As a published composer, McCabe was elected to ASCAP in 1972, and his ASCAP credits include NBC Television, foreign and domestic recordings, and the Stockholm and Stuttgart Music Festivals.

The communion organ voluntary is a quiet setting of the German chorale Vater unser im Himmelreich. The original text is Martin Luther's paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer. In our hymnal, this tune may be found at hymn 575 with the text “Before thy throne, O God, we kneel.” We encourage you to read and meditate on the words to this hymn in light of today’s Gospel reading. 

Music for August 22, 2021

Vocal Music

• Love the Lord – arr. Mark Schweizer (1956-2019)

Instrumental Music

• Prelude and Fugue in G – attr. J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
• Meditation on “Simple Gifts” – Michael Larkin (b. 1951)
• Rondeau – Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

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 561 - Stand up, stand up for Jesus (MORNING LIGHT)
Hymn R232 - There is a Redeemer (Keith/Melody Green)
Hymn R233 - Glory be to Jesus (CASWALL)
Hymn 460 - Alleluia, sing to Jesus (HYFRYDOL)
Psalm 34:15-22 - Tone VIIIa

I have programmed two pieces written by men born in the 1950s, and two men born in the last half of the 17th century. First the contemporary pieces.

Mark Schweizer

The choir sings a setting of a tune from the Sacred Harp, a ubiquitous and historically important tunebook, first published in 1844, which was the backbone of the Sacred Harp singing schools that originated in New England and later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The tune is both rugged and vigorous, changing between slow and quick sections. The text is one that we usually associate with Lent, but with the upbeat refrain which compares Jesus to no other, it is perfect for any time of the year.

This arrangement is by Mark Schweizer, a native of Florida who received music degrees from Stetson University in Deland, Florida and the University of Arizona including a doctoral degree in vocal performance. He returned to teach at Stetson University from 1982 to 1985 followed by eight years on the music faculty of Louisiana College. Mark lived in North Carolina where he served as editor of St. James Music Press. He is also the author of fifteen “Liturgical Mystery” novels, as well as other books, and several opera and musical librettos.

The communion voluntary is a meditation on another American folk tune from the Shaker tradition, "Simple Gifts." It is by the Delaware composer and musician, Michael Larkin, who serves as organist and director of music ministry at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware.  

The opening voluntary is the fifth installment of my playing the complete (so-called) Eight Little Preludes and Fugues, which were attributed for years to J.S. Bach, but now thought to be by one of his pupils. 

This week it's the Prelude and Fugue in G. The prelude is a "miniature toccata" which, after a stately, big chordal introduction, evolves into freely-composed improvisatory passages which just ripple over the keyboard. It reflects the musical influence of Johann Kuhnau, Johann Sebastian Bach, and J. K. F.. Fischer. 

The English composer Henry Purcell wrote incidental music for a revival of the play Abdelazer, or The Moor's Revenge in the summer of 1695, including the movement entitled Rondeau. A Rondeau is an instrumental musical form in which a principal theme (sometimes called the "refrain") alternates with one or more contrasting themes, generally called "episodes." The form is outlined such as A - B - A - C - A.

Purcell's Rondeau was used by Benjamin Britten as the theme for his set of variations The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1946).

Music for August 15, 2021 + Rally Day

Vocal Music

• For the Beauty of the Earth – David Ashley White (b. 1944)

Instrumental Music

• Galliard on Gather Us In – James Biery (b. 1956)
• I Have Decided to Follow Jesus – Arr. David Gale (21st c.)
• Carillon de Longpont – Louis Vierne (1870 - 1937)

Congregational Music (all numbered hymns are from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew. Everything else is from other sources)

• Hymn  Jesus in the morning (African-American Spiritual)
• Hymn R37  Father, we love you (GLORIFY YOUR NAME)
• Hymn Let  There Be Peace on Earth (WORLD PEACE)
• Hymn 711  Seek Ye first the kingdom of God (SEEK YE FIRST)
• Hymn R147  Here I am, Lord (HERE AM I LORD)

The choir returns to our services after a brief summer break, singing a simple setting of a familiar hymn hymn with new music by Houston composer David Ashley White. David is Professor of Composition and the C. W. Moores, Jr. Endowed Professor of Music in the Moores School of Music, University of Houston, and Composer-in-Residence at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church. He served as Director of the Moores School from 1999-2014.

He wrote this charming setting of For the Beauty of the Earth for his parent's 50th wedding anniversary. It includes a flute solo and handbells.

A galliard was a popular dance from the Renaissance period. It was an athletic dance, characterised by leaps, jumps, hops and other similar figures. Similarly, the music was just as athletic, providing an exuberant tune for dancing. The term is borrowed from the Anglo-French word gaillard, which means "vigorous, lively."

You can hear the lively vigor in today's opening voluntary, an arrangement of the contemporary hymn, Gather Us In, by Marty Haugen (b.1950) It is found in the Renew Hymnal at no. 14. Its energetic text is personified by a rolicking romp for organ and trumpet. Here are the words; they are perfect for Rally Day:

1. Here in this place new light is streaming,

Now is the darkness vanished away,

See in this space our fears and our dreamings,

Brought here to you in the light of this day.

Gather us in' the lost and forsaken,

Gather us in' the blind and the lame;

Call to us now, and we shall awaken,

We shall arise at the sound of our name.

2. We are the young' our lives are a myst'ry,

We are the old' who yearn for your face,

We have been sung throughout all of hist'ry,

Called to be light to the whole human race.

Gather us in' the rich and the haughty,

Gather us in' the proud and the strong;

Give us a heart so meek and so lowly,

Give us the courage to enter the song.

3. Here we will take the wine and the water,

Here we will take the bread of new birth,

Here you shall call your sons and your daughters,

Call us anew to be salt for the earth.

Give us to drink the wine of compassion,

Give us to eat the bread that is you;

Nourish us well, and teach us to fashion

Lives that are holy and hearts that are true.

4. Not in the dark of buildings confining,

Not in some heaven, light years away, 

But here in this place the new light is shining,

Now is the Kingdom, now is the day.

Gather us in and hold us for ever,

Gather us in and make us your own;

Gather us in' all peoples together,

Fire of love in our flesh and our bone.

Text: Marty Haugen, © 1982, GIA Publications, Inc.

For communion, I am playing a piano setting of the Indian folk tune, I have decided to follow Jesus. It is arranged by David Gale, a composer, arranger, pianist and choir director from Tucson, Arizona. His education includes a bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas Tech University, and a doctorate in music composition from Northwestern University. Retired from 26 years at Flowing Wells Junior High School, Dr. Gale is currently in his 24th year as music director for First Christian Church in Tucson, where he focuses on creating music for the church service including piano arrangements and choir pieces.

The closing voluntary is a carillon by Louis Vierne. At the beginning of the 20th century, Vierne was the organist of Notre Dame of Paris.  A great friend of the Montesquiou family, he was regularly invited to the Château in Longpont in the month of August.  The 15th August was an especially important religious festival.  There was a grand procession through the village, and through the grounds of the Château.  Louis Vierne naturally contributed to the festivities.  A harmonium (reed organ) was fixed to a cart pulled by two donkeys; safely installed on this mobile stage, he accompanied the singing, and added brilliant improvisations.

On hearing the church bells on the 15th August 1913, Louis Vierne was inspired to write the Carillon de Longpont.  It was later dedicated to his brother René Vierne, killed on the 29th May 1918, not far from Longpont. The pedal part is a repeated ostinato of eighth notes under big, crashing chords on the manuals.