umc_music

The choral anthem today was a “homemade” setting of Ralph Vaughan Williams popular hymntune for All Saints' Day. For the first three verses, the hymnal harmonies were retained with the choir singing the second verse in four parts. The final verse incorporated a hymn reharmonization by David N. Johnson and a descant for the sopranos. The “Toccata” from Gordon Young's Cathedral Suite was an exciting and dramatic close to today's service. Fast triplet figures in the manuals and the sinister melody in the pedals evoke the style of a French romantic toccata. Considered one of America's finest church music composers and a talented organist, Young (1919-1998) produced over 800 individual compositions in his lifetime.

Opening Hymn - “Lift Every Voice and Sing” #519 (TUNE: Lift Every Voice)

Children's Choir - “All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir” and “Brother Abraham / Sister Sarah”

Chorus of Prayer - “Stand by Me” #512 (TUNE: Stand by Me)

Prayer Chorus Response - “Halle, Halle, Halleluja” #2026 (TUNE: Halle, Halle)

Handbell Anthem - “Simple Gifts” arranged by Patricia Sanders Cota

Hymn of Response - “A Charge to Keep I Have” #413 (TUNE: Boylston)

Organ Offertory - “Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend” by J.S. Bach

The Call to Serve - “Song of Hope (Canto de Esperanza)” #2186 (TUNE: Argentina)

Organ Postlude - “Jesu, meine Freude” by J.S. Bach

The tune “Simple Gifts” was originally a melody used by the Shakers, a religious group so named because of the ecstatic dancing that occured during services. This song has been used by many composers and was reinvented in 1963 as the popular Sydney Carter hymn “Lord of the Dance.” This lovely setting by Patricia Sanders Cota begins simply with the melody over long held chords. After further development, the tune is heard in canon, a more technical name for a round (where two voices play the same melody, but start at different times). This exciting piece ends with a brightly-voiced C major chord, coming to a close as simply as it began. The organ selections for today are both taken from the Bach Orgelbuchlein. The sprightly “Herr Jesu Christ” exudes a youthful energy that conveys a sense of the joy inherent in the text.
 

Gathering Hymn Sing - “Together We Serve” #2175 (TUNE: San Anselmo) / “Make Me A Servant” #2176 (TUNE: Make me a Servant) / “In the Garden” #314 (TUNE: Garden) / “Here I Am, Lord” (TUNE: Here I Am, Lord)

Opening Hymn - “He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought” #128 (TUNE: He Leadeth Me)

Chorus of Prayer - “Wounded World that Cries for Healing” #2177 (TUNE: Healing Spirit)

Prayer Chorus Response - “Halle, Halle, Halleluja” #2026 (TUNE: Halle, Halle)

Choral Anthem - “Lord, I Know I' Been Changed” African American Spiritual, arranged by Larry Shakley

Hymn of Response - “O Master Let Me Walk with Thee” #430 (TUNE: Maryton)

Organ Offertory - “Trio in G major” by Josef Rheinberger

Blessing - “Together We Serve” #2175

Organ Postlude - “Fantasia in G minor” by J.S. Bach

The offertory for today was the ninth piece in a famous series of Ten Trios, Op. 49 by Josef Rheinberger, a noted romantic composer from Lichtenstein. Pieces in this style are referred to as trios because the organist has to deal with three independent parts – usually both hands play on separate manuals and the pedal has its own line. This genre reached its height in the six challenging Trio Sonatas of J.S. Bach. Bach is the composer of this morning's postlude, the Fantasia from the Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542. A “fantasia” is a freely composed work that may or may not be based on a pre-existing theme. Much like the toccata, fantasias became vehicles for showcasing the composer or organist's virtuosity. This piece is truly an astonishing work full of chromaticism and wild dissonances. One listener remarked that he was surprised that a work that still sounds “modern” to our ears could have been composed nearly three hundred years ago.

Gathering Hymns - “Gather Us In” #2236 (TUNE: Gather Us In) / “Jesu Tawa Pano” #2273 (TUNE: Matsikenyiri)

Hymn of Praise - “In Christ There is No East or West” (TUNE: St. Peter)

Prayer Chorus - “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” #2171 (TUNE: Channel of Peace)

Choral Anthem - “Halle, Halle, Halle” arranged by Hal Hopson

Hymn of Response - “Let Us Break Bread Together” #618 (TUNE: Let Us Break Bread)

Communion Organ Music - “Nocturne” by Daniel Gawthrop

Choral Anthem - “Thuma Mina” South African Chant arranged by Sheldon Curry

Organ Postlude - “Bolero de Concert” by Lefebure-Wely

Call to Praise God – Psalm 23 w/ musical response #2 by Richard Proulx

Opening Hymn - “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” #138 (TUNE: St. Columba)

Children's Song - “Love the Lord Your God” #2168 (TUNE: Great Commandment)

Chorus of Prayer - “Seek Ye First” #405 (TUNE: Seek Ye)

Hymn of Response - “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” #2146 (TUNE: Sparrow)

Organ Offertory - “Trio” by Louis Cleraumbault

Blessing - “Shalom to You” #666 (TUNE: Somos Del Senor)

Organ Postlude - “Scherzo from Suite Modale” by Flor Peeters

This Trio by Louis Cleraumbault was taken from his Suite on the First Tone. As with most other works by the French classical composers, the registrations are bright and colorful and the piece does not utilize any pedal. Flor Peeters (1903-1986) was born in Belgium and spent much of his life as a composer and organist there and in the Netherlands. The music of this Dutch composer is well-known in the standard organ repertoire and he is widely hailed as a teacher of Paul Manz. His music runs the gamut from traditional modal music to more experimental twentieth century fare. The “Scherzo” is a quirky musical offering that encompasses both aspects of Peeters style.

Opening Hymn - “Healing River Flow Through Us” #2117 (TUNE: Dove Song / Alternate Text by Brook McBride)

Men's Choir Anthem - “Keep Your Lamps!” Traditional Spiritual / arranged by Victor C. Johnson

Hymn of Response - “Saranam, Saranam” #523 (TUNE: Punjabi)

Organ Offertory - “Ave Verum Corpus” by Marcel Dupre

Chorus of Prayer - “There Is a Balm in Gilead” #375 (TUNE: Balm in Gilead)

Organ Postlude - “Lauda Sion” by Marcel Dupre

Marcel Dupre is often viewed as the composer of only tremendously difficult works and a first-rate improviser in mostly large forms. While these facts are certainly true, Dupre produced many simpler settings of practical liturgical music. The Eight Short Preludes on Gregorian Themes are a fine example of the distillation of Dupre's style into musically compact, yet satisfying miniatures. In the piece based on the plainchant “Ave Verum Corpus” (Hail the True Body) the right hand plays the chant in a two-part canon at the fifth while the left hand plays a flowing accompaniment. “Lauda Sion” (Praise Zion) is a more exuberant piece which treats the theme in a quasi-fugal style.

Choral Introit - “Halle, Halle, Hale” arranged by Hal Hopson

Opening Hymn - “Spirit of God” #2117 (TUNE: Dove Song)

Choral Anthem - “Holy God, We Praise Your Name” arranged by Larry Shackley

Hymn of Response - “God of the Sparrow, God of the Whale” #122 (TUNE: Roeder)

Organ Offertory - “Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn” by J.S Bach

Chorus of Prayer - “Spirit of God” #2117 (Chorus Only)

Organ Postlude - “Toccata in G major” by Theodore Dubois

Organ Prelude - “Puer natus in Bethlehem” by J.S Bach / “Wir danket dir, Herr Jesu Christ” by J.S. Bach / “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier” by J.S. Bach / “Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin” by J.S. Bach / “Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt” by J.S. Bach

Hymn of Praise - “I Come With Joy to Meet My Lord” #617 (TUNE: Dove of Peace)

Chorus of Prayer - “Sanctuary” #2164 (TUNE: Sanctuary)

Message in Music - “Oh, what a beautiful city!” African American Spiritual, arr. Edward Boatner (sung by Erin Lillie)

Hymn of Response - “Come, Share the Lord” #2269 (TUNE: Divernon)

Communion Organ Music - “No. 1from Three Chorale Variations on 'Veni Creator Spritus' by Marcel Dupre

Going Forth Hymn - “Sent Forth by God's Blessing” #664 (TUNE: The Ash Grove)

Organ Postlude - “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her” by J.S. Bach

The organ music for today consists of six selections from the Bach Orgelbuchlein, all from various points in the liturgical year, and an improvisation by Dupre. The Dupre was a recently transcribed work (by David A. Stech at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks) taken from two recordings that appeared in the 1950s. These three pieces, created on the spot, sound as if they were pre-composed, a testament to Dupre's legendary skills in this area. The first variation, which I played today, is titled “Cantus Firmus in the Bass.” Cantus firmus is a Latin phrase that describes the main melody of the piece, especially of plainchant. As the name suggests, the theme of the Pentecost hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus” is heard in dotted half notes in the pedal. Flowing eighth notes above fill in the harmonies and create a sense of motion.

Opening Hymn - “In Unity We Lift our Song” #2221 (TUNE: Ein Feste Burg)

Chorus of Prayer - “I Need You” from Zion Still Sings (Dan Frazier, arr. Mark Miller)

Favorite Hymn - “Let There Be Peace on Earth” #431 (TUNE: World Peace)

Choral Anthem - “Wachet Auf” by J.S. Bach

Responsive Hymn - “One Bread, One Body” #620 (TUNE: One Bread, One Body)

Organ Offertory - “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ” by J.S. Bach

Sending Forth Hymn - “Blest Be the Tie that Binds” (TUNE: Dennis)

Organ Postlude - “Vivace from Voluntary Op. 7, No. 9” by John Stanley

“Ich ruf zu dir” (I cry to you) is one of the few Orgelbuchlein chorales in only three parts. The pedal voice functions as a sort of basso continuo line with many repeated notes underscoring the shifting harmonies. The middle voice (in the left hand) acts as a faster moving accompaniment with arpeggios and short scale runs. It is in the right hand voice that the melancholy melody of the chorale is heard in slower quarter notes. John Stanley (1713-1786) joins the ranks (no pun intended) of many brilliant organists and composers who were blind. After playing at many notable English churches for a number of years, Stanley was finally appointed as an organist in the Chapel Royal a mere four years before his death. Stanley's main style of composition for the organ consisted of Voluntaries. Voluntaries were a specifically English genre, amounting to multi-part works that alternated between faster and slower sections. Many of the voluntaries contained trumpet tunes, works that showcased the trumpet stops on these instruments. The “Vivace” heard at the close of today's service is based on fugal principles, with the theme re-entering at various pitch levels.

Opening Hymn - “I Come with Joy” #617 vs. 1-4 (TUNE: Dove of Peace)

Chorus of Prayer - “God in Your Grace” #18 from “For Everyone Born...Global Songs for an Emerging Church”

Favorite Hymn - “Amazing Grace” #378 (TUNE: New Britain)

Responsive Hymn - “Come, Share the Lord” #2269 (TUNE: Divernon)

Organ Offertory - “Komm, Gott Schopfer, Heiliger Geist” by Johann Sebastian Bach

Sending Forth Hymn - “I Come with Joy” #617 vs. 5 (TUNE: Dove of Peace)

Organ Postlude - “Praeludium in E minor (the lesser)” by Nikolaus Bruhns

As classes begin again and fall is coming fast, many of us have abandoned our resolute promises for the new year. My quest to learn and perform most of the chorales from the Bach Orgelbuchlein as a liturgical cycle has reached its halfway point with today's offertory piece. These forty-six pieces display a wide range of techniques and require a supple organ technique. In this chosen work, based on a hymn of invocation to the Holy Spirit, the pedal part rarely falls on the downbeat, creating a mildly syncopated texture. The chorale is set in G mixolydian mode (essentially a major scale with a lowered seventh degree – F natural rather than F sharp). Nikolaus Bruhns (1665-1697) was a North German composer a generation before Bach who along with Buxtehude, Lubeck, and others directly influenced the younger musician's style. Few works by Bruhns survive, four preludes and a single chorale prelude, but all are masterworks. The E minor prelude is denoted as the “lesser” not because of its musical quality, but because it is shorter than the “greater” prelude in the same key. Even so, this work has at least four distinct sections with transitional episodes linking them and a performance takes around six minutes.

Opening Hymn - “Come and Find a Quiet Center” #2128 (TUNE: Beach Spring)

Chorus of Prayer - “There is a Balm in Gilead” #375 (TUNE: Balm in Gilead)

Hymn Request - “Hymn of Promise” #707 (TUNE: Promise)

Message in Music - “Here I Am, Lord” sung by Carol Peterie

Responsive Hymn - “Because He Lives” #364 (TUNE: Resurrection)

Organ Offertory - “Complainte” by Louis Vierne

Sending Forth - “Shalom to You” #666 (TUNE: Shalom)

Organ Postlude - “Allegro molto from Sonata No. 6” by Felix Mendelssohn

The offertory selection for today was drawn from the Twenty Four Pieces in Free Style composed by Louis Vierne, a well-known organist at Notre Dame cathedral. In French, the word complainte translates as lament. This lamentation is not particularly sorrowful as evidenced by its major tonality and moderate tempo. The postlude for this week was a musical representation of the storm, earthquake, fire, and wind which the prophet Elijah experienced in today's scripture reading (1 Kings 19:1-15). The majority of Mendelssohn's Sixth Organ Sonata is based on the chorale “Vater Unser in Himmelreich.” This particular movement is in toccata style with rapid notes in the manuals. The melody is heard both in the pedal part and in the interplay of various manual voices.

Chorus of Prayer - “Help Us Accept Each Other” #560 (TUNE: Acceptance)

Message in Music - “Die junge Nonne” by Franz Schubert – Sung by Kjersten Rathke

Responsive Hymn - “Make Me a Captive, Lord” #421 (TUNE: Diademata)

Organ Offertory - “Finale from Sonata No. 6” by Felix Mendelssohn

Sending Forth - “For Everyone Born”

Organ Postlude - “Praeambulum in F major” by Vincent Lubeck, Jr.

Organ Prelude - “Toccata in F major” by Johann Pachelbel / “Andante” by Ernest Bloch / “Fast and Lyrical” by Dan Locklair / “Poco lento” by Ernest Bloch / “Caprice sur le Grands jeux” by Louis Cleraumbault / “Very Fast with Fire” by Dan Locklair

Opening Hymn - “Surely the Presence of the Lord” #328 (TUNE: Wolfe)

Message in Music - “Ave Maria” by Franz Abt – sung by Erin Lillie

Responsive Hymn - “Great is Thy Faithfulness” #140 (TUNE: Faithfulness)

Communion Organ Music - “Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele” by Johannes Brahms

Going Forth Hymn - “To God Be the Glory” #98 (TUNE: To God Be the Glory)

Organ Postlude - “Grand Choeur” by Theodore Salome

Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) has the misfortune of being a “one hit wonder” whose reputation is based solely on his hackneyed “Canon and Gigue in D.” He actually wrote a wide variety of more interesting music, much of it for the organ. During the baroque era, the toccata was a multi-sectional piece with rapidly moving notes – a sort of warm up for the keyboard player. Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) was an American Jewish composer whose incredible music is rarely heard today. The two works performed this morning were taken from his Six Preludes for Organ. Both are infused with a sense of modality and melancholy, characteristic of Jewish folk music. Dan Locklair's Triptych for Manuals is an early work which uses experimental techniques in a way that is still enjoyable for the casual listener. The first movement, “Fast and Lyrical,” utilizes moments of bitonality – where opposing hands are in two different keys at the same time. Movement three, entitled “Very Fast with Fire,” is a trumpet tune which uses bitonality and quartal harmonies (harmonies based on the interval of a fourth). The Brahms selection was one of his Eleven Chorale Preludes. The masterful counterpoint and ceaseless motion of the inner voices remind one of the music of J.S. Bach. For those who has graduated from the University of South Dakota recently, the postlude may be familiar. It has been used as the organ recessional at commencement for a number of years.