Christmas Lessons and Carols for the 2nd Sunday of Christmas: January 5, 2020

Here is the assembly music for Sunday!

Opening Voluntary Away in a Manger setting, David Lasky

Gathering Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fideles)

Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) 283

Hymns and Songs for Lessons and Carols

Joys Seven (The Seven Joys of Mary) This traditional English song probably has its roots in medieval devotional literature. It has only recently become associated with Christmas.

When God Is a Child The text is by the modern hymn writer Brian Wren (b. 1936) with the tune “Moon Beams,” by Joan Collier Fogg,

On Christmas Night (Sussex Carol) ELW 274

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn) ELW 270

There’s a Star in the East This African American spiritual is also known by the title “Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow.)

Hymn of the Day What Child Is This? (Greensleeves) ELW 296

Musical Offering Walk in the Light

André Thomas

Communion Hymn O Little Town of Bethlehem (St. Louis) ELW 279

Sending Hymn Love Has Come (Un flambeau)

ELW 292

Closing Voluntary Hark! The Herald Angels Sing setting, David Cherwien

Music for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 22, 2019

Opening Voluntary Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Jefferson)     

setting, Edwin T. Childs

See the tune and text at Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) ELW 254.

Gathering Hymn People, Look East (Besançon)

ELW 248

Hymn of the Day The Night Will Soon Be Ending (Llangloffan)

This hymn is not in ELW. The text is by Jochen Klepper, a German journalist and poet who was married to a Jewish woman. Upon realizing he could not protect his wife or stepdaughters during Hitler’s regime Klepper, his wife, and youngest stepdaughter, Renate, committed suicide. An older daughter, Brigitte, escaped to England. Read more here: https://www.gdw-berlin.de/en/recess/biographies/index_of_persons/biographie/view-bio/jochen-klepper/?no_cache=1

Night in Asheville, NC

Musical Offering As the Dark Awaits the Dawn

Carl Schalk

Text by Susan Palo Cherwien

This is a choral setting of ELW 261.

Communion Hymn He Comes to Us as One Unknown (Repton)

ELW 737

Sending Hymn Joy to the World, the Lord Is Come (Antioch)

ELW 267

Closing Voluntary O Day of Peace that Dimly Shines (Jerusalem)

setting, Mark Sedio

A Service of Lessons and Carols for the Third Sunday of Advent: December 15, 2019

A musicologist might scoff at our use of the term “carol” for our assembly singing on Sunday. True carols have a rich history that did not begin in the church. In fact, “carol” used to refer to secular music and implied dancing.  Most of the music we sing for the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany arc would be better labeled “hymns.”

So, this Sunday our Advent service of lessons and carols might be better termed “lessons and hymns,” but we’ll borrow Wikipedia’s definition of “carol”:

A “Christmas carol” (or Advent carol for this Sunday) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas (or Advent!) and which is traditionally sung on Christmas itself or during the surrounding holiday season.

Whether you call them “carols” or “hymns” I hope you will enjoy singing them and that they will deepen your sense of hope and expectation in this season of Advent.

This year’s service is based on the “O Antiphons” that are found in the favorite hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” The antiphons, dating from about the 8^th century, are tied to specific days leading to Christmas. Around the twelfth century they were combined into a single hymn which was translated by John Mason Neale to become the hymn we love today.

Late November Sunset in the North Carolina Mountains

Opening Voluntary Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Freu dich sehr)

setting, Kenneth T. Kosche

Gathering Hymn Fling Wide the Door (Mach hoch die Tür)

Evangelical Lutheran Worship 259

First Carol

Hymn of the Day Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Freu dich sehr)

ELW 256

Second Carol Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Jefferson)

ELW 254

Third Carol Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros)

ELW 272

Fourth Carol Now the Heavens Start to Whisper (Suo Gân)

A Nativity Scene at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC

Mary Louise Bringle began writing hymns in 1999. Her work appears in the hymnals of many denominations, including three texts in ELW. She is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Brevard College (Brevard, NC) where she also serves as chair of the Humanities division. A more extensive bio can be found at https://www.giamusic.com/store/artists/mary-louise-bringle.

Now the Heavens Start to Whisper pairs her text with the melody of a traditional Welsh lullaby.

Fifth Carol Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn (Rejoice, Rejoice)

ELW 242

The sixth reading is also the lectionary-appointed gospel reading for the day.

Hymn of the Day Hark! A Thrilling Voice is Sounding (Merton)

ELW 246

Musical Offering (sung by the Festival Choir) Magnificat

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Communion Hymns

The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came (Gabriel’s Message) ELW 265

O Come, Divine Messiah (Venez Divin Messie)

The tune of this French carol dates at least to the 16 century.

Heinz Memorial Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA

Sending Hymn Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers (Haf trones lampa färdig)

ELW 244

Closing Voluntary Picardy

setting, Kenneth T. Kosche

ELW 490

Music for the Second Sunday of Advent December 8, 2019

Opening Voluntary Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (St. Mark’s Ringers)     

setting, Lee Afdahl

Evangelical Lutheran Worship, our hymnal, pairs this Charles Wesley text with the tune Jefferson; however, other denominations sing it with different tunes. Two of the tunes are Stuttgart and Hyfrydol – both of which are utilized in Afdahl’s arrangement. At the end of the piece, we hear both tunes played at the same time!

The panels on St. Mark's  "Seasons of the Church Year" banner, including the one for Advent,
were hand-stitched by Grace Echerer in 1994.

Gathering Hymn Prepare the Royal Highway (Bereden väg för Herran)

ELW 264

Frans Mikael Franzén 

After his ordination in 1803, Frans Mikael Franzén worked on developing his hymn-writing skills and contributed 29 hymns to Svenska Psalm-Boken, a collection of psalms for Swedish churches that was published in 1819. Franzén was bishop of the Härnøsand diocese until his death in 1847.

The tune, first published in 1694, has an undeniable dance quality.

In 1536, King Gustav I of Sweden, separated the national church from the Roman Catholic Church. Sweden’s national church has been Lutheran ever since.

Hymn of the Day There’s a Voice in the Wilderness (Ascension)

ELW 255

This certainly feels a like a hymn that must have been written for Advent, but James Lewis Milligan (1876 – 1961) wrote the text to celebrate the creation of the United Church of Canada. The UCC was formed by the union of Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches.

Musical Offering (sung by the Festival Choir) Creation Will Be at Peace

Anna Laura Page
In 1985 Terry Anderson, an American journalist, was taken hostage while working in Lebanon. He was released in 1991. This choral anthem, with its text freely drawn from today’s reading from the Hebrew scriptures, is dedicated to Anderson’s sister, Peggy Say.

Communion Hymns

Blessed be the God of Israel (Forest Green) ELW 250

Few hymntunes are as satisfying to sing as Forest Green. Here it is paired with a metrical setting of the canticle of Zechariah, also known as the Benedictus. These are the words recorded by the gospel writer Luke. The story goes that after Zechariah wrote the famous line “His name is John,” he regained his voice and delivered this powerful song of praise. All these things tie it not just to Advent, but to the leading figure in today’s gospel reading – John the Baptist.

Try singing this tune with the text of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and you’ll never want to sing St. Louis again. (Okay, that’s a stretch. I know that for many St. Louis is a beloved tune and they have a hard time separating the text and tune. In truth, St. Louis was written specifically for O Little Town at the author’s request.)

On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry (Puer nobis) ELW 249

St. Mark's Moravian star

Sending Hymn Hail to the Lord’s Anointed 
(King’s Lynn)
You’ll find this hymn in ELW with the tune Freut euch, ihr lieben, but I wanted to use a more familiar tune suitable for a procession and settled on this English tune.

James Montgomery’s text is a paraphrase of Psalm 72 which he wrote for Christmas services celebrated by the Moravian Church in Yorkshire, England.

A Moravian star has long been used as part of the Advent trappings at St. Mark’s. It goes up for the first Sunday of Advent and remains through the Feast of the Epiphany. It is said that the first Moravian star was probably the result of a geometry project in a Moravian school. Whether or not this is true, Moravian stars have been around since about the 1830s.

Closing Voluntary Trumpet Tune on Hyfrydol

Michael Helman

The closing voluntary brings back one of the themes from the opening voluntary and echoes the church’s cry of, “Come, thou long-expected Jesus!”


Sources:
Wikipedia
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Paul Westermeyer)
Portrait of Frans Mikael Franzén: By Johan Gustaf Sandberg - Johan Gustaf Sandberg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=790341

  

Music for the First Sunday of Advent - December 1, 2019

Opening Voluntary Three Variations on Wachet auf     

setting, Robert Lau

See the tune and text at Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) ELW 453.

One of my favorite forms of musical composition has long been the theme and variations form. Robert Lau’s first setting is pretty straightforward with the melody in one hand and some interesting counterpoint in the other.

Variation 2 uses the organs lusher sounds – strings mostly – to craft a gentle meditation.

Variation 3 is in the style of a chorale prelude. The French Horn stop takes the melody against a gentle accompaniment.

There is a fourth variation. It will be heard as the closing voluntary.

Gathering Hymn O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (Wie soll ich dich empfangen)

Paul Gerhardt

ELW 241

It would be hard to find a hymn with roots more Lutheran than this one. Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), author of the text, spent much of his life acting as a mediator between Lutherans and members of the Reformed Church. He wasn’t very successful, but he was well-liked and respected by leaders on both sides of the religious divide. Nine of his hymns appear in ELW.

Johann Crüger (1598 – 1662) composed the tune. His name is equally famous in Lutheran hymnals. He was a well-known Cantor of his day and wrote about 71 hymntunes. Probably the most famous is Herzliebster Jesu, to which we sing the Lenten text “Ah, Holy Jesus.”

This hymn may not be very familiar to our assembly, but the form is easy to follow. We sing the first line, the second line is repeated verbatim, the third line brings new material, and the fourth line also repeats the first with only slight alteration.

Psalm – a metrical setting of Psalm 122

In many churches the assembly is ready to start singing Christmas hymns on the first Sunday of Advent. I’m happy that is not our situation, but a hint of Christmas can be seen in today’s setting of the psalm by Hal Hopson. The words, with alterations, come from the Psalter of 1912 and are sung to the tune Sussex Carol – an English Christmas carol.  It’s not widely sung in churches, but this spritely tune is popular with professional and community choirs. You’ve heard it before. I can almost guarantee it.

Hymn of the Day Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying (Wachet auf)

ELW 436

This is probably the biggest, baddest, Lutheran hymn of all! That may be why its nickname is “King of the Lutheran Chorales.” It’s widely known as an Advent Hymn, but it’s in the “End Times” section of ELW – and no wonder. Its language is drawn heavily from the book of Revelation.

Sissel Kyrkjebø

This has long been one of my favorite hymns. One rendition that I really love is by the Norwegian soprano/pop star Sissel Kyrkjebø. Here is a link to her performance based on a setting by J. S. Bach. It’s on my playlist every Advent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1beKJS8h6oo

Communion Hymns

Our communion hymns are all from the community of Taizé, an ecumenical community in France. The first we have sung many times, but the second and third might be new.  We will sing each several times, allowing the words and music to become meditative prayer.

One of our members recently visited Taizé. Take the time to ask her about her experience.

Wait for the Lord

The Lord Is My Light

Christ, You Are Light

Sending Hymn Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

ELW 263

Of all of the church’s hymns, this is one of the oldest. The original text is attributed to Ambrose of Milan (340-397). The version we sing today is an English translation of Martin Luther’s German translation.

Closing Voluntary Fourth Variation on Wachet auf

setting, Robert Lau

Sources:
Wikipedia
Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal Companion
Photo of  Sissel Kyrkjebø 

By Kristin & Vibeke - http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/werecki_company/images/sissel-kyrkjeboe-sissels-jul-paa-turne-2014-280972, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44428702

What I Did on My Thanksgiving Vacation - at least on Sunday Morning

The church's facade,
It sits on the side of a hill - like everything else in Asheville!

One of the first things I do when planning a vacation is decide where I’m going to go to church. It didn’t take me long to find St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Asheville, North Carolina. As far as I can tell, it’s the only ELCA congregation in the city. A quick look at their website told me it might be just thing I was looking for – and it was.

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of celebrating Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Asheville, NC where David Anderson, Cantor, is doing a remarkable job of leading the church's song. The hymns were all perfect (and beautifully played) for the day.

I arrived early and was met by a smiling woman who introduced herself as Roseanne D. I have never received a warmer greeting when visiting a church. She guided me to where I could find a bulletin, showed me where the guest register was, and told me a little about the church. She also explained that it was their new Pastor's first Sunday so they were having a big Thanksgiving-style luncheon after church and warmly invited me to stay.

I sat down to absorb the nave and review the bulletin. The nave was well-lit and lovely. It was still pretty early, so I checked in on Facebook. Seconds later I received a text message from Pastor Daniel asking me to greet Pastor Matt Smith for him and Pastor Sarah. As I suspected, their paths had crossed at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

Jeffery Blersch’s setting of “Crown Him with Many Crowns” was the prelude and it set the tone for the rest of the service. The choir sang Carl Mueller’s “Come, Christians, Join to Sing.” Their singing was confident and sure – a fitting call to praise for the day.

One charming feature of the sanctuary was an old-fashioned hymn board. They aren’t commonly seen these days and I have to admit it made me smile.
We sang “Crown Him with Many Crowns (Diademata),” “At the Name of Jesus (King’s Weston),” “What Feast of Love (Greensleeves),” “Jesus, Remember Me (Taizé),” and “Jesus, Still Lead On (Seelenbräutigam).

The postlude brought back the Hymn of the Day in a vigorous setting of King’s Weston by Robert Powell.

Pastor Matt Smith's sermon hit home for me since part of the time he addressed a topic I had been thinking about a lot lately. He said, "The cost of grace is realizing God's grace is for OTHER sinners, including those who have wronged us AND those who have committed atrocities (against humankind). . . We have to let go of our hierarchies of sin."

I also loved the psalm. The assembly had a typical refrain while David Anderson chanted the stanzas from the piano.

The organ! It's a warm tracker built by Martin Ott in 1997. You can read the specs at this link:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/stmarkslutheran/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/07144434/Organ-Specs.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3DXstRxDz3zLzmBbhbwII38whjCMYjc8n0lTK0kS2IwDQzimtKlGrUIuk

Visiting Asheville? I highly recommend that you spend Sunday morning in this place of worship! Good preaching, worshipful music, and friendly people  - could you want anything more when you are on vacation?
Visit their website: https://www.stmarkslutheran.net/

After church there is scenery like this throughout the area. This photo was taken from the Biltmore Estate.

Bach Vespers Thank You!

This is a “thank you” post. Such posts are hard to write – I’m always afraid that I will forget to include someone in this long list.

Photo by Mark Weber

A little history: Jim Rindelaub started the Bach Vespers tradition at St. Mark’s in 1990. The first cantata was sung as part of a Liturgical Arts Week. In addition to workshops on handbells, liturgical dance, calligraphy, and drama, the week included rehearsals and a performance of Bach’s Cantata No. 7, Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam.

Since 1990, about 19 of Bach’s cantatas have been performed at St. Mark’s as part of a Vespers (Evening Prayer) Service.

This year’s cantata was Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen. It included Lutheran hymns and music from David Cherwien’s setting of Evening Prayer, Stay with Us, Lord.

My first thank you is to the singers from the community, about 30 of them, who joined us for this event. They rehearsed for three Saturday mornings from 10:00 – 12:00, “wood-shedding” the parts, learning how to sing in German, and rehearsing liturgical music and hymns. There was one final dress rehearsal which included the orchestra and soloists on the morning before the service. I have no doubt that most of them spent considerable time outside of rehearsal learning the music. Thank you to all of you!

First Rehearsal!

Thanks also to our outstanding soloists: Kimberly Beasley, Timothy Keatley, and Clinton M. H. Weinberg. Kimberly Beasley is an Associate Professor of Voice at Jacksonville University and Timothy Keatley is a voice student there. I was happy to have these two JU connections since JU is also my alma mater. Clinton M. H. Weinberg is Artist-in-Residence at Flagler University where he teaches Applied Voice and directs the pep band. He’s also a long-time friend who I’ve been trying to have sing for Bach Vespers for several years. Thank you to each of you for your preparation and beautiful performances.

Lto R: Kimberly Beasley, Timothy Keatley, Clinton M. H. Weinberg

Thank you to our orchestra. Each year Ellen Olson has secured top-notch players for this event. Many of our instrumentalists return year after year for this special event. Thank you to Edie Hubert (organ), Melissa Barrett (violin), Andy Bruck (violin), DJ Cheek (viola), Ellen Olson (viola), Betsy Federman (cello), Patrick Bilanchone (bass), and Eric Olson (oboe).

Members of the Orchestra at dress rehearsal

Anita Renfroe

The music before the service was also lovely, so thank you to Anita Renfroe who played two harpsichord pieces, one each by Handel and Scarlatti. She was then joined by Eric and Ellen Olson for a trio sonata by G. P. Telemann. The three Baroque composers were well-represented and would have been pleased to hear their music so beautifully played.

Every Evening Prayer service needs a leader. Thank you to Pastor Daniel Locke for fulfilling this role with reverence and good singing!

Frank S. has been our German diction coach for nearly as many years as Bach Vespers has been in existence. Thank you, Frank!

Lynette and Renee hosting the reception.

The service was followed by an elegant reception hosted and coordinated by Renee R. She had help

that evening from Lynette and Mark W., and from Francine Baker.  Singers, instrumentalists, and guests enjoyed mingling and relaxing together because of their efforts. Thank you for a delightful reception!

Thanks be to God for the gift of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ. This gift gives us a reason to sing.

The Full Ensemble, photo by Mark Weber

Finally, in the words of J. S. Bach, the Fifth Evangelist:

Music for Michael and All Angels: September 29, 2019

Opening Voluntary I Know That My Redeemer Lives

St. Mark’s Ringers

arr. Kevin McChesney

Gathering Hymn Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (Lasst uns erfreuen)

Evangelical Lutheran Worship (424)

Psalm Psalm 103:1-5, 20-22

The refrain comes from the Taizé Community, an ecumenical religious community in Taizé, France. Music from this community is known for its brevity and contemplative flavor. This music is sung throughout the world during Christian worship services.

The tone is a standard ELW tone.

Hymn of the Day Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Picardy)

ELW 490

The haunting melody of this hymn is a seventeenth century French folk tune.

Original artwork by Laurie Zody Aurand. When I first saw this, I thought it was the "host arrayed in white," but it could just as easily be a choir of angels.

Musical Offering O Come and Dwell in Me (sung by the Festival Choir)

Arlen Clarke

A Scottish melody called “The Parting Glass” is paired with a text by Charles Wesley. Angels sing a song of praise lifted from the book of Revelation 7:10 -

Salvation to our God, salvation to the Lamb.

This arrangement features a viola obligato played by Ellen Olson.

From a stained glass window at Christ Lutheran Church in Bexley, Ohio.

Communion Hymns

Jesus, Lamb of God ELW 199

Holy, Holy, Holy ELW 190

On Eagle’s Wings ELW 787

The first two pieces are movements from Deutsche Messe by Franz Schubert (1797-1828). Schubert composed the work to be sung for Roman Catholic masses. Unfortunately, it was rejected because the original text was in German rather than Latin. Fortunately its beauty and reverence won the day so that it enjoys wide popularity.

“On Eagle’s Wing” is a contemporary metrical setting of biblical texts from Psalm 91, Exodus 19, and Matthew 13. In addition to being a composer (with many liturgical works beyond “On Eagle’s Wings” to his credit), Michael Joncas is a Roman Catholic priest and a liturgical theologian.

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Gainesville, Florida

Sending Hymn God Who Made the Earth and Heaven (Ar hyd y nos)

ELW 564

Evangelical Lutheran Worship is now 13 years old, yet somehow we have managed to avoid singing this hymn. Don’t worry, you’ll recognize this traditional Welsh tune immediately! We usually sing it with the text “Go My Children, with My Blessing.”

Closing Voluntary Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (Lasst uns erfreuen)

setting, Roberta Rowland-Raybold

ELW 424

 If you are taking our Revelation class led by Lynn Marlowe, you’ll notice three things  about this blog post and Sunday’s worship service:

First the painting at the top – William Blake’s “Angel of the Revelation.” Second, the second reading in today’s service comes from Revelation. Third, a quote from Revelation in the choir’s musical offering.

Do you see something in today’s music that excites you or sparks a specific memory? Comments on my blog are always welcome!