Music for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: July 26, 2020

Opening Voluntary Hymn Partita on “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”

(jesu meine freude)      

chorale settings from Service Book and Hymnal (pub. 1958, Augsburg Publishing House) and Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pub. 2006, Augsburg Fortress)

Organ settings:

Jan Bender (1909-1994

David A. Schack (b. 1947)

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

 

During these summer months and this time of pandemic, I’ve been taking some classic Lutheran hymns (for more on what makes a hymn “Lutheran,” see a former post at http://smljax.blogspot.com/2014/05/our-lutheran-heritage-in-hymns-is-hymn.html) and having sung stanzas interlined with organ settings. I’ve decided to start calling these arrangements “partitas.” A partita is a suite of pieces – I’ve just elected to fill my suite with the voices of different composers writing on the same tune.

 jesu meine freude comes from a secular song written in bar form, which is to say it is arranged in three phrases where the second is a repeat of the first – or AAB form. Many Lutheran hymns, including some by Martin Luther, utilize bar form. At some point, a non-musician got ahold of this knowledge and started the rumor that Martin Luther based all of his hymns on tavern songs. It has been a hard story to live down. Although some Lutheran tunes began in the secular realm, it is more like singing What Child Is This to Alas, My Love, You Do Me Wrong, than it is to singing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God to A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall. (That doesn’t actually work, by the way. I’m just making a point.) Incidentally, jesu meine FREUDE, or Jesus, my joy, “was originally Flora, my joy. . .

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. . .

 In his cantata Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (BWV 12), J. S. Bach “buries” this well-loved tune in an aria for tenor. You can hear the aria, hear the tune, AND see the score at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZjVP6y71yg The entire cantata is worth your time, but you can skip to the 18:58 mark to hear just this aria.

This is the most recent Bach cantata sung at St. Mark’s – and we used an oboe instead of a trumpet.

"Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen" Bach Vespers orchestra and choir at St. Mark's
November 17, 2019

Gathering Hymn O Day of Rest and Gladness (haf trones lampa färdig)

If someone ever asks “Why do Christians worship on Sunday?” you can respond with verse 2 of this hymn.

This hymn appears in ELW with the tune Ellacombe but I’ve never felt that was a good pairing. The Episcopalians sing it with a tune that I adore – Es flog ein kleins Waldvögelein – but I try not to introduce new tunes for online worship. A perfect solution seemed to be Haf trones lampa färdig, the Swedish folk tune that we sing with “Rejoice, Rejoice Believers” in Advent.

 

Hymn of the Day Neither Life nor Death (neither death nor life)

ELW 622

The refrain for this hymn by Marty Haugen is easily learned. In fact, you may have it memorized after the second stanza. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming it later in the week. Thanks to Pastor Daniel for leading this hymn and playing it on his guitar!

Marty Haugen is a prolific composer of hymns and liturgical music. Probably his most famous work with Lutherans in “Holden Evening Prayer.”

Sending Hymn Give Thanks for Saints (repton)

ELW 428

I’ve loved this tune for awhile now, at least since 2009 (but longer, really). Here’s proof from a Facebook post in 2009:

 Closing Voluntary When Morning Gilds the Skies (laudes domini)

setting, Robert Lind

“May Jesus Christ be praised” no only when morning gilds the skies, but also “when evening shadows fall.” 

And it’s not just a song for humankind to sing, but also the earth, “sun and stars of space” and all creation. The text begs for this refrain to be sung all day – and not just this day, but forever.

Sources:

Wikipedia

Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Music for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: 7/19/2020

Opening Voluntary O Blessed Spring

setting David Cherwien, b. 1957

Gathering Hymn Praise and Thanksgiving (Bunessan)

ELW 689

Hymn of the Day For the Fruit of All Creation (Ar hyd y nos)

ELW 305

Sending Hymn On What Has Now Been Sown (Darwall’s 148th)

ELW 559

Closing Voluntary Wie schön leuchtet

setting, J. C. Bach, 1642-1703

Music for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: July 12, 2020

This week's service is on-line, so please join us on our YouTube channel on Sunday morning at 9:30. 

Find us here:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkaDHCDK26DaOTqxX21qiXA

Opening Voluntary Ensemble CCCXCVII (5036)    
William Schirmer, b. 1941

Eric Olson, oboe; Ellen Olson, viola

Dr. William Schirmer
courtesy of Bob Moore

Ellen and Eric Olson in a performance at St. Mark's

Dr. William Schirmer, Professor Emeritus at Jacksonville University, wrote this piece for the San Marco Chamber Music Society. It was debuted at the annual benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund in 2014.

I’m excited to hear this piece again since Dr. Schirmer was one of my professors when I was a JU student in the 80s. Performing his Missa Universalis with the JU Concert Choir was one of the most thrilling moments of my college career. Andy Chopra studied composition with Dr. Schirmer.

Schirmer is a prolific composer – as evidenced by “5036” which is the opus number!

Visit the San Marco Chamber Music Society's web page: http://www.sanmarcochambermusic.org/

Gathering Hymn Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now (Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend)

ELW 527

I was surprised to realize we have not sung this hymn since ELW came out in 2006. The tune is predictable, but also rhythmic. The introduction is the straightforward chorale setting, but with echoes.  The statement is by the organ’s trumpets and the echo comes on the french horn.

This is the rhythmic style of the tune, but there is also an isometric version that loses the syncopated dance quality. For more about the difference between isometric and rhythmic, see my discussion of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” at : http://smljax.blogspot.com/2020/02/music-for-first-sunday-in-lent-march-1.html

I found a good recording on YouTube that will help if you would like to review it. Most Lutherans will find it familiar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xYXmIOQwcc

Hymn of the Day As Rain from the Clouds (Afton Water)

ELW 508

Ayrshire, Scotland is home to the small river called Afton Water. Robert Burns wrote about it in 1791 and 46 years later it was set to this gentle melody composed by Jonathan Spilman.

          Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,

          Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise.
          My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,

          Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

          Thou stockdove whose echo resounds through the glen,

          Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,

          Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,

          I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

Burns’ idyllic setting evokes a natural garden where things grow and birds flourish. Perhaps that is why this hymn text is so suitable for this tune.

Celtic Mist - from their Facebook page

Celtic Mist, a musical trio, has a recording you will enjoy:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPnfEMxK4wI

Sending Hymn The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve (Chesterfield)

ELW 551

Closing Voluntary Prelude in D Major

J. K. F. Fischer, 1656-1746

J. K. F. Fischer

Johann Kaspar Ferdinand Fischer was a Baroque composer known for bringing French influences to music in Germany. His own teacher had been the famous French composer Jean-Baptist Lully. Said to be one of the great composers of his day, his music is rarely heard due to the rarity of his musical scores.




A Fond Farewell

One of the voices you've been hearing on our prerecorded services belongs to St. Mark's member Cindy H. Cindy has received a job offer and will be relocating sooner than we'd like. We will miss her voice in our choir and her ringing in the St. Mark's Ringers. Farewell, Cindy, and thank you for all you have done in our music program at St. Mark's.

Music for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: July 5, 2020

It has been nearly four months since we became, as some have said, a “church in exile.” This seems a little extreme to me, but the point is well taken. As we return for the first time this Sunday, there are some important things to know.

We have decided not to cut out congregational singing. That said, we have limited the verses being sung and will remain seated as we sing. Further, we are asking everyone to sing sotto voce.

Sotto voce is a musical term that literally translates as “under the voice.” Choral directors use this term when we don’t want our choirs to “over-sing” – often because a rehearsal is going to be very long, or we want them to conserve energy for more vocally demanding music to be sung later in the rehearsal.

During this time of pandemic, worshipers are requested to sing and speak sotto voce, and to wear a mask that covers their mouth and nose.

We are taking other precautions. Let Pastor Daniel explain them more fully in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLCZkaIjfHI&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=St.+Mark%27s+Lutheran+Church&utm_campaign=8b24352627-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_18_01_14_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_99bc51f6d9-8b24352627-17190953

Opening Voluntary Festive Processional “Entrata Festiva”

David Lasky

This morning the organ leads us into worship with the rousing sound of trumpets. Such sounds are usually reserved for the end of the service but it has been nearly four months since we last gathered in the nave, so something celebratory is definitely in order. David Lasky’s piece satisfies that need.

Gathering Hymn Come to Me, All Pilgrims Thirsty (Beach Spring)

ELW 777

It turns out that “Beach Spring” is a misspelling since the composer, Benjamin Franklin White (1800-1879), wrote the tune and named it for Beech Spring Baptist Church in Harris County, Georgia.

Psalm Refrain

During the summer months I have been choosing folks songs and global music to accompany the refrain singing. This week I’ve chosen Alegría by Pablo Sosa (1933-2020) who was born in Argentina, then educated in Buenos Aires and New Jersey at Westminster Choir College. He also studied at Union Seminary in New York. He died on January 12, 2020. Read his obituary here: https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/wcc-mourns-the-passing-of-rev-pablo-sosa

Rev. Sosa was a strong advocate for the use of regional music in worship services – thus this song is written in the carnavalito style. The original is found at ELW 664. It’s a popular song for choirs too. Here’s a link to a video by the UU Children’s Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_S9kvhgwyU&t=9s

I was unable to find any information about the choir itself.

Hymn of the Day If You but Trust in God to Guide You (Wer nur den lieben Gott)

ELW 769

This hymn was first published in 1657. The composer, Georg Neumark (1621-1681) captioned it a “Hymn of Consolation.”  He explained: That in God’s own time God will sustain and keep each person according to the text “Cast your burden on the Lord who will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:23)

Trusting God is not a prerequisite for God’s guidance; rather, trusting God enables us to see God’s hand already at work in our lives.

Sending Hymn God of the Ages (National Hymn)

Probably more widely known as “God of Our Fathers,” this is a suitable hymn to sing on the same weekend we celebrate our nation’s birthday.  National Hymn is merely a tune a name. This hymn does not have any official designation as a national hymn.

Closing Voluntary If You but Trust in God to Guide You

setting, J. S. Bach