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Prayers
can be read from a book and recited from memory. They can be extemporaneous shouts of
thanksgiving or emotional outbursts of intercession when someone we love
encounters hardship and despair.
The
church has long sung its prayers. It
started with Gregorian chant and has grown to include classic hymns, psalmody,
and modern praise choruses. Sometimes we
pray silently with a trained choir as they sing well-rehearsed anthems and
canticles on our behalf.
On
Sunday, November 24th at 6:00 p.m. we will have an opportunity to worship
with a choir that has diligently rehearsed a cantata by the master Lutheran
church musician - Johannes Sebastian Bach.
Dawn Riske is the Director of Music Ministries at Christ the King Church
in University, Missouri. She says, “Somehow
the exquisitely crafted music of J. S. Bach helps to build connections between
our situation and the Holy One. Bach’s
music opens the door to prayer.” This is why we will hear “Wie schön leuchtet
der Morgenstern” in the context of a worship service rather than in a concert
setting.
Bach
wrote a cantata for every Sunday of the church year – for five years. He did not write one for Christ the King
Sunday because that day had not yet appeared on the church calendar. You will find this text, written for the
Feast of the Annunciation, to be equally appropriate for a Christ the King observance.
If you would like to read the text in advance, you can find it here: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach/BWV1.html
Our
cantata will be accompanied by an orchestra of instrumentalists from the
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and our soloists are Karina Calabro (soprano),
Dr. James Hall (tenor), and Carl Moser (bass).
The chorus includes members of the St. Mark’s choirs and singers from
the Jacksonville Community. Pastor
Thomas Hanson will lead the liturgy. Frank Starbuck is our German diction
coach.
Bach
Vespers has a 20 year history at St. Mark’s. The first cantatas being sung
under the direction of Cantor Jim Rindelaub.
We are grateful for the tradition that he began!
Please
join us for this unique service. All are welcome.
