Music for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: August 2, 2020

Opening Voluntary Two Settings of “Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness” (Schmücke dich)

1. Johann Gottfried Walther, 1684-1748   2. Johannes Brahms, 1833-1897

The text and tune are at Evangelical Lutheran Worship 488.

Gathering Hymn Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (Nettleton) ELW 843 

Hymn of the Day All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly (Grace Eternal)

This hymn appears in ELW with the tune Holy Manna, but today we sing it with a newer tune by Jacksonville composer Bob Moore. His tune, Grace Eternal, feels like a folk hymn you’ve been singing your whole life.

Moore recently released a full choral version of All Who Hunger that our Festival Choir was to sing just before Covid-19 caused Sunday morning gatherings to go on hiatus.  Don’t worry, it’ll be back in our choir folders as soon as we’re able to rehearse again. We can’t wait to share it with you!

Music During Communion Holy Manna  setting, Don Hustad, 1918-2013

Hustad’s career as a church organist includes work in six different decades – including appearances with the popular gospel singer George Beverly Shea. This is a setting that I’ve enjoyed playing for a very long time and I chose it because it is the tune that ELW pairs with All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly. It’s also a nice excuse to feature our organ’s clarinet stop.

Sending Hymn O Living Bread from Heaven (Aurelia) ELW 542 

Closing Voluntary O, When Shall I See Jesus? (The Morning Trumpet) setting, Don Hustad

During this season after Pentecost, you may have noticed that I’ve been pairing the psalm refrains with tunes from folk songs, folk hymns, and early hymnody.  Only a few have fit easily – some needed a bit of coercing.

This morning I chose a tune by Benjamin F. White (1800-1879), The Morning Trumpet – a Sacred Harp tune. This is a setting of the full hymn with its text by John Leland (1754-1841), an American Baptist minister.

We’ll hear two trumpets from our organ; first the (pipe) petite trompette that was installed with the organ in 1984, then the (digital) festival trumpet makes a brief appearance at the end.

sources: Hymnary.org