Music for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: October 11, 2020

 

Opening Voluntary O That I Had a Thousand Voices
(O dass ich tausend Zungen hätte)

setting, Jeffrey Blersch
Evangelical Lutheran Worship 833

 

Did Johann Mentzer (1658-1734) have Philippians 4:4 in mind when he wrote the hymn this prelude is based on? We can’t know for sure, but we can see the influence of the Lutheran movement known as “pietism” in this hymn*. The singer’s joy is so great they call on all creation to join in a hymn of praise because, “My utmost powers can never quite declare the wonders of God’s might.”

 

Johann König’s (1691-1751) tune has become one of my favorites since coming to St. Mark’s. He was an important church music director of his day and a composer of operas and cantatas.

 

Jeffrey Blersch’s arrangement incorporates a happy ritornello between phrases of the tune.

 

Gathering Hymn Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart (Marion)

ELW 873

 

Hymn of the Day Beloved, God’s Chosen (Kremser)

ELW 648

 

It was difficult to choose a Hymn of the Day this week. In the gospel reading, a king throws a wedding banquet for this son. Our hymnal is filled with hymns about feasts – but they usually are also communion hymns. Can we really sing about communion on a Sunday when we cannot gather around the Lord’s table?

I decided to see what else this parable has to offer.

At the story’s conclusion, an invited guest is thrown out for showing up without the proper garment. I wondered what he should have been wearing and, by extension, what we all should be wearing as children of God.

I was led to a newer hymn by Susan Palo Cherwien, “Beloved, God’s Chosen.” In it, we are exhorted to put on “compassion, forgiveness, and goodness of heart.” The text further encourages us, “Above all, before all, let love be your raiment. . .” The text is a poetic version of Colossians 3:12.

 

Isn’t it amazing that after 14 years we still haven’t sung all of the hymns in Evangelical Lutheran Worship? This happens to be one of them. Teaching new hymns in an online service is not easy, so I decided to use the familiar tune, Kremser. Most people will recognize it from Thanksgiving services as “We Gather Together to Ask the Lord’s Blessing.”

The tune suits the text, in my opinion, but I look forward to a day we can learn Robert A. Hobby’s tune, Andrew’s Song, as well.

 

Sending Hymn O God of Every Nation (Llangloffan)

ELW 873

 

Closing Voluntary Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart

(Vineyard Haven)
ELW 874

prelude setting, Kevin Hildebrand

chorale, Richard W. Dirksen

Inside All Saints Chapel
The University of the South

Earlier we sang this hymn with the tune Marion, but ELW also offers Vineyard Haven. It’s a tune I really love, but it’s not well known and it’s difficult to sing even with practice.

(Let me also say it is well worth the effort! The first time I sang it was in procession with 150 other church musicians. We were accompanied by the magnificent organ at All Saints Chapel,The University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee. It was one of the most thrilling moments of my musical memory.)

Kevin Hildebrand’s prelude is used as a fanfare to introduce this majestic, staid, chorale. A snippet from the prelude comes back at the end to round this voluntary out.

Sources:
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Brittanica.com
Wikipedia

 

*Pietism began as a Lutheran movement in the 17^th century. Adherents stressed Christian living and personal faith in a church they believed emphasized theology.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pietism