Year C: Music for the Second Sunday of Christmas January 2, 2022

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Prelude on “Divinum mysterium”

Wilbur Held, 1914-2015

This voluntary is based on a plainchant tune from the 13^th century. Plainchant melodies are written in a flowing style that may have rhythmic pulses, but does not have a meter. (You can’t count 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4.) Plainchant was the primary expression of the church’s song and existed long before modern hymns came on the scene.

“Divinum mysterium” comes back in the service as the tune for the Hymn of the Day.

 

GATHERING HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fideles)
ELW 283

Nativity window at Trinity Lutheran Church
Jacksonville, Florida

HYMN OF THE DAY In a Deep, Unbounded Darkness (Divinum mysterium)

This text that originated as the theme song for a Bible study institute in China is a meditation on the eternal nature of God. Like the hymn “Of the Father’s love begotten,” with which this tune is often paired, we begin in the time before creation when God claimed us. After praising God’s steadfastness in stanza two, our joy overflows at the incarnation in stanza three. Finally, stanza four returns us to the realm of eternity, joining together the beginning and final chapters of the Bible by connecting references to stories from Genesis and Exodus with the wedding feast of the Lamb in Revelation. (from Sundays and Seasons)

Christ with the Eucharist
Vicente Juan Masip
16th century

COMMUNION HYMN What Feast of Love (Greensleeves)

ELW 487
It might be helpful to look at this hymn as 3 questions with 3 answers.
Q: What feast of love is offered here. . .?
A: This, this is Christ the king. . .

Paired with the English ballad Greensleeves, it keeps us clearly still in the mindset of Christmas – something the author, Delores Dufner, did on purpose! She says, “By using this melody already associated with the Christmas mystery, I wanted my text to show the close relationship between the historical gift of Godself in the Incarnation, and Christ’s ongoing gift of self in the scriptural word and in the Eucharistic bread and wine.”

The Christmas trees at my house are adorned with angels.

SENDING HYMN Let All Together Praise Our God (Lobt Gott, ihr Christen)
ELW 287

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fideles)

setting, Sigvart A. Hofland

Sigvart Hofland was born in Bergen, Norway in 1889 and came to the United States as a teenager. In addition to being a composer, he taught at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

sources:
Wikipedia
nordic.luther.edu
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship
sundaysandseasons.com
Masip painting: By Juan de Juanes - The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=153313

Year C: Music for Christmas Eve December 24, 2021

 

A Service of Music for Christmas Eve (10:30 p.m.)

Theme and Variations on Sussex Carol Philip M. Young (organ)
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day Berkley Guse (Festival Choir)

Angels We Have Heard on High Fred Gramann (St. Mark’s Ringers)

Good King Wenceslas (Assembly)
The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy arr. Alan Smith (FC)
Now the Heavens Start to Whisper Thomas Keesecker (FC)

In the Bleak Midwinter arr. Sandra Eithun (SMR)

All Praise to Thee Wesley D. Peters (FC)

 GATHERING HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) ELW 283

 

PSALM Psalm 96 – Sing to the Lord a New Song (Es ist ein’ Ros)

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Angels We Have Heard on High (Gloria) ELW 289

 

HYMN OF THE DAY O Little Town of Bethlehem (St. Louis) ELW 279

 

MUSICAL OFFERING A Virgin Most Pure Carl Halter (Festival Choir)

 

OFFERING HYMN When a Star Is Shining (Where the Promise Shines) ACS 915

 

COMMUNION HYMN In the Bleak Midwinter (Cranham)
I did not choose the version in ELW so that we could sing a verse that is missing there:
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,

worshipped the Beloved with a kiss.   Christina Rossetti, 1874-1934

 

CANDLELIGHT HYMN Silent Night (Still Nacht) ELW 281

 

SENDING HYMN Joy to the World (Antioch)

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Joy to the World Gordon Young

 

 

Year C Music for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 19, 2021

 

opening voluntary

Two Settings of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” 

(Forest Green and St. Louis)

Eric Olson, oboe                                                         

arr. Anne Krentz Organ, Christina Shehi

 

gathering HYMN                                                                                              ELW 242

Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn                       rejoice, rejoice     

Text: Marty Haugen, b. 1950; Music: Marty Haugen

 

HYMN OF THE DAY

Unexpected and Mysterious                                                   jefferson         

Text: Jeannette M. Lindholm, b. 1961; Music: W. Walker, Southern Harmony, 1835

 

MUSICAL OFFERING The White Dove         Johannes Brahms, arr. Mark Schweizer

 

communion hymn                                                                                          ELW 266
All Earth Is Hopeful                          toda la tierra                                                                                                   

Text: Alberto Taulé, b. 1932, tr. Madeline Forell Marshall, b. 1946
Music: Alberto Taulé, b. 1932

 

SENding Hymn                                                                          ELW 723

Canticle of the Turning                                   star of the county down

Text: Rory Cooney, b. 1952, based on the Magnificat; Music: Irish traditional

Year C: Advent Lessons and Carols with Birthday for Christ for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 12, 2021

 The tradition of Christmas Lessons and Carols began at Truro Cathedral in England, so it’s only natural that I consult The Book of Occasional Services from the Episcopal church when I begin to plan a service of Advent Lessons and Carols.

There are ominous rules like The lesson from the third chapter of Genesis is never omitted.

My usual starting place is with the Episcopal list of designated readings. I choose the readings I want to use (trying not to repeat them every year) and then choose carols that match the readings.

This year, I tried a different approach.

I began with the Advent hymn Savior of the Nations, Come. It’s a staple of Lutheran Advent hymnody, although the hymn is much older than the Augsburg Confession.

Paul Westermeyer says this about the hymn:

This is one of the longest-running hymns in the church. It has generated a huge repertoire of music. The text scans the whole story by taking us into the manger while assuming the victory of the cross and resurrection. The result is to make ‘Come’ refer to Advent’s paradox: Christ’s first coming, second coming, and coming to us here and now.

By starting with a hymn theme, I suppose this morning’s service has more in common with a Paul Manz hymn festival than it does the ancient Episcopal service. Still, the Anglican influence can be felt by the inclusion of the final reading from Baruch – one of the apocryphal texts.

With the inclusion of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming and Once in Royal David’s City, you can even see a little Christmas slipping into our Advent worship.

 

The format is easy to follow. We all sing one stanza of Savior of the Nations, Come and it’s followed by a reading. After the reading, we all stand to sing a hymn.

I also have to say a word about carols. The definition of what is a carol has changed over hundreds of years. Early carols were secular in nature and often involved dance rhythms. Even the religious ones were never sung in church.

But today, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, even though it’s based on chant, is generally considered a Christmas carol.  The songs we sing today are rightly called “Christmas hymns,” rather than “Christmas carols.”

Today we use a very loose interpretation of the word “carol.” Whether we call them hymns or carols, let us sing with gusto and full hearts, for Jesus has come, and is coming again.

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm der Heiden Heiland) setting, Jacob Weber

 

LESSONS AND CAROLS

Isaiah 40:1-11 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Picardy) ELW 490

Isaiah 7:10-15 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros) ELW 272

Galatians 4:1-7 He Came Down ELW 253

1 Corinthians 15:12-26 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Jefferson) ELW 254

Micah 5:2-4 Once in Royal David’s City (Irby) ELW 269

Baruch 4:36-5:9 O Come, Divine Messiah (Veni, divin messie)

The final hymn is not in ELW. I learned it a few years ago while performing with RareSong. We sang a concert of music that French and Spanish colonists may have sung when Fort Caroline and the city of St. Augustine were founded. In published form, this French carol dates at least to the 1600s. I was determined to add it to our modern repertoire and began looking for sources. I was happy to discover our Roman Catholic siblings in faith have been singing it all along!

I  have the privilege of performing with this group of musicians
called RareSong. We perform Renaissance and Medieval music -
basically anything before the Baroque era.

MUSICAL OFFERING Hail to the Lord’s Anointed Thomas Keesecker

COMMUNION HYMN O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Emmanuel) ELW 270

SENDING HYMN Prepare the Royal Highway (Bereden vag for Herren) ELW 264

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Prelude and Chorale on “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding” (Merton) Kevin Hildebrand / William H. Monk

Gifts have already begun to gather
around the tree in Hart Hall for our Birthday 
for Christ celebration.

BIRTHDAY FOR CHRIST

Today’s service also includes our annual “Birthday for Christ” procession. A long-standing tradition at St. Mark’s (nobody knows exactly when it started), gifts from our congregation help to brighten the holidays for children who are homeless or under protective custody. A series of Christmas carols, a verse for each month of the year, is sung while the assembly brings their gifts forward.

sources:
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Augsburg Fortress)
Hymnary.org
Wikipedia
The Book of Occasional Services (Church Publishing, Inc.)

Year C Music for the Second Sunday of Advent: December 5, 2021

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Meditation on “Picardy”

arr. Barbara Werner

A handbell arrangement of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” played by the St. Mark’s Ringers.

GATHERING HYMN On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry (Puer Nobis)

ELW 249

 

HYMN OF THE DAY Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Suo Gan)

The music is a Welsh tune with a text by Mark Sedio.

 

MUSICAL OFFERING Advent Canticle

Lloyd Larson

 

MUSIC DURING COMMUNION Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Suo Gan)

This piano arrangement, also by Mark Sedio, is a nice complement to the Hymn of the Day.

 

SENDING HYMN Hark the Glad Sound (Chesterfield)

ELW 239

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry (Puer Nobis)

setting, Michael D. Costello

Year C Music for the First Sunday of Advent: 11/28/2021

 

WELCOME TO ADVENT

One of the ways we mark a new liturgical season is by changing our musical setting of Holy Communion. This year I’ve drawn newer music from a variety of sources and styles – except for the sung parts of the Great Thanksgiving which come from setting 5.

MUSIC FOR THE GATHERING

Each week the Holy Spirit gathers God’s people together for worship. After the announcements we follow a gathering rite. This year our Advent gathering rite includes Confession and Forgiveness, a Kyrie, lighting the Advent wreath, and the Prayer of the Day. Here is some information about the musical elements of the rite.

 

Kyrie

This prayer of the church has been with us since ancient times. We typically use a modern English version that includes petitions specific to gathering, but this year we sing a version of its most basic form: Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. (Lord have mercy. Christ has mercy. Lord have mercy.) The Greek text harkens back to the early days of the Roman mass. 

In former years, the church observed Advent as a penitential season and this Kyrie reflects that. Written by Ghanaian composer Dinah Reindorf (b. 1927), it is to be sung legato (smoothly) in a penitential, bluesy style. 

We Are Waiting

We light the candles of the Advent wreath between two stanzas of a new hymn by John Helgen (b. 1957). In the third phrase of the first stanza, we ask Jesus, “sun of justice,” to shine upon us. Christians see Jesus in the words of Malachi 4:2.

 

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.

 

The Advent Wreath at St. Mark's lit
for the fourth Sunday of Advent.

This is a foreshadowing of Christmas Eve when we will sing Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness! 

We Are Waiting is included in Augsburg Fortress’ new hymn resource All Creation Sings.

MUSIC FOR THE WORD

After the Gathering rite, we hear and proclaim God’s word.

An important piece of this part of our worship is the gospel acclamation, which we sing while standing. Through joining our voices in song, we welcome the gospel and proclaim it together.

 

Our sung acclamation is by Daniel E. Schwandt and comes from his Mass for Immanuel. This Alleluia is in echo form. A cantor sings the first line and the assembly repeats it. We hear the proper gospel verse, and then repeat both parts of the Alleluia.

 

NEW MUSIC FOR THE MEAL

After the Word, we move into the Meal portion of our service, which includes the offering. After the offering we sing another hymn found in All Creation Sings.

 

When a Star is Shining

Bob Moore (b. 1962) is a composer who lives in Jacksonville. He loves to set texts by Sylvia Dunstan (1955-1993). (We often sing his tune Grace Eternal with her text All who hunger, gather gladly.) Singing about the star in the east may seem more suitable for Epiphany since it recalls the magi and their famous gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; but it is suitable to remember their gifts as we bring our own.

 

 

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Emmanuel)

setting, Charles Callahan

If you were holding a contest to name the most popular Advent hymn, this one would be at the top of the list.

The original form, dating from the eighth century, contained antiphons sung at Evening Prayer during the last days of Advent from December 17^th through December 23^rd. The antiphons made up an acrostic that, when read backwards, spelled ero cras – I will be tomorrow.

 

Many hymnals have a condensed version of the text, but ELW features all the antiphons and gives instructions for singing them. (ELW 257)

 

The tune we sing is probably not as old as the text. Mary Berry (also known as Sister Thomas More), traced the melody to a 15^th century procession used by Franciscan nuns during a funeral liturgy. It may have started as funeral music, but the tune is as hopeful as it is mournful and complements this Advent text nicely.

GATHERING HYMN Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers (Haf trones lämpa fardig) ELW 244

 

HYMN OF THE DAY Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying (Wachet auf) ELW 436

 

MUSICAL OFFERING Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland)

setting, Nancy M. Raabe

Nancy Raabe has arranged this classic Advent hymn in the form of a motet. Motets are sacred pieces of vocal music, usually sung a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).

 

COMMUNION HYMN O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (Wie soll ich dich empfangen) ELW 241

 

SENDING HYMN Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding (Merton) ELW 246

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Fanfare on “Helmsley” (Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending)

setting, Karl Osterland

See the text and tune at ELW 435.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Sundaysandseasons.com

Music for Christ the King / Reign of Christ: November 21, 2021

 A Note from Cantor Tony Cruz
Hello all, I am on vacation again this week and am happy to let you know that Jane Daugherty will be my substitute again.  I'll see you next week for the First Sunday of Advent!

OPENING VOLUNTARY

Adagio in G Minor                                                   Tomaso Albinoni

 

GATHERING HYMN ELW 408

Come, Thou Almighty King                          ITALIAN HYMN

 

HYMN OF THE DAY  ELW 416

At the Name of Jesus                                KING’S WESTON

 

MUSICAL OFFERING

Beautiful Savior                                              Healey Willan

 

COMMUNION HYMNS

Beautiful Savior ELW 838                                                         SCHÖNSTER HERR JESU

What Feast of Love ELW 487                                                                  GREENSLEEVES

 

SENDING HYMN ELW 434

Jesus Shall Reign                                                                                          DUKE STREET

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise setting, Michael Burkhardt