December 13, 2015 - Advent 3

Each week, you may find information here about the music in the traditional worship services at First United Methodist Church in Lewisville, Texas.  Some of this information is original; much of it is "borrowed" from other sources such as Wikipedia, GBOD, and hymnary.org.  It is my hope that this information will enhance your understanding and enrich your worship experience.  

About the Organ Music:

Arioso on a German Carol – Alice Jordan

"Still, still, still" is an Austrian Christmas carol and lullaby. In German its first line is "Still, still, still, weil's Kindlein schlafen will!" ("Hush, hush, hush, for the little child wants to sleep!")  The melody is a folk tune (authorship unknown) from the State of Salzburg. The tune appeared for the first time in 1865 in a folksong collection of Maria Vinzenz Süß (1802–1868), founder of the Salzburg Museum. The words, which run to six verses in German, describe the peace of the infant Jesus and his mother as the baby is sung to sleep. They have changed slightly over the years but the modern Standard German version remains attributed to Georg Götsch (1895–1956).

Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed,
The world is sleeping,
Holy Star its vigil keeping.
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,
'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes,
Let sleep surround you.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number,
Watch you as you sweetly slumber.
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come

Alice Jordan (1916-2011) is known for her widely published choral and organ compositions which are regularly used in churches, schools and colleges in this country and abroad. Some of her compositions have won recognition in national competition.  She was the recipient of over 40 commissions from across the United States.

Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her – Johann Pachelbel

"Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her" ("From Heaven Above to Earth I Come") was written by Martin Luther in 1534. The hymn is most often sung to a melody that first appeared in 1539 and was likely composed by Luther as well. It became a classic Christmas carol, and many composers have written setting of it.  "Vom Himmel hoch" was first published as a hymn with 15 stanzas of four lines in the "Wittenberg hymnal" of 1535, under the header "Ein kinderlied auff die Weinacht Christi" ("A children's song on the Nativity of Christ").  The song is an interpretation of Luke 2:8–18, a part of the Christmas story. The first five stanzas echo the annunciation addressed to the shepherds. The following stanzas are an invitation to follow the shepherds to the manger and celebrate the newborn baby. The last stanza is a short doxology and mentions the new year, as a new, peaceful time. From heaven above to earth I come To bear good news to every home; Glad tidings of great joy I bring Whereof I now will say and sing: To you this night is born a child Of Mary, chosen mother mild; This little child, of lowly birth, Shall be the joy of all your earth. 'Tis Christ our God who far on high Hath heard your sad and bitter cry; Himself will your Salvation be, Himself from sin will make you free. He brings those blessings, long ago Prepared by God for all below; Henceforth His kingdom open stands To you, as to the angel bands. These are the tokens ye shall mark, The swaddling clothes and manger dark; There shall ye find the young child laid, By whom the heavens and earth were made. Now let us all with gladsome cheer Follow the shepherds, and draw near To see this wondrous gift of God Who hath His only Son bestowed. Give heed, my heart, lift up thine eyes! Who is it in yon manger lies? Who is this child so young and fair? The blessed Christ-child lieth there. Welcome to earth, Thou noble guest, Through whom e'en wicked men are blest! Thou com'st to share our misery, What can we render, Lord, to Thee! Ah, Lord, who hast created all, How hast Thou made Thee weak and small, That Thou must choose Thy infant bed Where ass and ox but lately fed! Were earth a thousand times as fair, Beset with gold and jewels rare, She yet were far too poor to be A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee. For velvets soft and silken stuff Thou hast but hay and straw so rough, Whereon Thou King, so rich and great, As 'twere Thy heaven, art throned in state. Thus hath it pleased Thee to make plain The truth to us poor fools and vain, That this world's honour, wealth and might Are nought and worthless in Thy sight. Ah! dearest Jesus, Holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, Within my heart, that it may be A quiet chamber kept for Thee. My heart for very joy doth leap, My lips no more can silence keep; I too must sing with joyful tongue That sweetest ancient cradle-song. Glory to God in highest heaven, Who unto man His Son hath given! While angels sing with pious mirth A glad New Year to all the earth. Johann Pachelbel (1653 – 1706)  was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era. Pachelbel's music enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime; he had many pupils and his music became a model for the composers of south and central Germany. Today, Pachelbel is best known for the Canon in D, as well as the Chaconne in F minor, the Toccata in E minor for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of keyboard variations. About the Choral Music: Sing Jubilate Deo – Jerry Estes           Souled Out Youth Choir Jerry Estes has taught for over 34 years, and is currently the vocal music teacher at John Burroughs School in St. Louis.  He earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Southwest Baptist University, and a Master of Music Degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.  Jerry began writing choral music over 25 years ago, and now has over 180 songs, books, and musicals in print.              Sing Jubilate Deo.  (Sing Praise to God)             Come and rejoice with gladness.             Sing Jubilate Deo, come sing a joyful song!             How can my heart keep silent when there is music in my soul?             We will rejoice and let the praises flow.             We have a vision; we have a dream;             We have a common goal. About the Handbell Music: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming – Michael Praetorius           Tintinnabulators "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" ("A rose has sprung up"), most commonly translated to English as "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" or "A Spotless Rose", is a Christmas carol and Marian Hymn of German origin.  The text is thought to be penned by an anonymous author, and the piece first appeared in print in the late 16th century.  The English translation "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" was written by Theodore Baker in 1894.  This German carol from the Rhineland region combines the story of Luke 1-2 and Matthew 2 with Isaiah's prophecies about the "rose" from the "stem of Jesse " (Isa. 11:1; 35:1-2). "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen," may date to the fifteenth century. However, the earliest manuscript containing the text, found in St. Alban's Carthusian monastery in Trier and preserved in the Trier municipal library, is dated around 1580. It was first published with twenty-three stanzas in Alte catholische geistliche Kirchengesiinge (Cologne, 1599). Originally stanza 2 interpreted the "rose" as being Mary, mother of Jesus, but in Musae Sionae (1609) Michael Praetorius changed the interpretation to point to Christ as the rose in accord with actual biblical imagery. Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist.  He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to improve the relationship between Protestants and Catholics.  After receiving his musical education, from 1587 he served as organist at the Marienkirche in Frankfurt.  From 1592/3 he served at the court in Wolfenbüttel, under the employ of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.  He served in the duke's State Orchestra, first as organist and later as Kapellmeister. His first compositions appeared around 1602/3.  The motets of this collection were the first in Germany to make use of the new Italian performance practices; as a result, they established him as a proficient composer. The nine parts of his Musae Sioniae (1605–10) and the 1611 published collections of liturgical music (masses, hymns, magnificats) follow the German Protestant chorale style. From 1613 until his death, Praetorius was employed by the court in Dresden, where he was declared Kapellmeister von Haus aus and worked with Heinrich Schütz.  Michael Praetorius died on his 50th birthday, in Wolfenbüttel, Germany,  and is entombed in a vault beneath the organ of the Marienkirche there. Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung. It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter, When half spent was the night. Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind; Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind. To show God's love aright, she bore to us a Savior, When half spent was the night. The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright, How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night. To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger they found Him, As angel heralds said. This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air, Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere; True man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us, And lightens every load. O Holy Night – Kevin McChesney           Tintinnabulators Placide Cappeau (1808-1877) was the commissionaire of wines in Roquemaure, a small French town.  He was known for his fine poetry.  At the end of the year 1843, the church organ was recently renovated. To celebrate the event, the parish priest asked Cappeau to write a Christmas poem. In a dusty coach travelling to Paris, Placide Cappeau considered the priest's request. Using the gospel of Luke as his guide, Cappeau imagined witnessing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Thoughts of being present on the blessed night inspired him. By the time he arrived in Paris, “Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) had been completed.  Adolphe Adam set the poem to music in 1847 and titled it "O Holy Night" ("Cantique de Noël").  The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey. O holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining ‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new glorious morn. Fall on your knees.  O hear the angels' voices. O night divine, O night when Christ was born.  Kevin McChesney (b. 1963) graduated with highest honors from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BMus in Composition and Theory. A composer and arranger of handbell music, Kevin currently has nearly 1000 titles in print and is one of the very few musicians who makes handbells a full-time vocation. He has won numerous awards for his work, including winning American Guild of English Handbell Ringers Composition Contests and Jeffers Composer of the Year.  He is Music Director of the Pikes Peak Ringers and his work with that organization for over 20 years has brought them to national prominence, including a recording with world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Kevin is also Music Director of the Atlanta Concert Ringers. About the Hymns: Angels from the Realms of Glory This hymn was written by James Montgomery (1771-1854), who was born in Scotland of Irish parents.  His father, John Montgomery, was a Moravian pastor - apparently the only Moravian pastor serving in Scotland at the time. James Montgomery was just six years old when heard of the death of both his parents who had been in Barbados on a missionary trip. He spent the remainder of his childhood being raised within the school system in Ireland, where he did not excel academically. As a teenager, James was placed in an apprenticeship position to a baker. He grew frustrated with that position and so ran away to Sheffield, England. There he took on various jobs to support himself, while trying to find his niche. In his early 20s, James was hired to work for a politically active newspaper, the Sheffield Register. James found that he loved to write, and that he was good at it. When the owner of the paper had to flee the country in order to avoid imprisonment, James purchased the newspaper, after which he himself was imprisoned twice for political articles that did not sit well with the governing authorities. Throughout all his ups and downs, James remained a devout Christian. He remembered well the lessons taught to him by his missionary parents. He chose to follow in their footsteps and to champion the cause of Christ. His newspaper was his pulpit to speak out against social and moral injustice. And in that same paper he published his original hymns of praise. Angels From the Realms of Glory appeared in print on Christmas Eve, 1816. The tune associated with this hymn is "Regent Square", written by Henry Smart (1813-1879), an English organist and composer, in 1867.  Smart named the tune after the Regent Square Presbyterian Church in London.  Smart was quite influential in persuading the Anglican Church to adopt congregational singing of hymns.  Luther (1483-1546) had introduced congregational singing much earlier in Germany, and had even written a number of hymns.  Isaac Watts (1674-1748) had written hundreds of hymns and had popularized hymn singing in non-conforming English churches. Charles Wesley (1707-1788) had done the same for Methodist Churches.  The Anglican Church, however, resisted hymn singing until quite late.  But Smart was a man of substantial energy and reputation, and was able to turn the tide and to persuade the Anglican Church to adopt hymn singing. O Little Town of Bethlehem “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a popular Christmas carol. The text was written by Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest, Rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia. He was inspired by visiting the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in 1865. “After an early dinner, we took our horses and rode to Bethlehem,” he wrote home in Christmas week of 1865. “It was only about two hours when we came to the town, situated on an eastern ridge of a range of hills, surrounded by its terraced gardens. It is a good-looking town, better built than any other we have seen in Palestine. . . . Before dark, we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star. It is a fenced piece of ground with a cave in it (all the Holy Places are caves here), in which, strangely enough, they put the shepherds. The story is absurd, but somewhere in those fields we rode through the shepherds must have been. . . . As we passed, the shepherds were still “keeping watch over their flocks or leading them home to fold.” Three years later, he wrote the poem for his church and his organist, Lewis Redner, added the music. O Come All Ye Faithful The original text  of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” has been from attributed to various groups and individuals, including St. Bonaventure in the 13th century or King John IV of Portugal in the 17th, though it was more commonly believed that the text was written by an order of monks, the Cistercian, German, Portuguese and Spanish orders having, at various times, been given credit. The original text consisted of four Latin verses, and it was with these that the hymn was originally published. John Francis Wade (1711=1786) had written the hymn in Latin in 1744, and was first published in 1751. The Abbé Jean-François-Étienne Borderies wrote an additional three verses in the 18th century; these are normally printed as the third to fifth of seven verses, while another, anonymous, additional Latin verse is rarely printed. The text has been translated innumerable times, but the most used version today is the English "O Come, All Ye Faithful". This is a combination of one of Frederick Oakeley's translations of the original four verses and William Thomas Brooke's of the three additional ones, which was first published in Murray's Hymnal in 1852. Oakeley originally titled the song “Ye Faithful, approach ye” when it was sung at his Margaret Church in Marylebone before it was altered to its current form.