April 10, 2016

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.  

A sermon series begins on "Hard Questions" submitted by the congregation.  This week, the question is, "Is God still good when life is bad?"

About the Organ Music:

Thine is the Glory – Lani Smith

The tune of Thine Be the Glory, Risen Conquering Son (French: À toi la gloire O Ressuscité), also titled Thine Is the Glory, was written by Handel in 1747, intended for use in Handel's Joshua oratorio; however, when it was played, it was popular enough that Handel added it to Judas Maccabaeus. In 1796, Ludwig Van Beethoven composed twelve variations on it for both piano and cello.

In 1884, Swiss writer Edmond L. Budry (1854–1932) used Handel's tune and wrote words for them, which he titled "A Toi la Gloire." It is reported that he was inspired to write it after the death of his first wife, Marie de Vayenborg in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was later published in French hymn book, Chants Evangéliques. The hymn was first translated from French into English by Richard B. Hoyle in 1923. He was commissioned to translate the hymn by the World Student Christian Federation after Budry granted authorization to reproduce it from the French version. It was later published in the World Student Christian Federation's hymn book, Cantate Domino Hymnal. World Student Christian Federation retains copyright on Hoyle's English translation. The hymn is based on the Resurrection of Jesus and uses elements of Isaiah 25:8.

Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son;
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won!
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.

Lo, Jesus meets thee, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee, scatters fear and gloom;
let his church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting!

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above.

Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son;
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won!

Lani Smith (b. 1934) is an organist best known for his church music compositions. He has been composing for nearly fifty years, and his compositions include choral, organ and piano pieces. He is a regular contributor to the Lorenz Corporation’s keyboard magazines The Church Pianist, The Organist, The Organ Portfolio, and The Sacred Organ Journal, as well as the choral magazines The SAB Choir and The Volunteer Choir.  He served as an editor, composer, and arranger on the Lorenz Publishing editorial staff between 1967 and 1982. During this time, he received composing and arranging credits for over 1000 works.

About the Instrumental Music:

Let Evening Come, from Lyric Trio for Trumpet, Cello, and Piano – Carson

          Cooman

Lyric Trio for Trumpet, Cello, and Piano (2007) was commissioned by The Commission Project of Rochester, New York.  The work is cast in six movements. The spirit behind the work is one of an “American travelogue”—with each movement taking inspiration, colors, and rhythms from sounds and landscapes throughout America. In many cases, the inspirations are not single specific places, but “types” of places that can be found in many locales. They are thus not labeled specifically, for the spirit of contemplation is more general.  The overall tone throughout is one of singing lyricism—a sense of “songs without words” pervades much of the writing. Melodic lyricism takes all sorts of forms in this work, ranging from long-breathed melodies to shorter, more fragmentary ones.

Let Evening Come takes its title from a poem of American poet Jane Kenyon (1947–1995). A spirit of lyrical acceptance in the midst of a vivid landscape pervades this movement, which draws the work to a contemplative, yet affirmative close.

Carson Cooman (b. 1982; Rochester, New York) is an American composer with a catalog of hundreds of works in many forms—from solo instrumental pieces to operas, and from orchestral works to hymn tunes. His music has been performed on all six inhabited continents in venues that range from the stage of Carnegie Hall to the basket of a hot air balloon.  Since 2006, Cooman has held the position of Composer in Residence at The Memorial Church, Harvard University. From 2008-11, he also served as Composer in Residence to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 2015, he has been Organ Editor for Lorenz Publishing Company.  Cooman’s musicology studies and writings have focused primarily on contemporary American and Australian composers. He served as editor of Living Music Journal from 2005-09 and is a staff critic for American Recorder and Fanfare magazines. He has edited organ publications for various publishers (including Boosey & Hawkes and Oxford University Press) and was editorial director for over 300 organ, choral, and hymn publications for Zimbel Press.

            Let Evening Come – Jane Kenyon

            Let the light of late afternoon shine through chinks in the barn,

            moving up the bales as the sun moves down.

            Let the cricket take up chafing as a woman takes up her needles

            and her yarn.  Let evening come.

           

            Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned in long grass.

            Let the stars appear and the moon disclose her silver horn.

            Let the fox go back to its shady den.  Let the wind die down.

            Let the shed go black inside.  Let evening come.

            To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop in the oats,

            to air in the lung let evening come.

            Let it come, as it will, and don’t be afraid.

            God does not leave us comfortless, so let evening come.

About the Choral Music:

Lift High the Cross – Lani Smith

George W. Kitchin (1827-1912) wrote the original version of this text in 1887 for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The hymn was intended to be used for a festival service at Winchester Cathedral, England. Michael R. Newbolt (1874-1956) revised the text for the 1916 Supplement to Hymns Ancient and Modern.  Sir Sydney H. Nicholson (1875-1947) composed the tune “Crucifer” for the text as revised by Newbolt. The tune name means "cross-bearer" and refers to one who carries the cross in a liturgical procession.  Often considered Nicholson's finest tune, “Crucifer” has broad melodic gestures and an effective cadence to the stanzas, which leads right back into the refrain without interruption, pause, or slowing down. Perhaps similar to Constantine's vision of Christ's cross, this text makes clear that the cross is a symbol of Christ's love.

Lani Smith (b. 1934) is an organist best known for his church music compositions. He has been composing for nearly fifty years, and his compositions include choral, organ and piano pieces. He is a regular contributor to the Lorenz Corporation’s keyboard magazines The Church Pianist, The Organist, The Organ Portfolio, and The Sacred Organ Journal, as well as the choral magazines The SAB Choir and The Volunteer Choir.  He served as an editor, composer, and arranger on the Lorenz Publishing editorial staff between 1967 and 1982. During this time, he received composing and arranging credits for over 1000 works.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Come, Christians, follow where our captain trod, Our King victorious, Christ, the Son of God.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign, The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

All newborn soldiers of the Crucified Bear on their brow the seal of Him who died.

So shall our song of triumph ever be: Praise to the Crucified for victory!

            Amen! Alleluia

The Storm is Passing Over – Barbara Baker

Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) was born in Berlin, Maryland; son of a slave father and a free mother. In his Book of Sermons (1932), he speaks of being “hired out” as a young boy, “wherever father could place me.” He married Daisy Henry when he was seventeen. Together they had eight children, some of whom would later assist him with the publication of his hymns.  Tindley was largely self-taught throughout his lifetime. He learned to read mostly on his own. In 1875, he took correspondence courses toward becoming a Methodist minister. He did this while working as a sexton (building caretaker) for the East Bainbridge Street Church. Beginning in 1885, he was appointed by the local bishop to serve two or three-year terms at a series of churches, until coming full circle to become pastor at East Bainbridge in 1902. Under his leadership, the church grew rapidly. They relocated in 1904 to the East Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, then again in 1924 to the new Tindley Temple, where the membership roll blossomed to about ten thousand.  Tindley was known for being a captivating preacher, and for also taking an active role in the betterment of the people in his community. His songs were an outgrowth of his preaching ministry, often introduced during his sermons. Tindley was able to draw people of multiple races to his church ministry; likewise, his songs have been adopted and proliferated by white and black churches alike.  The songs of Charles Tindley were published cumulatively in two editions of Soul Echoes (1905, 1909) and six editions of New Songs of Paradise (1916-1941).

"The storm is passing over" was originally published as a hymn in Charles Tindley's Soul Echoes (1905). It did not gain significant popularity until it was adapted as a gospel choir arrangement by Donald Vails, as recorded on his album Yesterday, Today, and Forever (1985). This arrangement has largely superceded Tindley's original hymn in terms of usage and performance.

Dr. Barbara Baker is an active teacher, arranger, and clinician with a nationally recognized reputation.  She currently directs choral ensembles at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, as well as the Gospel Choir at the Colesville United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. She is the recipient of the Maryland Award for Excellence.

            Have courage my soul and let us journey on though the night is dark,

            And I am far from home.  Thanks be to God, the morning light appears.

            The storm is passing over.  Hallelu.

About the Hymns:

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

William Williams (1717-1791) is considered by many to be the father of Welsh hymnody.  In 1738, Williams heard a sermon by the revivalist preacher Howell Harris, a fiery Welsh layman who had been influenced by the Methodist movement in England. It was through this sermon that Williams discerned his calling to go into the ministry.  Williams first pursued becoming an Anglican priest (in the Church of Wales) and entered as a deacon in 1740. However, he soon came to discover that his heart was with Harris and his itinerant work, and before long he left his small curacy in the mountains to join with the traveling Methodist preachers.

The revivalists realized that the Welsh language was lacking in hymns—the church in Wales was still primarily singing metrical psalms in their worship services. In order to promote the creation of hymns, Harris put together a hymn-writing competition between the different preachers.  As Louis Benson relates, “the prize fell easily to Williams Williams, who had the poet’s passion and a gift of verse-writing. Therefore it was not very long before he was recognized as poet laureate of the Welsh revival.”

Williams would go on to write many hymns in both Welsh and English. “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” appeared in Welsh in 1745. Twenty six years later, in 1771, a Rev. Peter Williams translated the first verse into English, prompting William Williams to translate the rest of it into English as well.  It is fitting that Williams should be the author of a hymn about the Christian’s pilgrimage on earth since as a traveling Methodist preacher, he was a pilgrim in both the spiritual and physical sense.

Williams made an extraordinary record as an itinerant evangelist. He took the whole of Wales for his parish. His travels for forty-three years are said to make an average of 2230 miles a year, at a time when there were no railroads and few stage-coaches. In this way the greater part of Williams’ life was spent, not in a preacher’s study, but in the great world of out of doors. 

He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought

Although Joseph Gilmore (1834-1918) became a distinguished university and seminary professor, an author of several textbooks in Hebrew and English literature, and a respected Baptist minister, he is best remembered today for this one hymn, hurriedly written when he was just twenty-eight. Gilmore scribbled down these lines in 1862, while visiting with friends after preaching about the truths of the 23^rd Psalm at the Wednesday evening service of the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia. He left this account:

At the close of the service we adjourned to Deacon Watson’s pleasant home, where we were being entertained. During our conversation the blessedness of God’s leading so grew upon me that I took out my pencil, wrote the text just as it stands today, handed it to my wife, and thought no more of it.

Without telling her husband, Mrs. Gilmore sent the verses to the “Watchman and Reflector Magazine”, where it first appeared the following year. Three years later Joseph Gilmore went to Rochester, New York, as a candidate to become the pastor of Second Baptist Church. He recalls:

Upon entering the chapel I took up a hymnal, thinking—I wonder what they sing here. To my amazement the book opened up at “He Leadeth Me,” and that was the first time I knew that my hurriedly written lines had found a place among the songs of the church.

William Bradbury, an important American contributor to early gospel hymnody, added two additional lines to the chorus: “His faithful foll’wer I would be, for by His hand He leadeth me.”

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” was published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman.  Elisha Hoffman (1839-1929) after graduating from Union Seminary in Pennsylvania was ordained in 1868. As a minister he was appointed to the circuit in Napoleon, Ohio in 1872. He worked with the Evangelical Association's publishing arm in Cleveland for eleven years. He served in many chapels and churches in Cleveland and in Grafton in the 1880s, among them Bethel Home for Sailors and Seamen, Chestnut Ridge Union Chapel, Grace Congregational Church and Rockport Congregational Church. In his lifetime he wrote more than 2,000 gospel songs including "Leaning on the everlasting arms" (1894). The fifty song books he edited include Pentecostal Hymns No. 1 and The Evergreen, 1873.

Anthony J. Showalter received letters from two friends who had lost their wives about the same time. He wrote back to express his sympathy, and included a verse of Scripture: “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV). As he thought about that text, he wrote the music and refrain to this hymn. He asked Elisha Hoffman to write the stanzas. The hymn was first published in 1887 in The Glad Evangel for Revival, Camp, and Evangelistic Meetings, for which Showalter was an editor.  The text has three stanzas and a refrain. The theme of the text is the peace that comes from knowing that God will protect us, and how that knowledge removes our fears.