September 11, 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.  

Today, we honor our first responders and remember Sept. 11, 2001

About the Organ Music:

Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy, Lord – Barnard Wayne Sanders

Da pacem Domine (Give peace, Lord) is the incipit of two different Latin texts, a hymn and an introit. The text is a 6th or 7th-century hymn based on biblical verses 2 Kings 20:19, 2 Chronicles 20:12,15 and Psalms 72:6-7. Both have been the base for compositions to be used in church liturgy, beginning with chant. Paraphrased versions of the hymn were created by Martin Luther in German in 1524, Verleih uns Frieden, also frequently set by composers. In English, the hymn entered the Book of Common Prayer, Give peace in our time, O Lord.

Martin Luther (1483- 1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. He studied at the University of Erfurt, became an Augustinian monk, and was appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg.  Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money, proposing an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.

Luther taught that salvation and, subsequently, eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority and office of the Pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God and opposed  sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with these, and all of Luther's wider teachings, are called Lutherans, though Luther insisted on Christian or Evangelical as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible to the laity, an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the writing of an English translation, the Tyndale Bible. His hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches. He published 9 hymnals, containing both original texts and adaptations of Latin texts.

In the aftermath of both 9/11 and the devastating hurricane Katrina, television reports and newspaper articles featured those who had lost trust, who had lost faith in God because of these events.  If there even is a God, they opined, those catastrophic events proved either that God is not all powerful or that God just does not care.  In either case, God is not to be trusted.  Martin Luther’s hymn, “Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich”, is a prayer, even a plea for patience, for trust, for the ability and the endurance to wait for the Lord, even when there is no sign that prayers may be answered, when the Lord’s arrival is a long, undetermined way off.  This radical sort of trust is hard enough to generate but so much harder to sustain in difficult times. 

Grant peace, we pray, in mercy, Lord; Peace in our time, oh send us!
For there is none on earth but you, none other to defend us. 

You only, Lord, can fight for us.

Bernard Wayne Sanders (b. 1957) was born in DePere, Wisconsin and was educated at St. Norbert College, Wichita State University, and the Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg, Germany. Sanders has been an active church musician in Germany since 1974, currently serving parishes in the Tuttlingen area as music director and official diocesan organ consultant. As a composer, he has published many works and composed the award‑winning piece Ornament of Grace, sponsored by the American Guild of Organists as part of a performance by organists worldwide in 2008. Sanders wrote this setting of “Grant Peace, We Pray” to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of 9/11.

Conditor alme siderum – Sam Batt Owens

Plainsong hymns represent some of the older selections in the United Methodist Hymnal. The texts often come from devotional as well as liturgical sources.  Historically, plainsong was the province of the choir only. This distinctive style was sung in monastic settings by monks who observed the offices of daily prayer. Originally the rhythm is free in style, unaccompanied, sung in Latin and performed with the melody only.  The liturgical renewal movement had its roots in the 19th century. This scholarly movement included the revival of medieval liturgical forms, especially plainsong. The movement was given an extra impetus in the early 20th century by Pope Pius X with his motu proprio on church music (1903).  A motu proprio is a letter from a pope to the entire church on a specific subject chosen by the pope. Pius X’s letter encouraged a return to the musical aesthetics of earlier centuries, especially plainsong-based music. A number of monasteries participated in the revival of plainsong, the most famous of which was the Benedictine Abbey of St. Solesmes in France.  This has led to the inclusion of plainsong hymns in more recent hymnals, though their performance is not only for choirs, but also for congregations. The UM Hymnal contains several plainsong hymns, the most familiar being the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (No. 211) with the Latin tune name VENI EMMANUEL, the first two words of the original Latin text.

“Creator of the Stars of Night” was originally written as an evening hymn for Advent somewhere between the 7th and 9th centuries. The original version was modified by Pope Urban VIII to fit classical Latin meters in preparation for the Roman Breviary, 1632. As a result of this revision, only one line from the original Latin hymn was included in its revised form.  The text was originally translated in English by John Mason Neale, a 19th-century translator, from the Latin Conditor alme siderum as found in the Sarum Breviary, an 11th-century rite from Salisbury.  The plainsong melody is singable and beautiful. Unlike many plainsong hymns, this one is syllabic—one syllable to one note of music, making it easy to learn. A connection to Advent is strongly implied in the text, and the hymn ties 21st-century Christians to believers over 1,000 years ago. “Creator of the Stars of Night” deserves to be sung more and bring the witness of the saints to our generation.

Creator of the stars of night, Thy people's everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all, and hear Thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe,
hast found the medicine, full of grace, to save and heal a ruined race.

Thou camest, the Bridegroom of the Bride, as drew the world to evening tide,
proceeding from a virgin shrine, the spotless Victim all divine.

At whose dread Name, majestic now, all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
and things celestial Thee shall own, and things terrestrial Lord alone.

O Thou whose coming is with dread, to judge and doom the quick and dead,
preserve us, while we dwell below, from every insult of the foe.

To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One,
laud, honor, might, and glory be from age to age eternally. Amen.

Sam Batt Owens (1928-1998) enjoyed a long career as a well-known organist, composer, and church musician. He received a B. Mus. in organ performance, from the Birmingham Conservatory of Music, a M. Mus. in organ performance and composition from Birmingham- Southern College, and a D.M.A. in organ performance and musicology from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University.  Owens taught at Birmingham Conservatory of Music, Birmingham Southern College, Vanderbilt University, Fisk University, Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School, and Christ School for Boys in Arden, N.C. He held his fIrst position as an organist at age 12, and began solo organ performances at age 16. He wrote more than 200 choral, organ, instrumental and solo vocal compositions. He was one of the Episcopal Church's leading musicians. He was President of the Association of Anglican Musicians from 1989-1991. In 1996, he had left his position at St. Andrew's on-the-Sound in Wilmington, N.C., to become a consultant for parishes and dioceses in artistic matters and a crusader for fair compensation and recognition of church musicians. In his later years he taught congregations in smaller parishes how to be full participants in corporate worship, presenting "music in liturgy and how music upholds and supports corporate worship."

Rise, Shine, You People – David Cherwein

Ronald Allan Klug (b. 1939) was educated at Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota. He taught at St. Matthew Lutheran School, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; performed graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; was an advertising copyrighter at Concordia Publishing House; was an editor at Augsburg Publishing House; and taught English at the American School, Fort Dauphin, Madagascar.  He wrote “Rise, Shine, You People!” in 1973.

            Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered

our human story; God in him is centered. 

Christ comes to us, by death and sin surrounded, with grace unbounded.

See how he sends the powers of evil reeling,

and brings us freedom, light and life and healing.

All men and women, who by guilt are driven, now are forgiven.

Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,

Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.

To all the world go out and tell the story of Jesus’ glory

Tell how the Father sent his Son to save us.

Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.

Tell how the Spirit calls from every nation God’s new creation.

Dr. David Cherwien (b. 1957) is currently serving as Director of Music at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN, and in 2002 was appointed Music Director for the National Lutheran Choir, also based in the Twin Cities. He has also held full time parish music positions in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Chicago, Seattle, and Berlin.  He completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance, and the Master of Arts degree in Theory and Composition, both from the University of Minnesota. His undergraduate work was in organ performance and music education at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, where he was honored as distinguished alumni in the fall of 2000.

About the Choral Music:

Fairest Lord Jesus – Craig Courtney

“Beautiful Savior” is thought to have originated as early as 1607, possibly written by German Jesuits, and called “Schön­ster Herr Je­su“. It first appeared in print in 1677, in the Mün­ster Ge­sang­buch, with author unknown. It was translated and the fourth stanza was added by Lutheran pastor and theologian, Joseph A. Seiss in 1873.  Originally this song was most likely sung to a Gregorian Chant by the Jesuit monks. The music that was most popular with 17th Century German peasants was a tune from an ancient Silesian folk song.  The tune and the German text were printed together for the first time in 1842 by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben and Ernst Richter under the name “Schönster Herr Jesu” (Most beautiful Lord Jesus). In 1850 the Danish hymnwriter B. S. Ingemann wrote “Dejlig Er Jorden”, which he set to the same melody. An English translation by Jens C. Aaberg was published as “Fair Is Creation”.  Apart from their musical setting, the Danish and German lyrics are unrelated.  According to some accounts, “Fairest Lord Jesus” is called "Crusader's Hymn" because it was sung by German Crusaders as they made their way to the Holy Land.

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring:

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,

And all the twinkling starry host;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast.

Beautiful savior!  Lord of all the nations!

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, and adoration,

Now and forevermore be Thine!

Amen.

A native of Indiana, Craig Courtney received a Bachelors and a Masters degree in piano performance from the University of Cincinnati. He served on the faculty of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, serving as piano teacher and accompanist for the woodwind and brass department. While serving in the music ministry of the Salzburg International Baptist Church, Courtney began composing sacred choral music. In 1985, his compositions came to the attention of John Ness Beck through the publication of his octavo, Thy Will Be Done, initiating a close working relationship between the two men which continued until Beck’s death in 1987. In making plans for the ongoing of Beckenhorst Press, Beck appointed Craig Courtney staff composer and editor. Courtney’s published works include more than two hundred choral octavos, nine vocal collections, two piano solo collections and six extended works for choir and orchestra. Courtney combines his background as pianist, cellist, vocal coach, accompanist and choral director to create works in his unique style.   

About the Hymns:

How Firm a Foundation

In 1787, Dr. John Rippon published A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors as a supplement to Isaac Watts’ classic Psalms and Hymns. The book was an immense success, partly due to the large number of original hymns first printer there.  Among these original hymns was the title “How Firm a Foundation.”  Rippon attributed the authorship simply to “K-.”   He says in the preface that such attributions meant either that the author was unknown or that the hymn had undergone significant revisions for publication.  The anonymous tune “Foundation” first appeared in Joseph Funk's A Compilation of Genuine Church Music (1832) as a setting for this text. The tune was also published  in Southern Harmony and Sacred Harp.  Later studies have revealed that “K” almost certainly referred to R. Keene, who was at one time a song leader in Dr. Rippon’s church and is also known to have authored the hymn’s melody.

We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations

H. Ernest Nichol (1862-1926) had begun a study program in civil engineering when he decided to study music instead. In 1888 he received a bachelor's degree in music from Oxford University. Nichol wrote some 130 hymn tunes and texts, many under the pseudonym “Colin Sterne” (derived from his middle and last name); many were first sung at church school programs.  “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations was written in 1896 and published in Sunday School Hymnary, 1905.

A song which encourages us to “go therefore and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19) was a very popular "missionary hymn" among denominational churches in past years, typical of the hundreds that were penned to express the determined, dynamic, energetic, and expansive attributes of late nineteenth-century "Christian missions."  Among hymnbooks published by members during the twentieth century, this song appears rarely, primarily because the chorus expresses postmillennialism, which implies that Christians will bring the kingdom of God in its fullness to earth by our own efforts.  In spite of its controversial theology, this is a rousing hymn which motivates God’s people to sound forth the word of God and reminds us of the great blessings that are available to those who receive the word of God.

Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service

Albert F. Bayly (1901-1984) was ed­u­cat­ed at Lon­don Un­i­ver­si­ty and Mans­field Coll­ege, Ox­ford.  Be­gin­ning in the late 1920’s, he served at four Cong­re­ga­tion­al church­es in North­um­ber­land, Lan­ca­shire and East York­shire; in 1962, he be­came pas­tor in Thax­ted, Es­sex.  Af­ter re­tir­ing in 1971, he moved to Spring­field, Chelms­ford, and was ac­tive in the local Unit­ed Re­formed Church.  He wrote sev­er­al pa­geants on mis­sion themes, and li­bret­tos for can­ta­tas by W. L. Lloyd Web­ber (father of Andrew). 

Bayly wrote this text in response to a Hymn Society of America search for new hymns on social welfare. It was chosen as the theme hymn for the Second National Conference on the Churches and Social Welfare held in Cleveland, Ohio, October 23-27, 1961. The Hymn Society published the text in Seven New Social Welfare Hymns (1961).