June 4, 2017

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:

Come, O Come Thou Quickening Spirit – Timothy Albrecht

Heinrich Held (1620-1659) studied at the Universities of Königsberg, Frankfurt, and Leyden. He became a lawyer, but was also one of the best Silesian hymnwriters.  He was taught in the school of affliction, having many trials to suffer in those times of war. His only extant poetical work is his Deutscher Gedichte Vortrab, Frankfurt a. Oder, 1643. Only one hymn from that volume came into German use. Much more important are his other hymns, which are known to us through Crüger's Praxis, and other hymnbooks of the period.  “Komm, o Komm, du Geist des Lebens” is a fine hymn of Invocation to the Holy Spirit. It is sometimes erroneously ascribed to Joachim Neander. It was first published in Cruger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica (1664).  It was translated from German to English by Charles W. Schaeffer in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book (1868)

Come O come, Thou quickening Spirit, True God from eternity!
Let us Thy blest grace inherit, And our souls be filled with Thee;
Then shall spirit, life and light Drive away our inner night.

Grant our hearts Thy heavenly treasure: Wisdom, counsel, purity;
That in naught we may take pleasure Save in that which pleaseth Thee.
Let Thy knowledge spread and grow, Working error's overthrow.

Lead us to our soul's salvation, Keep us in the paths of grace,
Shield us from the world's temptation That might foil us in the race;
When we stumble, hear our call, Work repentance for our fall.

Let us trust Thy witness wholly That we children are of God,
Who rely upon Him solely, When they pass beneath the rod;
For the Father's chastening Bless above all earthly things.

Prompt us, that we come before Him Joyously with hope in view,
Sigh in us, when we implore Him, Ever plead for us anew;
Then our prayer shall not be vain, And our faith new strength shall gain.

If our soul for comfort languish, And despondency grows strong,
That the heart must cry in anguish: "O my God, my God, how long!"
Comfort then the aching breast, Grant us courage, patience, rest.

Mighty Spirit of reliance, Sure Defence in all our need!
When the foe bids us defiance, Bid Thy work in us Godspeed!
Grant us weapons for the strife, And with victory crown our life.

Guard, O God, our faith forever; Let not Satan, death or shame
Ever part us from our Savior; Lord, our Refuge is Thy name.
Though our flesh would fain say Nay, Be Thy Word to us still Yea.

And when death life's thread is rending, Then assure us yet the more,
As the heirs of life unending, Of the glory there in store
Which can never be expressed, But with which we shall be blest.

Dr. Timothy Albrecht spent his childhood in Los Angeles and Wisconsin.  He received his Bachelors in organ from Oberlin College and Oberlin Conservatory, and his masters and doctorate from the Eastman School of Music, where he won the Performer’s Certificate. Shortly after graduation, he represented the United States at the Sixth International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig. He has spent two sabbaticals at Cambridge University in England, which has conferred on him Life Membership.  At Emory University, Albrecht holds a joint faculty appointment as Professor of Music at Candler Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 1982, and in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music  He also serves as University Organist. Albrecht has authored twelve published volumes of organ music and has recorded nine solo compact discs, including several Bach CDs and recordings of his own compositions.

In This Moment of Remembrance – Dale Wood

Inscribed “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) this Communion piece is by Dale Wood (1934-2003), a prominent composer, organist, choral director, and clinician.  He was honored many times by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) for his “very important contribution towards the creation and development of contemporary American church music”.  He wrote many collections of organ works, most of which are based on both old and new hymn tunes.  Over eight million copies of his publications have been purchased in over 50 countries.

Komm, Heiliger Geist - J. S. Bach

For centuries, "Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott" ("Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord") has been the prominent hymn (Hauptlied) for Pentecost in German-speaking Lutheranism.  The hymn inspired composers from the Renaissance to contemporary to write chorale preludes and vocal compositions. The first stanza is a translation of the Latin antiphon for Pentecost "Veni Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium" (Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful) from the 11th century.

Martin Luther added two more stanzas, keeping not only the meter and the tune, but also the structure, with acclamations at the beginning of lines 1 and 5, and the final Halleluja. In his stanzas, the group of "deiner Gläubigen" (your believers) is speaking directly, stating "wir" and "uns" ("we" and "us"). Luther alludes to several of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to Isaiah 11:2: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. He also drew on Galatians 4:6 ("because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts"), Matthew 23:8-10 ("for one is your Master"), and Romans 8:26 ("the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities"). In the second stanza, Luther uses the attributes "heiliges Licht, edler Hort" (holy light, precious refuge) and words the request "protect us from strange doctrines / so that we may never look for any teacher / except Jesus in true belief". In the last stanza, the Spirit's "ardent love" and "sweet consolation" are named, asking for help "always to remain joyful and comforted / in your service" and "so that we may bravely struggle / through life and death to reach you!"

The hymn appeared first in 1524 in Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn (de), (booklet of spiritual song), collected by Johann Walter. The same year it appeared also in Eyn Enchiridion in Erfurt, titled "Der gesank Veni sancte spiritus".   It has been translated, for example by Catherine Winkworth as Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord! in 1855, and has appeared in hymnals of various denominations.

            Come, Holy Spirit, Lord God, fill with the goodness of your grace

            The heart, spirit and mind of your believers,

            Kindle in them your ardent love!

            O Lord, through the spendour of your light you have gathered in faith

            People from all the tonuges of the world; so that in your praise Lord,

            May there be sung Halleluja! Halleluja!

            You holy light, precious refuge, let the word of life enlighten us

            And teach us to know God truly, to call him father from our heart!

            O Lord, protect us from strange doctrines so that we may never look for any teacher

            Except Jesus in true belief and may trust him wholeheartedly! Halleluja! Halleluja!

            You sacred warmth, sweet consolation, now help us always to remain joyful and

            And comforted in your service; do not let sorrow drive us away!

            O Lord, through your power make us ready and strengthen the feebleness of our flesh

            So that we may bravely struggle through life and death to reach you! Halleluja! Halleluja!

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period.  He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organization, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France.  Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg concertos, the Mass in B minor, The Well-Tempered Clavier, two Passions, keyboard works, and more than 300 cantatas, of which nearly 100 cantatas have been lost to posterity.  His music is revered for its intellectual depth, technical command, and artistic beauty.  Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognized as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the nineteenth century.  During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Bach was recognized by several prominent composers.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven,  Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn were among his admirers; they began writing in a more contrapuntal style after being exposed to Bach's music.  Beethoven described him as "Urvater der Harmonie", the "original father of harmony".  He is now generally regarded as one of the main composers of the Baroque period and as one of the greatest composers of all time.  A highly devout Christian, Bach signed all of his compositions “soli Deo Gloria”  (to God alone be the glory).   

About the Choral Music:

We Are One, Lord – Stan Pethel

Dr. Stan Pethel is Chair of the Fine Arts at Berry College near Rome, Georgia. He has been on the music faculty there since 1973. In addition to his duties as Chair of Fine Arts at Berry College Dr. Pethel teaches music theory, composition and arranging, world music, and low brass lessons. He is a widely published composer and arranger with over 1000 works in publication with 26 different publishers. His writing includes works for choir, piano, organ/piano duet, symphonic band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, handbells, solo instrument and piano, and various chamber music ensembles. He is a regular recipient of the ASCAP Standard Award.

            We are one, Lord, united in your Spirit,

            We are one, Lord, surrounded by your love,

            We are one, Lord, one of heart and soul;

            Gathered as your children, we are one.

            We are free, Lord, free to serve each other,

            We are filled, Lord; our grateful voice we raise

            To your name, Lord, as you sustain us now.

            Gathered as your children, we are one.

            Though we come from many places, we share amazing grace;

            Though we be of different ages, we share one voice of praise,

            Though our talents, Lord, may vary, it’s the message that we carry

            That binds us all together in this place.

            We are one.

About the Hymns:

O Spirit of the Living God

Henry Hallam Tweedy (1868-1953) hailed from the northeast, born in Binghamton, N.Y. He was granted degrees from Phillips Andover Academy, Yale University, Union Theological Seminary and the University of Berlin.  A Congregational pastor, he served churches in New York and Connecticut, and later taught practical theology from 1909-1937 at Yale Divinity School.  He co-authored several books, including Training the Devotional Life (1919) and Religious Training in School and Home (1917). His most important contribution, however, was as editor of the hymnal Christian Worship and Praise (1939).
In addition to editing a hymnal, Tweedy published a practical volume, The Minister and His Hymnal, and won several hymn contests sponsored by the Homiletic Review and the Hymn Society of America.

Tweedy said he composed “O Spirit of the Living God” because “some of the old Pentecostal hymns were to me unsatisfactory, and I was eager to interpret the symbolism of the story in Acts in a way that modern men could understand and sincerely mean.”  The text is an exposition of Acts 2, a passage focused on Pentecost. The hymn was first published in the Methodist Hymnal (1935).

We Are the Church

Donald S. Marsh (1923-2010) spent his childhood in Asia and then received Bachelors and Masters degrees in music, art and drama from the University of Houston. For 17 years he was involved in the theater, concert and TV world of New York City - as actor, choreographer and teacher. For three decades he served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Jervis, directing over 75 plays and musicals, and conducting three choirs. He was an ordained Presbyterian elder. With his colleague, Richard Avery, they have seen over 150 of their songs published in various songbooks and hymnals. The hymn, “We are the Church” embodies Christian unity unlike the childhood rhyme I learned because the church is not about a building, nor the steeple, and we are not bound by our walls to be called “church”. When we gather, there is singing, and praying, and laughing and crying, all of it reminding us that WE are the Church.

Here I Am, Lord

Dan Schutte is a native of Wisconsin, who received his education at St. Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in 1973, a master of divinity degree in 1979 at the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, Calif., and a master’s degree in 1980 at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.  Following graduation, Mr. Schutte joined the Jesuits and served as the director of liturgy at Marquette University (1982-1986). He entered parish ministry in Milwaukee serving as director of music at Immaculate Heart of Mary and then Our Lady of Lourdes parishes.   He is currently director of music at the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit institution, and tours extensively as a Christian concert artist. Of his many hymns, “Here I Am, Lord” is the most commonly sung.

A salient feature of Catholic renewal hymnody since the Second Vatican Council is a stirring and memorable refrain. “Here I Am, Lord” recalls immediately Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’”

An unusual attribute of this hymn is the change in point of view that the singer makes between the stanzas and the refrain. The stanzas speak from the perspective of God in the first person singular, while the refrain, though remaining in first person, is from the perspective of the singers of the hymn offering their lives to God.   Each stanza reflects a paradox. The powerful God, creator of “sea and sky,” “snow and rain” and “wind and flame” is also the God who hears the “people cry,” bears the “people’s pain” and “tend[s] the poor and lame.”  This is a hymn of transformation. God transforms the darkness into light in stanza one, melts “hearts of stone” with love in stanza two and nourishes the “poor and lame” with the “finest bread”—a clear Eucharistic reference.  Each stanza ends with the question, “Whom shall I send?” Rhetorical questions are very common poetical devices in Christian hymnody, but this is not one of them. The refrain immediately offers the response, “Here I am, Lord.”