March 3, 2019

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:

La Transfigurazione di N. S. Gesú Cristo - Lorenzo Perosi

“Lux alma, Jesu, mentium” is the hymn for Lauds on the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, 6 August. Saint Bernard (1091-1153) was the author. It has eight translations. The English title given is by Cardinal Newman.

Bernard of Clairvaux was a French abbot and a major leader in the reform of Benedictine monasticism that caused the formation of the Cistercian order.  "...He was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val d'Absinthe, about 15 kilometres southeast of Bar-sur-Aube. According to tradition, Bernard founded the monastery on 25 June 1115, naming it Claire Vallée, which evolved into Clairvaux. There Bernard would preach an immediate faith, in which the intercessor was the Virgin Mary." In the year 1128, Bernard attended the Council of Troyes, at which he traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar, which soon became the ideal of Christian nobility.

On the death of Pope Honorius II on 13 February 1130, a schism broke out in the Church. King Louis VI of France convened a national council of the French bishops at Étampes in 1130, and Bernard was chosen to judge between the rivals for pope. By the end of 1131, the kingdoms of France, England, Germany, Portugal, Castile, and Aragon supported Innocent; however, most of Italy, southern France, and Sicily, with the Latin patriarchs of Constantinople, Antioch, and Jerusalem supported Anacletus. Bernard set out to convince these other regions to rally behind Innocent.

In 1139, Bernard assisted at the Second Council of the Lateran. He subsequently denounced the teachings of Peter Abelard to the Pope, who called a council at Sens in 1141 to settle the matter. Bernard soon saw one of his disciples elected Pope Eugene III. Having previously helped end the schism within the church, Bernard was now called upon to combat heresy. In June 1145, Bernard traveled in southern France and his preaching there helped strengthen support against heresy. He preached at the Council of Vézelay (1146) to recruit for the Second Crusade.

After the Christian defeat at the Siege of Edessa, the Pope commissioned Bernard to preach the Second Crusade. The last years of Bernard's life were saddened by the failure of the crusaders, the entire responsibility for which was thrown upon him. Bernard died at the age of 63, after 40 years as a monk. He was the first Cistercian placed on the calendar of saints, and was canonized by Pope Alexander III on 18 January 1174. In 1830 Pope Pius VIII bestowed upon Bernard the title "Doctor of the Church".

Light of the troubled heart, Jesus, thy suppliants cheer;

Bid thou the shades of sin depart, And shed thy brightness here.

O happy he, whose breast Thou makest thine abode —

Clear light that with the pure will rest, For they shall see their God.

Sweetness of God above, Immeasurable grace,

Within our hearts impart thy love, And make thy dwelling place.

To lowly minds revealed, Our Saviour we adore;

Like tribute to the Father yield, And Spirit evermore.

Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi (1872-1956) was an Italian composer of sacred music and the only member of the Giovane Scuola who did not write opera. In the late 1890s, while he was still only in his twenties, Perosi was an internationally celebrated composer of sacred music, especially large-scale oratorios. Nobel Prize winner Romain Rolland wrote, "It's not easy to give you an exact idea of how popular Lorenzo Perosi is in his native country." Perosi's fame was not restricted to Europe. A 19 March 1899 New York Times article entitled "The Genius of Don Perosi" began, "The great and ever-increasing success which has greeted the four new oratorios of Don Lorenzo Perosi has placed this young priest-composer on a pedestal of fame which can only be compared with that which has been accorded of late years to the idolized Pietro Mascagni by his fellow-countrymen." Gianandrea Gavazzeni made the same comparison: "The sudden clamors of applause, at the end of the [19th] century, were just like those a decade earlier for Mascagni.”   Perosi worked for five Popes, including Pope St. Pius X who greatly fostered his rise.

“Lux alma, Jesu, mentium” is a section of his oratorio La Trasfigurazione di N. S. Gesu Cristo (The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ).

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern - Dietrich Buxtehude

"Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" (How lovely shines the morning star) is a hymn by Philipp Nicolai written in 1597 and first published in 1599. The words in seven stanzas are based on Psalms 45, a mystical wedding song. Jesus is identified with the morning star, according to Revelation 22:16, and with the bridegroom of the psalm. Nicolai wrote the words in response to a pestilence in 1597.  He published the chorale first in 1599 in his book Frewdenspiegel deß ewigen Lebens ("Mirror of Joy of the Life Everlasting") in Frankfurt, together with "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme".  He introduced it: "Ein Geistlich Brautlied der Gläubigen Seelen / von Jesu Christo irem himlischen Bräutgam: Gestellt ober den 45. Psalm deß Propheten Dauids" (A spiritual bridal song of the believing soul / concerning Jesus Christ, her heavenly bridegroom, founded on the 45th Psalm of the prophet David). This hymn is often referred to as "The Queen of Chorales".  The chorale theme "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" was codified then, but research by C. S. Terry has shown the tune to predate Nicolai's publication by at least 61 years. 

The chorale appeared as a hymn in German hymnals and in several translations in English hymnals, starting with How bright appears the Morning Star! by John Christian Jacobi, in his Psalmodica Germanica, 1722.  Additional hymns were written on the same tune such as "O heilger Geist, kehr bei uns ein" of Michael Schirmer (1640). 

The first verse (in an anonymous English translation beginning "How splendid shines the morning star") appeared in the Southern Harmony, an 1835 shape-note tunebook compiled by William Walker, where it is set to a tune called Morning Star by composer J. C. Lowry. This arrangement is repeated in the current An American Christmas Harp, with the addition of two more stanzas in a translation by William Mercer (1811-1873). 

We usually associate this hymn with Epiphany and with the star that led the Magi to the Christ Child, but as the text indicates, the “morning star” is Christ himself.  This text is, therefore, highly suited to the Transfiguration also.

A fairly literal translation of the seven verses by Frances Browne:

How beautifully shines the morning star
full of grace and truth from the Lord, the sweet root of Jesse!
You son of David from the line of Jacob, my king and my bridegroom,
have taken posession of my heart, [you who are] lovely,friendly,
beautiful and glorious, great and honourable, rich in gifts,
lofty and exalted in splendour!

Ah my pearl, my precious crown, true son of God and Mary,
a king of most noble birth! My heart calls you a lily,
your sweet gospel is pure milk and honey.
Ah my dear flower, hosanna, heavenly manna,
that we eat, I cannot forget you!

Pour most deeply within my heart, you clear jasper and ruby,
the flames of your love, and make me rejoice, so that I may remain
in your chosen body a living rib!
Because of you, gracious rose of heaven,
my heart is sick and smouldering, wounded with love.

A joyful light from God comes to me  when with your dear eyes
you look on me as a friend.  Oh Lord Jesus, my beloved good,
your word, your spirit, your body and blood refresh me within.
Take me like a friend in your arms, so that I may become warm
with your grace.  To your word I come invited.

Lord, God, Father, my mighty hero, before the world you have
loved me in your son. Your son has betrothed me to himself,
he is my treasure, I am his bride, most greatly I rejoice in him.
Yes, yes. Heavenly life he will give me in the the world above!
My heart shall praise him forever.

Pluck the strings on the harp and let the sweet music
resound full of joy, so that with dear Jesus, my most beautiful bridegroom,
in constant love I may make my pilgrimage!
Sing, leap, rejoice, triumph, thank the Lord!
Great is the king of honour!

How full I am therefore of heartfelt joy
that my treasure is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end;
To his reward he will take me up to paradise, and so I clap my hands
Amen! Amen! Come, you sweet crown of joy,
do not long delay, I wait for you with longing.

Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637/39^-1707) was a Danish-German organist and composer of the Baroque period. His organ works represent a central part of the standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed at recitals and in church services. He composed in a wide variety of vocal and instrumental idioms, and his style strongly influenced many composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach. In 1705, J.S. Bach, then a young man of twenty, walked from Arnstadt to Lübeck, a distance of more than 250 miles, and stayed nearly three months to hear the “Abendmusik”, meet the pre-eminent Lübeck organist, hear him play, and, as Bach explained, "to comprehend one thing and another about his art". Today, Buxtehude is considered one of the most important composers in Germany of the mid-Baroque. 

There are over 40 surviving chorale settings by Buxtehude, and they constitute the most important contributions to the genre in the 17th century. His settings include chorale variations, chorale ricercares, chorale fantasias and chorale preludes. Buxtehude's principal contributions to the organ chorale are his 30 short chorale preludes. The chorale preludes are usually four-part cantus firmus settings of one stanza of the chorale; the melody is presented in an elaborately ornamented version in the upper voice, the three lower parts engage in some form of counterpoint (not necessarily imitative).  The ornamented cantus firmus in these pieces represents a significant difference between the north German and the south German schools; Johann Pachelbel and his pupils would almost always leave the chorale melody unornamented.  

About the Choral Music:

Antiphonal Alleluia - John Leavitt

Genesis 2 Choir

John Leavitt (b. 1956) is a composer, conductor, teacher, and church musician. He received the Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Dr. Leavitt is a lifetime member of the American Choral Directors Association and is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, from which he has received annual recognition for his achievements in composition.  Currently, Dr. Leavitt serves on the faculty of MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS as professor of music and director of choirs. In 2010, Dr. Leavitt was the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts’s American Masterpieces which partnered with the Kansas Arts Commission and the Kansas Music Educators Association. He was commissioned by them to write a new choral work in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the State of Kansas.

Deo gracias, Deo gracias, Deo Domino. Thanks to God the Lord.

 Deo gracias, Deo gracias nunc in jubilo. Thanks to God now with rejoicing.

 Alleluia, Alleluia, Alle, Allelu!         Praise the Lord.

Bless You! - Anthony Kouri Williams

Genesis 1 Choir

Anthony Kouri Williams is a singer songwriter native to the Richmond area. Anthony performs acoustic rock covers as well as having written a growing number of original songs.

Bless you!  Bless you! is not only for ah-choo, ‘cause we all need blessing too.

We can bless the food we eat.  We can bless the friends we greet. 

We can bless the things we do.  Bless you!  Bless you!  Bless you!

We can bless the pets we have.  We can bless our moms and dads.

We can bless our teachers too.  Bless you!  Bless you!  Bless you!

When we show we’re thankful for the ones we love

and celebrate our blessings, we can live as one.

Come to the Music - Joseph Martin

Joseph Martin (b. 1959 ), a native of North Carolina, earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Subsequently he earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Texas, Austin. Joseph taught for five years in the Piano Pedagogy Department of the University of Texas.. He is a member of the staff of Shawnee Press as Director of Sacred Publications, with responsibilities for overseeing the editorial and creative direction of the company’s sacred publications and also coordinating the recording and production aspects of future sacred publishing efforts. Joseph has performed solo piano recitals and has been the featured artist with symphony orchestras in the United States and Mexico. As winner of the Nina Plant Wideman Competition, he performed with the Guadalajara Symphony Orchestra. His solo recital in Ex-convento del Carmen was broadcast nationally throughout the country. Though he continues to perform in concert, he now devotes his efforts to playing in churches and for conferences of church musicians Recognized throughout the United States for his many choral compositions, over 1200 compositions are currently in print and the list continues to grow.

Celebrate, celebrate! Come to the music. Celebrate, celebrate! Come to the dance.

Celebrate, celebrate! Sing alleluia.  Celebrate, celebrate! Clap your hands.

Come to the music, and let alleluias surround you.

Come to the music, and let each hosanna astound you.

Come hear the jubilant song of creation.  

Come hear the music which rings as a hope to the nation.

Music is the sound of creation: crashing sea and mourning dove.

Music is the voice of worship.  Music lifts our hearts above.

Music is the common language.  Music is the song of love.

Gloria, gloria, sing alleluia.  Gloria, gloria, sing to the Lord.

Gloria, gloria, sing alleluia.  Gloria, gloria, sing evermore.

Gloria, gloria Deo.  Alleluia, alleluia.

Gloria, gloria Deo.  Come to the music! Come!

Alleluia!

About the Hymns:

We Have Come at Christ’s Own Bidding

“We Have Come at Christ’s Own Bidding” was commissioned by the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas, Texas, in 1988. The late Howard E. “Buddy” Ross (1937-2005), commissioned the text as part of a series of Transfiguration-themed works. Ross was then serving as the parish’s music director. 

This text by the Rev. Carl P. Daw Jr. (b. 1944) also appears in its poetic form in the Epiphany portion of his hymn collection, A Year of Grace (1990, Hope Publishing Company). The book is designed to follow the church year, beginning with Advent and moving through Easter and Pentecost. 

Appropriately this hymn appears as the last text in the Epiphany section. It is an appropriate placement because the Transfiguration serves as a hinge between the Incarnation cycle (Advent, Christmas and Epiphany) and the Paschal cycle (Lent, Easter and Pentecost).

Dr. Daw is the son of a Baptist preacher and was born in Louisville, Ky. An Episcopal priest, he was educated at Rice University, the University of Virginia and the University of the South. He recently retired as executive director of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. He is now curator of hymnological collections and adjunct professor of hymnology at UM-affiliated Boston University School of Theology. 

Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

The 18th-century Englishman Charles Wesley (1707-1788) wrote, according to eminent 20th-century hymnologist Erik Routley, “more than 8,989 poems with over 6,000 of them qualifying as ‘hymns.’” That’s 3.4 poems per week, Routley added, “assuming him to have died in the act of writing.” Judging solely by quantity, Wesley can be matched by few sacred poets in history. The quality and depth of theology found in these hymns, however, is why hymnologist Routley dubbed Wesley “the first and, surely for all time, the greatest evangelical hymn writer.” From the beginning of their movement, Methodists included many of his texts in their hymnals. Of the 980 hymns included in the English Methodist Hymn Book (1904), 440 are by Charles Wesley. The next edition in 1933 still used 243 of his poems.

Of the many great hymns by Charles Wesley, “Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies” is considered one of his best. It is one of the greatest morning hymns in our language, but it is more. It is a glorious hymn to Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the World.  Originally titled “A Morning Hymn,” this hymn first appeared in the Wesley collection Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740) in three stanzas as well as other collections prepared by the Wesley brothers. In Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861), it was first paired with RATISBON, the tune that most often accompanies the text today.

Scripture references may be found throughout, ranging from books of prophecy to a literal incarnation account in Luke and a theological incarnation account in John. The Rev. Carlton Young, editor of theUM Hymnal (1989), points out a reference to John 1:9 concerning the “true light” in line two. Stanza one continues with direct references to Isaiah 2:6 and Malachi 4:2 in line three about the “Sun of Righteousness.” The “Day-star” in line six is a direct reference to Isaiah 14:12 and 2 Peter 1:19.

Routley explores two interesting ideas about this hymn in his book, Hymns and the Faith (1968). First he points out that the idea of worshipping the sun was a pagan religion. By referencing Christ as the “Sun of Righteousness,” Christianity has put “back on the right track religious instincts which had gone astray.” The other idea concerns the very first word of the hymn. Routley states that “God, whose glory fills the sky” would not have been anything out of the ordinary. He continues that “Christ, whose glory fills the sky” is an “epic” idea that until this hymn had not been present in Christian thinking or writing. Christ is no longer a being that can only be at one place at one time, but he is one with God in his omnipresence and omniscience. Routley rightly proclaims, “Never was written a more thoroughly and richly happy hymn than this.”