February 9, 2020

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:

Slane - Healey Willan

"Be Thou My Vision" (Old Irish: Rop tú mo baile or Rob tú mo bhoile) is a traditional hymn from Ireland. The most well known English version, with some minor variations, was translated by Eleanor Hull and published in 1912. In 1919, the lyrics were set to the tune of the Irish folk tune "Slane", to which the song is sung to this day, both in English and Irish. The song dates from at least the eighth century, though the text dates to the sixth-century.

The original Old Irish text, "Rop tú mo Baile" is often attributed to Saint Dallán Forgaill in the 6th century. Eochaid Mac Colla (c. 530 – 598), better known as Saint Dallan or Dallán Forgaill (Old Irish: Dallán Forchella; Latin: Dallanus Forcellius), was an early Christian Irish poet whose writings include the "Amra Choluim Chille" ("Elegy of Saint Columba") and "Rop Tú Mo Baile" ("Be Thou My Vision").  Saint Dallan was Chief Ollam of Ireland (similar to poet laureate), as well as a scholar of Latin scriptural learning. He helped to reform the Bardic Order at the Convention of Drumceat.  He reputedly wrote Amra Choluim Chille, which he completed shortly after the death of Saint Columba in 597, because Columba had successfully saved poets from expulsion from Ireland at the assembly of Druim Cett in 575. The “Amra Choluim Chille,” is the earliest Irish poem that can be dated.

"Rop tú mo Baile" had been a part of Irish monastic tradition for centuries before its setting to music. It was translated from Old Irish into English by Mary Elizabeth Byrne in Ériu (the journal of the School of Irish Learning), in 1905. The English text was first versified by Eleanor Hull, in 1912, and is now the most common text used.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; 

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, 

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; 

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Healey Willan (1880-1968) was an Canadian organist and composer.  He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano, but is best known for his religious music.  Willan was born in England, and he began musical training at age eight, with studies at St. Saviour's Choir School in Eastbourne.  He earned, by examination in organ playing, harmony, counterpoint, history and orchestration, the Royal College of Organists' Associateship in 1897 and Fellowship in 1899. The Anglo-Catholic Tractarian movement led to an Anglican revival of plainsong, and in 1910, Willan joined the London Gregorian Association (which strove to preserve and revive "plain-chant").  In 1913, Willan emigrated to Canada.  In 1921, he become Precentor of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto), where he remained until his death.  St. Mary Magdalene, under Willan, became a North American mecca for choral and Anglican church musicians.  In 1920, the Toronto Conservatory (now the Royal Conservatory of Music) appointed Willan Head of its Theory Department.  In 1934, he founded the Tudor Singers, which he conducted until it disbanded in 1939.  From 1937 to 1950, Willan was University of Toronto Professor of Music and Organist. When the Order of Canada was established in 1967, it named Willan a Companion. In Britain, it was customary for the Archbishop of Canterbury to occasionally grant very distinguished English cathedral musicians the Lambeth Doctorate, Mus. D Cantaur; in 1956, Willan, "the Dean of Canadian composers", became the first non-English church musician to be so honoured.  People who remember Willan from his time at St Mary Magdalene's like to moderate his somewhat dourly pious public image by quoting him: "English by birth; Canadian by adoption; Irish by extraction; Scotch by absorption.”

March Pontificale - Ferdinand de la Tombelle

Baron Antoine Louis Joseph Gueyrand Fernand Fouant de La Tombelle (1854-1928) was a French organist and composer.  Fernand de La Tombelle is somewhat forgotten, but he was renowned during his lifetime, even outside of France. He composed a Fantaisie de concert for organ especially for the inauguration of Chicago’s Auditorium Theater instrument. Many of his organ compositions were dedicated to American organists, and some of these musicians were the first to perform La Tombelle’s music.

Baron Fernand de La Tombelle was a composer, pianist, and organist, a pedagogue and lecturer, a poet and writer. He was well versed in folklore and photography and was a talented amateur painter. An excellent cyclist, he was also keen on astronomy and archaeology. 

As a composer, his great concern for form and the clarity of his musical ideas make him a fine example of French Romantic Classicism.  Except for opera, La Tombelle tried his hand at almost every genre, and in abundance (one can estimate his works to nearly 500 opus numbers). He was awarded the Grand Prix Chartier de l’Institut for his chamber music in 1896. In France, during the Belle Epoque, La Tombelle was one of the most important composers of vocal works for male choirs (chœurs d’Orphéon). In the latter part of his life, he turned increasingly towards religious music, writing majestic oratorios and cantatas. Furthermore, as a way to democratize classical music and decentralize it from the almighty Parisian Milieu, he composed many hymns, motets, and Masses for a wide range of performers, both professionals and amateurs.

Moreover, La Tombelle was a fine instrumentalist. He was the official piano accompanist of the Trocadéro concerts, initiated by Alexandre Guilmant at the Paris World’s Fair in 1878. La Tombelle discovered the organ around 1870 at the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne de Toulouse through the local organist, Jules Leybach. His later studies with Guilmant confirmed his affinity for the instrument. He often substituted for Guilmant and Dubois, at La Trinité and at La Madeleine, where he was assistant organist from 1885 to 1898. He played inaugural concerts on several instruments and was a talented performer.

La Tombelle contributed to the foundation of the Schola Cantorum in 1896 along with Charles Bordes, Vincent d’Indy, and Alexandre Guilmant. There, he taught harmony for about ten years. He was sought after as a lecturer, as he could speak knowledgeably on a wide range of musical topics.

Fernand de La Tombelle composed texts as well as music, with poetry one of his favorite means of expression. Quite often he set his own texts to music. He wrote articles and books on music, theatrical fantaisies, and well-developed travelogues (as a member of the Automobile Club du Périgord he wrote about their excursions around France). More surprisingly, he wrote a small culinary work: Les pâtés de Périgueux.

About the Piano Music:

We are Called to be God’s People – Stan Pethel

Dr. Thomas Jackson (b. 1931) was pastor of Wake Forest Baptist Church and taught at Campbell University in North Carolina.  He studied at the University of Richmond and Johns Hopkins University.  He has published in religious journals and has written several hymn texts, including “We are Called to be God’s People.”  He was also an excavator on the Capernaum Archeological Expedition in 1982.

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) wrote the hymn tune AUSTRIAN HYMN.  It was taken from one of his string quartets, which was first performed for the Emperor Francis II's fifth birthday. It is widely recognized as the melody as well for the German national anthem.  But it has been used to set many hymns, most well-known being “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken”, published in 1920.  Haydn is remembered as the first great symphonist and the composer who essentially invented the string quartet. The principal engineer of the classical style, Haydn exerted influence on the likes of Mozart, his student Ludwig van Beethoven and scores of others.

We are called to be God's people, Showing by our lives His grace.
One in heart and one in spirit, Sign of hope for all the race .
Let us show how He has changed us  And remade us as His own;
Let us share our life together As we shall around His throne.

We are called to be God's servants Working in His world today.
Taking His own task upon us, All His sacred words obey.
Let us rise then to His summons; Dedicate to Him our all
That we may be faithful servants Quick to answer now His call.

We are called to be God's prophets Speaking for the truth and right;
Standing firm for godly justice; Bringing evil into light.
Let us seek the courage needed Our high calling to fulfill,
That we all may know the blessing Of the doing of God's will 

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.

About the Choral Music:

Do You Love My Lord? - Bill Littleton

Bill J. Littleton (1935-2008) served as Minister of Music at churches in OK, MO, TX, and TN for 53 years, starting at age 15 at First Baptist Church, Crutcho, OK. His longest tenure was at Olivet Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.  He also taught at Mid Western, and New Orleans Theological Seminaries. He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University (BA), and received his Master's from Oklahoma University.

Littleton has arranged this traditional African-American spiritual for women’s voices.

Is there anybody here who loves my Jesus, Anybody here who loves my Lord,

I want to know, I want to know, Do you love my Lord?

Sing is on the mountain if you love my Jesus, sing it in the valley if you love my Lord.

I want to know, I want to know do you love my Lord?

Makes me feel like shoutin’ when you love my Jesus,

makes me feel like shoutin’ when you love my Lord.

I want to know, I want to know do you love my Lord?

Makes us love each other when you love my Jesus, 

makes us love each other when you love my Lord.

I want to know, I want to know do you love my Lord?

About the Hymns:

Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore

Monseñor Cesáreo Gabaráin (1936-1991) was one of the best-known composers of Spanish liturgical music following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). He was inspired by the feelings and actions of the humble people he met during his ministry.  Gabaráin’s hymns were recorded on 37 albums, the last completed posthumously. He is the only Roman Catholic composer to receive the honor of a Gold Record (at least 50,000 copies) in Spain. Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) appointed the priest Chaplain Prelate of His Holiness.

At age 10 Gabaráin entered the minor seminary in Zaragoza, where he began his musical studies. In 1952 he continued his education at Seminario Mayor of San Sebastián and was ordained to the priesthood. He then served as chaplain of the College of the Marist Brothers of Antzuola in his home province of Gipúzkoa. In 1964, he continued his ministry as chaplain at Fundación Zorroaga, a nursing home in San Sebastián. After two years he returned to the chaplaincy in the College of the Marist Brothers, this time in Madrid, where he began to compose.

Gabaráin later served in parish ministry in Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows) and was head of religious education in the College of San Fernando.  In addition to his theological education, Gabaráin studied journalism and musicology. As a parish priest he was known for his athleticism and work with young people. His ministry to cyclists is legendary, taking so many tours with them that he became known as “priest of the cyclists.” In addition to spending many summer vacations ministering to cyclists participating in the Tour de France, he also performed a similar role with well-known soccer players in Madrid.

Of his four hymns in the UM Hymnal, “Pescador de Hombres” (“Fisher of Men”), the original Spanish title, is the most popular and indeed, one of the more popular newer hymns in the hymnal. Written in 1979, “Tú has venido a la orilla” (the Spanish opening line) is based on the parallel passages found in the synoptic gospels on Jesus’ calling of his first disciples (Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11).  As found in the Scripture, Gabaráin captures the total obedience of disciples and their willingness to give up everything: “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18-20, NIV)  The hymn entreats us to follow Christ with the same obedience and commitment. The refrain is a call to surrender to Jesus in response to his command to follow him. The gentle melody, PESCADOR DE HOMBRES, is reminiscent of a rocking boat by the lakeshore.

Gabaráin’s obituary noted that he “would simply smile when guides in Palestine boasted that ‘Pescador de Hombres’ was composed along the shores of Lake Tiberias, when, in fact, it was written in Madrid. Gabaráin, himself, knew the lake well as he frequently accompanied groups of pilgrims to the Holy Land.” The hymn has been translated into more than 80 languages.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” was written by the 18th century pastor and hymnist Robert Robinson. Robert Robinson (1735-1790) was eight years old at the time of his father's death. He was a very bright, headstrong boy who became increasingly more difficult for his mother to handle. When Robert turned 14, she sent him to London for an apprenticeship with a barber. Robert proceeded to get into even more trouble, taking on a life of drinking and gambling.  

At 17, Robert and some of his drinking buddies decided to attend an evangelistic meeting, with a plan to make fun of the proceedings. When George Whitfield began to preach, Robert felt as if the sermon was just for him. He did not respond to the altar call that night, but the words of the evangelist would haunt him for the next three years.  On Dec. 10, 1755, at age 20, Robert finally yielded his life to Christ, and very soon thereafter answered a call to the ministry. Three years later, as he was preparing to preach a sermon at the Calvinist Methodist Chapel in Norfolk, England, Robert wrote “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to complement his sermon. The music for the hymn was composed by Asahel Nettleton in 1813.

The lyrics, which dwell on the theme of divine grace, are based on 1 Samuel 7:12, in which the prophet Samuel raises a stone as a monument, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us". The English transliteration of the name Samuel gives to the stone is Ebenezer, meaning Stone of Help. The unusual word "Ebenezer" commonly appears in hymnal presentations of the lyrics.

The tune NETTLETON first appeared as a two-part tune in John Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second(1813), where it was named HALLELUJAH. In the Index it is identified as a new tune, and no composer's name is given. The tune has been attributed by some to Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844), a well-known evangelist of the early nineteenth century, who compiled Village Hymns (1825). However, this compilation contained no music, and there is no evidence that Nettleton wrote any tunes during his life.  It is not known where the tune name first appeared or who was responsible for it.

First United Methodist Church, Lewisville, Texas

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