August 30, 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 Piano Music:

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need - C. E. Walz

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was the son of a schoolmaster and was born in Southampton. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor.  The number of Watts' publications is very large. His collected works, first published in 1720, embrace sermons, treatises, poems and hymns. His "Horae Lyricae" was published in December, 1705. His "Hymns" appeared in July, 1707. The first hymn he  composed for religious worship, "Behold the glories of the Lamb," was written at the age of twenty.  Some of his hymns were written to be sung after his sermons, giving expression to the meaning of the text upon which he had preached. Montgomery calls Watts "the greatest name among hymn-writers," and the honor can hardly be disputed. His published hymns number more than eight hundred.  There is a monument to his memory in the South Choir of Westminster Abbey.  The inscription reads, "Happy will be that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to imitate him in all but his non-conformity, to copy his benevolence to men, and his reverence to God."

Psalm 23 has inspired numerous paraphrases and hymn texts, including this text by Isaac Watts. Watts included it in his large 1719 collection of psalm paraphrases, The Psalms of David Imitated.  Psalm 23 remains the most well-loved and often recited psalm, and Isaac Watts' powerful paraphrase, coupled with the peaceful yet strong American folk tune, make this hymn a moving rendition of that psalm. Watts’ interpretation of the last line of psalm, “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever,” gives a new understanding to the original psalm: “No more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home.” Watts gives us a concrete image of dwelling – a child, knowing he or she is safe and secure, and in a place of love and comfort – to help us understand what it is we hope for. The same peace we find in the pasture and by the stream, we find in the house of the LORD, to which our Shepherd is leading us day by day.

Watts’ text is set to the plaintive, pentatonic folk tune RESIGNATION. The anonymous tune was first printed in Freeman Lewis’ The Beauties of Harmony, 5th ed. (1828), where it was called HOPEWELL, set to “Come, humble sinner in whose breast” by Edmund Jones (1722–1765).  This tune was renamed RESIGNATION in Joseph Funk’s Genuine Church Music (1832). It was first paired with Watts’ text in J.W. Steffy’s The Valley Harmonist (Winchester VA: Robinson & Hollis, 1836). This text-tune pairing was more widely disseminated via the Revised Edition of William Walker’s Southern Harmony (Philadelphia: E.W. Miller, 1854). As with the 1828 printing, Walker used shape notes, the four-shape system originally espoused by William Little and William Smith in their Easy Instructor (1801).

My Shepherd, you supply my need, most holy is your name;

in pastures fresh you make me feed, beside the living stream.

You bring my wand'ring spirit back. when I forsake your ways;

you lead me, for your mercy's sake, in paths of truth and grace.

When through the shades of death I walk, your presence is my stay;

one word of your supporting breath drives all my fears away.

Your hand in sight of all my foes, does still my table spread;

my cup with Blessings overflows, your oil anoints my head.

Your sure provisions gracious God attend me all my days;

oh, may your house be my abode, and all my work be praise.

Here would I find a settled rest, while others go and come;

no more a stranger, nor a guest, but like a child at home.

C.E. (Carolyn) Walz was born and raised near Atlanta, Georgia, where, at age ten, she began piano lessons with Robert Fraumann, the minister of music at her church. By age twelve, Carolyn was playing piano solos for church services and accompanying children’s choirs.  Apart from her musical studies, Carolyn had a keen interest in teaching English and writing children’s books. She earned her Bachelor of Art Degree in Christian Education from Atlanta Christian College and her Master of Science Degree in Middle Grades Education from Georgia State University. She authored several books for children and became a full-time English teacher at Woodward Academy. In 2015, she retired as English Department Head of the Middle School after more than thirty years of service.

Since retirement, Carolyn has become an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a two-time national winner of the DAR’s American Heritage Instrumental Music Award. Today she continues to serve as a church musician, accompanist, and children’s choir director as she pursues her new interest: composing and arranging piano solos and choral anthems for Lorenz and other publishing companies.

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name - Glen Wonacott

Edward Perronet (1726-1792) was born in England, the grandson of a French immigrant. His father, Vincent, was a clergyman in the Church of England and a close friend and associate of John and Charles Wesley. Though Edward had planned to follow his father into Anglican ministry, the influence of the Wesleys prevailed, and he became a traveling Methodist preacher.  “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” was written by Perronet while he served as a missionary in India and first appeared in the November, 1779 issue of the Gospel Magazine

The hymn is often called the "National Anthem of Christendom"  The best-known tunes used for the hymn are "Coronation" (Oliver Holden, 1793),  "Miles Lane" (William Shrubsole, 1779), and "Diadem" (James Ellor, 1838).  

An interesting story is told about this hymn.  Rev. E. P. Scott was a missionary in India who had been urged not to go near a certain barbarous tribe, whom he wished to evangelize. But he went forth with high courage, never wavering in his duty, and trusting in God to protect him. When at last he reached their country among the hills, he came upon a company of these savages.  Imme-diately, they surrounded him, pointing their spears at him with threatening scowls.  He had nothing but his violin; and so, closing his eyes, he began to play and sing, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” When he opened his eyes he expected to be killed instantly, but his life had been spared through the singing of the hymn. Their spears had dropped, and they received him first with curiosity and interest, and then later with eagerness, as he told them the gospel story and won their hearts to the will of Jesus Christ.

All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall.

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all.

O seed of Israel's chosen race now ransomed from the fall,

hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all.

Let every tongue and every tribe responsive to his call,

to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all.

Oh, that with all the sacred throng we at his feet may fall!

We'll join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all. 

Glenn Wonacott (1955-2015) received a BA in Church Music from the University of Southern California.  He was a composer and arranger of sacred music for piano and for choirs. 

About the Vocal Solo Music:

The Lord is My Shepherd - Howard Goodall

    Michele Anderson, solo

Howard Goodall’s setting of Psalm 23, the theme to the TV series The Vicar of Dibley, has proved to be an extremely popular piece of music in its own right. Goodall’s intention in writing the theme had always been to write a piece of church music which could have a life of its own, beyond the series, and this has certainly been fulfilled in Psalm 23.

Howard Goodall, CBE (b. 1958) is one of Britain’s best-known composers of choral music, stage musicals, TV and film scores. He is also a distinguished music historian and broadcaster.

 

His choral music has been commissioned to mark many national ceremonies and memorials; his settings of Psalm 23 and Love divine are amongst the most performed of all sacred music, featuring on several platinum-selling CDs.  Eternal Light: A Requiem has had over 550 live performances throughout the world since its première in 2008 and won him a Classical BRIT Award for Composer of the Year. His 2009 Enchanted Voices, a setting of the Beatitudes, was no.1 in the Specialist Classical CD chart for six months, winning him a Gramophone award. In June 2012 his Rigaudon accompanied Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee Regatta and he was musically responsible for Rowan Atkinson’s memorable performance at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. On 4th August 2014 his anthem Sure of the Sky-Des Himmels sicher, especially commissioned for the occasion, was performed at the St Symphorien Military Cemetery, Mons, to mark the start of the First World War, in the presence of heads of state of all combatant nations. He conducted the première of his oratorio Every Purpose Under The Heaven, commissioned to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, in Westminster Abbey in November 2011. His recent Invictus: A Passionwas commissioned by and premièred at St Luke’s Methodist Church Houston in March 2018, followed by a European and broadcast première in London, and released on CD.

For the past 30 years he has written and presented his own TV documentary series on the theory and history of music. His books, Big Bangs: The Story of Five Discoveries That Changed Musical History and Howard Goodall's Story of Music have been translated and published in over 20 countries. His most recent TV film, Sargeant Pepper's Musical Revolution was shown on BBC2 and PBS, and simultaneously worldwide on June 3rd 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic Beatles album. For his TV series he has been honoured with a BAFTA, an RTS Judges’ Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Education in Broadcasting and over a dozen other international broadcast awards. He was England’s first ever National Ambassador for Singing and Classic fm’s Composer-in-Residence for many years. He was appointed CBE in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music education.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil for you are with me, You will comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

About the Hymns:

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

“The King of Love My Shepherd Is” is an Anthony G. Petti (1932-1985) adaption of the 1868 Sir Henry W. Baker (1821-1877) paraphrase of Psalm 23. Baker took Holy Orders in the Church of England in 1844. He was closely associated with hymnody in the Church. Besides writing, translating, and composing a number of hymns, his most notable role was as Editor-in-Chief of the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) which sold over 60 million copies.  “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” has proven to be his most enduring work. It is said that as he lay dying his final words were those of the 3rd stanza: "Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought me; and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me." It is sung to the tune: ST. COLUMBA, a traditional Irish melody.

It is Well with My Soul

For more than a century, the tragic story of one man has given hope to countless thousands who have lifted their voices to sing, It Is Well With My Soul.  Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian and faithful student of the Scriptures. His circle of friends included Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey and various other well-known Christians of the day.

At the very height of his financial and professional success, Horatio and his wife Anna suffered the tragic loss of their young son. Shortly thereafter on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed almost every real estate investment that Spafford had.

In 1873, Spafford scheduled a boat trip to Europe in order to give his wife and daughters a much needed vacation and time to recover from the tragedy. He also went to join Moody and Sankey on an evangelistic campaign in England. Spafford sent his wife and daughters ahead of him while he remained in Chicago to take care of some unexpected last minute business. Several days later he received notice that his family's ship had encountered a collision. All four of his daughters drowned; only his wife had survived.

With a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving Anna in England. It was on this trip that he penned those now famous words, When sorrow like sea billows roll; it is well, it is well with my soul..

Philip Bliss (1838-1876), composer of many songs including Hold the Fort, Let the Lower Lights be Burning, and Jesus Loves Even Me, was so impressed with Spafford's life and the words of his hymn that he composed a beautiful piece of music to accompany the lyrics. The song was published by Bliss and Sankey, in 1876.

First United Methodist Church, Lewisville, Texas

A Community of Everyday People Learning to Love Like Jesus