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; most of it is copied from other websites 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:
St. Magnus - Healey Willan
The Ascension of Christ forty days after Easter is a longstanding observance of the Christian church. Although two gospels mention the Ascension (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-53), the most detailed description of the Ascension is found in Acts 1:9-11: "And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were looking steadfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven". Just as the bodily resurrection of Christ has been a cornerstone of Christian faith historically, the bodily ascension of Christ to heaven is also of major significance. The angels instruct the apostles that Jesus will return in like manner when the second coming occurs.
"The head that once was crowned" fills in the gaps of the scriptural account by describing Christ's presence in heaven and the glory of those who "dwell above" with him in "heaven's eternal light”.
Thomas Kelly (1769-1855), born in Lellyville, Ireland, was a fine poet and musician. He was known for giving away his substantial wealth to help the poor and to build churches. The son of a judge, he trained to be a lawyer. Convicted of his sin by The Life, the Walk, and the Triumph of Faith, treatises by William Romaine (1714-1795), an evangelical in the Church of England, he became an ordained minister in the Church of Ireland. Because of his powerful preaching and support of the rising evangelical movements, Kelly was banned from preaching in the Church of England and joined the ranks of "dissenting" ministers. British hymnologist J. R. Watson notes that in spite of being banned in 1794 by the Archbishop of Dublin from preaching in churches in the diocese, Kelly "continued to preach in chapels and churches outside the Archbishop’s jurisdiction, and in 1802 he founded the Kellyites, an independent sect of his followers. He had married a very wealthy woman; and in the years after 1802, he was able to build chapels in a number of towns, most of which closed in the years following his death.”
Kelly wrote 765 hymns. Of these, "The Head that once was crowned" was published in the fifth edition of Kelly’s Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture (1820). It first appeared in a Methodist hymnal in 1849, but with only five stanzas. The current hymnal includes all six stanzas. The hymn text is based on Hebrews 2:9-10 which speaks of Christ’s glory and the universal message of grace that is available because of Christ’s suffering: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Thomas Kelly may have been inspired by a poem composed by the famous John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), in the poetic collection One Thing is Needful, or Serious Meditations upon the Four Last Things, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell (c. 1664). The 37th stanza of the poem "Of Heaven" contains the lines that probably stimulated Kelly’s imagination as he penned the incipit of the hymn. Note not only the similarity of words, but also the same metrical pattern:
The head that once was crowned with thorns Shall now with glory shine;
That heart that broken was with scorns Shall flow with life divine.
Kelly employs the poetic device of hypotyposis – a vivid description of a scene or events in words – that provides the singer with a glimpse of the splendor of heaven in the monarchial terms of his day. The glory of heaven is contrasted with the suffering of the cross and the suffering of all who follow Christ on earth. The hymn links Christ’s suffering with his risen glory, and the evangelical message of grace can be found within each stanza. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, grace and love are manifest to all. Kelly’s love for the oppressed is evident as he addresses those who are now wearing a crown of thorns because of their devotion to the Lord. They are reminded that they, too, will reign in heaven next to Christ. Kelly ends the hymn with the paradoxical theme of Christianity: Christ’s death and suffering is the eternal hope for all people.
Kelly published three volumes of hymns in Dublin: A Collection of Psalms and Hymns Extracted from Various Authors (1802), Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture (1804), and Hymns by Thomas Kelly, not before Published (1815). J. R. Watson notes, "Kelly himself was a man of considerable learning and great energy. . . His finest hymns have a rare impetus and power that suggest that his strong evangelical preaching must have indeed been memorable.
ST. MAGNUS first appeared in Henry Playford's Divine Companion (1707 ed.) as an anonymous tune with soprano and bass parts. The tune was later credited to Jeremiah Clark (c.1670-1707), who was a chorister in the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of James II in 1685. Later he served as organist in Winchester College, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Chapel Royal. He shot himself to death in a fit of depression, apparently because of an unhappy romance. Supported by Queen Anne, Clark was a prominent composer in his day, writing songs for the stage as well as anthems, psalm tunes, and harpsichord works. One well-known piece, the Trumpet Voluntary, was long attributed to his contemporary Henry Purcell but is now recognized as Clark's composition. Robert Bridges and Ralph Vaughan Williams reintroduced Clark's hymn tunes for congregational use in the twentieth century in the Yattendon Hymnal (1899) and The English Hymnal (1906).
Although ST. MAGNUS was originally used as a setting for Psalm 117, it has been associated with this text since they were combined in the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern. The tune is named for the Church of St. Magnus the Martyr, built by Christopher Wren in 1676 on Lower Thames Street near the old London Bridge, England.
The head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now;
a royal diadem adorns the mighty Victor's brow.
The highest place that heav'n affords is his, is his by right,
the King of kings and Lord of lords, and heav'n's eternal Light:
The joy of all who dwell above, the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love, and grants his name to know.
To them the cross, with all its shame, with all its grace, is giv'n;
their name an everlasting name, their joy the joy of heav'n.
They suffer with the Lord below, they reign with him above;
their profit and their joy to know the myst'ry of his love.
The cross he bore is life and health, though shame and death to him;
his people's hope, his people's wealth, their everlasting theme.
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.”
About the Piano Music:
Simple Prayer - Ed Bolduc
Ed Bolduc began writing liturgical music for the youth of his parish in 1992 for the Life Teen Mass. Ed Bolduc is currently the full-time Music Director of Saint Ann’s Roman Catholic parish in Marietta, Georgia. In 2005, Bolduc received two Unity Awards from the United Catholic Music and Video Association (UCMVA): Artist of the Year and Liturgical Album of the Year for In the Light, the music of Michael John Poirier. He is composer of the beautiful new contemporary Mass setting Mass of Saint Ann. Bolduc was an editorial consultant for Voices As One, Volume 2 and is the producer of the 10-CD set of recordings from the hymnal. He continues to produce the music found in the More Voices as One music series and the Voices hymnal coming soon. He continues to write, record, and produce instrumental piano music. Time (2010) and Piano Christmas 2 (2009) are among the most recent. Along with being a contributing artist to World Library Publications, he also works as an editor, arranger, and producer on various projects.
About the Vocal Solo Music:
Prayer - Don Besig
Don Besig was a public school music teacher for over thirty years in western New York. He taught at all levels and since his retirement has continued to serve as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator. Recognizing a need for choral music written especially for student singers and volunteer church choirs, he began composing for his own choral groups in 1960. He is also the recipient of several ASCAP Plus Awards Don is a graduate of Ithaca College and a member of Phi Mu Alpha and ASCAP. He and Nancy Price collaborate to write music and lyrics.
Oh loving Father, we come to you in prayer.
Our hearts are thankful for all we share.
We are not worthy, but you love us still;
teach us to follow you and do your will.
When we’re afraid, please take us by the hand;
renew our faith, and help us understand.
Teach us to grow, to love and forgive,
and know you’re near each moment we live.
Grant us the strength to walk with you each day,
and lead us back, Lord, if we should stray.
When there is darkness, help us search for light,
and find the morning beyond the night.
Help us to reach to those who are in need;
help us to teach that others may believe.
May we be kind in all that we do,
and find the hope to carry us through.
Oh, loving Father, please hear us as we pray.
Give us the courage to face each day.
Through all our trials may our faith increase;
show us the way to live in love and peace.
Amen, amen.
About the Hymns:
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Philip Spener became the pastor of a Lutheran congregation in Frankfurt am Main in the mid-1600s, and effected a revival by fervent preaching that emphasized repentance, personal piety, and discipleship. He encouraged prayer and Bible study as a means to personal spiritual growth. He spelled out his five guiding principles in a document entitled Pia Desideria (Pious Desires). These included: the increased use of scripture; lay participation in small groups, emphasizing prayer and Bible study; a balance of faith and actions; an emphasis on a pious clergy; sermons that encourage an active faith. Not only did the church that Spener was serving in Frankfurt prosper, but a pietistic movement swept across Germany through his influence.
An enthusiastic member of Spener's congregation was a young attorney, Johann Jakob Schutz, who not only encouraged Spener's work but also wrote hymns. He wrote "Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above" in 1675, and published it in Christliches Gedenkbüchlein that same year.
The hymn is usually sung to the tune, "Mit Freuden Zart" ("With great delight!").
The most common English translation in use is by Frances E. Cox from 1864, which was published in Orby Shipley's Lyra Eucharistica and her own Hymns from the German. Deuteronomy 32:3 was the basis for this hymn of praise – “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!” (ESV) Using a variety of metaphors for God and for His works, this text overflows with proclamations of God's loving care for His people. Note the second verse, which emphasizes the presence of the Lord, a typical pietistic emphasis: "The Lord is never far away, but thru all grief distressing an ever-present help and stay, our peace and joy and blessing.”
O God of Every Nation
During WWII, William Watkins Reid, Jr. (1923-2007) served in the United States Army Medical Corps and was captured by the Germans. He earned degrees from Oberlin College (1945, 1947) before graduating from Yale Divinity School and serving Congregational and United Methodist Churches in North Dakota and Pennsylvania. In addition to his work in local parishes, Reid was a Wilkes-Barre district superintendent in the former Wyoming Annual Conference (Pennsylvania) in 1978; and he held membership on various commissions and boards, including the Executive Committee of the Hymn Society in the United Sates and Canada. Many of his hymns are published in hymnals of several denominations.
When the Hymn Society of America and the National Council of Churches co-sponsored a contest for a new hymn, Rev. Reid submitted “O God of Every Nation,” a plea for peace. It won first place and was first sung at the Council's Fifth World Order Conference held in Cleveland, Ohio, November 1958. The Hymn Society published it in Twelve New World Order Hymns (1958).
In 1958, the world was still reeling, having barely recovered from Hitler’s “final solution” and the first use of nuclear bombs. The 1950s saw the horrors of the Korean War and heightened tensions of the Cold War. Citizens in the U.S. built bomb shelters and took cover during air raid drills in preparation for more to come. In his 1961 Farewell Address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower would warn of the dangers of the growing “military-industrial complex”, government collaboration with the arms industry. Rev. Reid knew first hand the cost of war and saw past the disguise of ribbons, flags, and patriotic marches. In his hymn, we pray-sing “Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease …” and “heal our strife-torn world.”
In this hymn, we confess that “hate and fear divide us” and name as evils the “search for wealth and power” and “scorn of truth and right.” There is a nod to pride of racial and economic privilege. Sadly, these societal sins not only continue to plague us in the 21st century, but appear to be on the increase. We square off, rattling our sabers, our hate speech, our guns. The verses of this hymn counter those assumptions and allow us to give voice to a different ethos. We sing to God to work through us to redeem creation. We sing that “hatred and division give way to love and peace” and offer a prayer that those who work for truth and justice will be strengthened, especially when their hope and courage falters. With confidence we proclaim that God’s love and mercy will guide us to the dawning of a glorious new day.
The tune, LLANGLOFFAN, is a traditional Welsh melody, from Daniel Evans' Hymnau a Thonau (Hymns and Tunes), 1865.
O God of every nation, of every race and land,
redeem the whole creation with your almighty hand.
Where hate and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled,
in love and mercy guide us, and heal our strife-torn world.
From search for wealth and power and scorn of truth and right,
from trust in bombs that shower destruction through the night,
from pride of race and station and blindness to your way,
deliver every nation, eternal God, we pray!
Lord, strengthen all who labor that we may find release
from fear of rattling saber, from dread of war's increase.
When hope and courage falter, Lord, let your voice be heard;
with faith that none can alter, your servants undergird.
Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease,
when hatred and division give way to love and peace,
till dawns the morning glorious when truth and justice reign,
and Christ shall rule victorious o'er all the world's domain.
First United Methodist Church, Lewisville, Texas
A Community of Everyday People Learning to Love Like Jesus
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