March 17, 2024

The original hymn, "O Man, Thy Grievous Sin Bemoan", is 23 stanzas long and dates back to the 16th century; it is attributed to Matthaus Greiter (also spelled "Greitter"), who was a monk and chorister at Strassurg Cathedral (he wrote many hymn texts);  however, the author is uncertain and it is also attributed to Seybold Heyden. What we do know is that both the harmonization of the hymn and the setting that I will play as a prelude are by J.S.Bach. 

You will note in the hymnal that our opening hymn, "Spread, O spread thou mighty word" (530), is one of those familiar hymns with a slightly more recent text (19th century for stanzas 1-3 and 5, and 20th c for st. 4).  Our again familiar Gospel hymn, 603, is entirely 20th century, and I think very beautiful (and well loved).  

The anthem is a Richard Shephard (20th and early 21st c., English) setting of "When I survey the wondrous cross" (474).  Mr. Shephard certainly had talent for writing both beautiful and singable tunes.

During communion, first, Audy Walker will sing "Seek Ye the Lord" by J. Varley Roberts, who was an English choirmaster, organist, and composer (1841-1920), spending most of his career at Magdalen College in Oxford.  Following that we will sing hymns 439 and 706.

Closing, we will sing the great 18th century hymn, "Hail thou once despised Jesus", 495.

Back to Bach for the postlude, "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee", although the hymn tune was written by Georg Neumark (1621-1681); as you see, his life overlapped that of Bach (1685-1750).  It is the harmonization of the chorale (the hymn tune) and the setting of it that are Bach's.