The hymn basis for the prelude Sunday is an example of how many tunes have been used for different texts. Robert Powell's inspiration for the prelude was the text "He came to us as one unknown" (not in our hymnal), but the tune was used as an alternative for "Dear Lord and Father of mankind" (hymn 653). You will remember that Mr. Powell (b.1932) lives in Greenville, SC, and, beside all his composing-- which is extensive, and even in our hymnal-- and organist-choir positions, tuned organs on the side and even worked on our organ in the early 90's.
Read MoreSunday's organ prelude is based on a very popular anthem, and one our choir sings from time to time-- "Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether" by Harold Friedell (1905-1958), who taught at both The Julliard School of Music and Union Seminary's department of sacred music. This setting is by the contemporary American organist, James Biery.
Read MoreThe basis for the organ prelude is a Welsh folk song melody called "The Ash Grove", a very popular and recognizable tune which has been used for several hymn texts; our choir every so often has sung one of the Easter texts using the tune. This setting, by the contemporary American, Wayne L. Wold (b. 1954, Lutheran, retired professor from Hood College in Frederik, Maryland) theoretically uses a text called "Let All Things Now Living Praise God".
Read MoreThe prelude is a set of variations on our processional hymn (436), the tune known as "Truro", which actually is used for several different texts; they are by the contemporary Jonathan Reuss, who is most active in the Lutheran church as organist and composer.
Read MoreDo come and help celebrate All Saints Day at Calvary! Since I will be out of town, Otho Hoyte will be playing the organ and all prelude music and hymns will be most familiar. My wish is that the service be a joyful celebration!
Read MoreThe organ prelude is a setting of the Irish tune "St. Columba", by Henry G. Ley (1887-1962), an English composer and teacher. The hymn is well loved and is 645 in our hymnal. Our processional hymn is the 20th century hymn (including text), "Father eternal, Ruler of creation", 573. We will sing verses 1, 2, and 5. The tune for our Gospel hymn is an old -- but very familiar -- German tune, 596, "Judge eternal, throned in splendor". You will note perhaps that the text is more recent.
Read MoreThe organ prelude Sunday is "Andante" by Samuel Wesley, "andante" being a tempo marking but also often used to refer to the movement of a larger work. There are a number of "Wesley's" and they are hard to keep straight! Samuel's uncle, John Wesley, founded the Methodist church; his father was a preacher but also wrote the texts for over 700 hymns, including "Hark, the herald angels sing", 87 in our hymnal; his grandfather was a famous poet; then there is his son Samuel Sebastian Wesley who was also a musical prodigy.
Read MoreSunday's prelude will consist of settings of 2 extremely well known hymn tunes — Amazing Grace and All Things Bright and Beautiful; both arrangements are by the American, Dale Wood (1934-2003), about whom I have written. He was a very prolific composer/arranger, and many, many church musicians enjoy playing his music.
Read MoreThe organ prelude is based on a hymn tune by the famous English composer, Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918), which in our hymnal is 653, using the text "Dear Lord and Father of mankind". Most people associate that text with an older well loved tune, but this tune I feel is equally as beautiful. Obviously, when Robert Powell wrote this setting, he had a different text in mind -- "He comes to us as One Unknown".
Read MoreThe organ prelude Sunday is based on the Gospel hymn, "Strengthen for service, Lord", 312, and is an elaborate setting by Leo Sowerby (1895-1968), one of the greatest American church music composers who also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1946. Our processional hymn is verses 4, 5, & 6 of "Awake awake, to love and work", no. 9. The 19th century tune, which you know, is called "Morning Song", and I think is very uplifting.
Read More"O God Beyond All Praising" is the title of the organ prelude, but this tune — "Thaxted" -- has several texts, and is the famous melody by Gustav Holst; originally he composed it for his "Planets", but later Ralph Vaughan Williams (a friend of his) used it in a collection of hymns. The setting is by Robert Buckley Farlee, a contemporary American serving in a Lutheran church in Minneapolis.
Read MoreSunday's organ prelude is based on a Scottish hymn tune, "Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown", a setting by the prolific Dale Wood (1934-2003), raised as a Lutheran but prominent in both the Lutheran and the Episcopal church, having served many years at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin in San Francisco. He was known as a master of melody and sometimes called "Mr. Joy".
Read MorePeggy White will be our guest organist today. We are fortunate to have both her and Otho Hoyte in our midst! The processional hymn is a well known 19th century hymn by Samuel Sebastion Wesley, 386 (verses 1, 3, & 4), "We sing of God, the mighty source of all things". Mr. Wesley wrote no less than 6 hymns in our hymnal — if you are interested, go to the resources in the back and check out the various ones! Note that the text for our version of the hymn is older (18th century).
Read More"Let us break bread together on our knees", 325 in our hymnal, is the basis of the prelude, setting by Edwin T Childs, who lives in the Chicago area where he writes both choral and organ music. He has a PhD from the Eastman School of Music, one of the most prestigious music schools in the United States. The familiar hymn, of course, is an Afro-American spiritual.
Read MoreThere will be settings of 2 familiar hymns for the prelude, the first being a Peter Pindar Stearns setting of hymn 685, "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me". Mr. Stearns, 1931-2016, was from a prominent and musical New England family whose roots go back to 1650. Among many other interests and accomplishments (and compositions in multiple genres), he taught for a number of years at the Mannes School of Music in New York.
Read MoreThe hymn tune for the prelude (O Waly Waly -- "When Love Is Found"), though not in our hymnal, will be totally familiar (I think!) to everyone. What may be of note is that the setting is by a most prolific and well respected contemporary female American composer, Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927). Some of her compositions were played at Penn State when I was on the faculty there. She has written a great deal of choral, organ, as well as piano music, and also performed as organist at some of the major churches in this country, including The National Cathedral.
Read MoreOtho Hoyte will be the organist this Sunday and for the prelude will be playing a Dale Wood (contemporary American of whom I have written before) setting of "Beneath the cross of Jesus", which is hymn 498 in our hymnal. The familiar tune is called "St. Christopher" and is by Frederick C. Maker (1844-1927).
Read MoreThe trumpeter, William Ross, who many of you know from his years playing at Calvary Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday -- and also playing 2 benefit concerts with the Biltmore Brass -- has volunteered to play this Sunday. The prelude, arranged for trumpet and organ by the contemporary American, David Howard Pettit, is a hymn tune many of you will recognize -- "Here I Am, Lord".
Read MoreBoth prelude and postlude music this Sunday is based on very familiar hymn tunes, settings by the American composer, Dale Wood (1934-2003), a California man his entire life and a musician whose music is depended on by many organists. There will be arrangements of two well-loved hymns for the prelude: "Brother James' Air" (517 in our hymnal) and "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" (691). The postlude will be a setting of "When Morning Gilds the Skies" (427).
Read MoreThe prelude is based on the most familiar "I am the bread of life", 335 in our hymnal, and is an arrangement by Ron Schmoltze (1936-2018), a graduate of the famous music school at Oberlin College and an organist who had several volumes of published organ preludes. After a calm and introspective introduction, you will recognize the melody immediately.
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