July 20, 2025

The organ prelude is the "Prelude" from Cesar Franck's "Prelude, Fugue, and Variation", written in 1862.  Franck (1822-1890) was one of the most important composers for the organ in the French Romantic style.  The piece was dedicated to his friend and famous composer Saint-Saens.

Processing, we will sing "The church's one foundation", hymn 525, the great hymn by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, who also composed the day's postlude.  Complimenting the Gospel reading, we will sing verses 1, 2, & 7 of the beautiful hymn 458, "My song is love unknown", by John Ireland, from the early 20th century. The much older text is by Samuel Crossman.  

For offertory music we will sing hymn 359, "God of the prophets"; note in the hymnal notes how old this melody is but the harmonization is much more recent-- text also.  During communion we will sing 2 familiar hymns: "When Christ was lifted from the earth" (603), and :"In your mercy, Lord, you called me" (706).

Closing we will sing Charles Winfred Douglas's "He who would valiant be" (564), text from the same period (late 19th-early 20th century) by Percy Dearmer. The postlude, as mentioned earlier, is by Samuel Sebastian Weley (1810-1876), often referred to as S.S.Wesley so as not to be confused with his famous father, Samuel Wesley. S.S. Wesley was a prodigy and well known English organist and composer.  The piece is simply  titled "Choral Song".