Worship Music 6 January 2008

This year Epiphany (January 6) falls on a Sunday, a nice opportunity to really let appropriate themes pervade the music and liturgy. This is the date traditionally related to the arrival of the magi to the Christ Child to offer their gifts. In many cultures Epiphany is the “bigger” celebration and the customary day for gift-giving: the gifts the magi offered Jesus are represented in the gifts we offer to one another. The span of twelve days between Christmas Day and Epiphany is what gave rise to the popular Christmas song “The twelve days of Christmas.” In some customs one serves a King Cake at Epiphany, either on the day of or on the night before. The King Cake has morphed in a couple of directions: it’s a part of Mardi Gras celebrations in some locales, and some Christmas celebrations include a “Jesus Cake.” All of these hearken to the King Cake as it was related to Epiphany. Musically speaking, songs related to the arrival of the Magi are appropriate, and also songs about the star which guided them from the East. Inasmuch as the magi offered their adoration and gifts to Jesus, I find it appropriate in the context of contemporary worship to sing songs of intense devotion to Jesus on this date.

FirstLight will begin this week with Laurie Klein’s classic “I love you, Lord.” We will follow that with the ever-popular “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” We will sing “Alleluia we are forgiven” at the time of confession. It being communion this week, the Prophets of Praise will sing the chorus, “Commune with me” at the offering. Our closing song will be “The First Noel.” This carol tells in poetic form of the appearance of the star to the shepherds, and the arrival of the magi at the manger to offer their gifts.

In addition to the aforementioned themes for this day, at 11 AM we will add one more: ¡ritmo! The choir will be singing Dave Brubeck’s “God’s love made visible” from his jazz cantata “La Fiesta de las Posadas.” Las Posadas is an Hispanic manner of celebrating Christmas, involving the search by Mary and Joseph to find a place for Jesus to be born. Brubeck’s song is in the odd-feeling 5/4 meter. Remember Brubeck’s famous hit “Take Five”? There you go! Even though it’s in 5, try not to tap your fingers or toes while you hear this song! (Betcha can't!) The words by Iola Brubeck help one understand the meaning of the birth of Jesus and it’s implications for the whole of creation. Here's a preview of a December performance in Yakima, WA; no specific mention of "God's love..." but you can get an idea of what others think of the complete cantata; and here's the composer's take on his music, at the publisher's website.

The adult handbell ensemble has been working for months on a nifty setting of “De tierra lejana venimos” (“From a distant home”). This Puerto Rican song tells the story of the magi with a distinctive Latino accent. Arranged by Michael Helman, the handbell piece employs the bells, plus chimes, and utilizes several specialized ringing techniques! The coolest has to be the “rolled bells” at the beginning; very, very cool! The choir will sing a stanza of this carol as the introit this week. We will be using the familiar Greatorex “Gloria patri,” and Marty Haugen’s “Three-fold amen” as our other service music. Congregational song will include “Arise, your light has come” (Festal Song) and “The First Noel” (The First Noel). Normally there are three congregational songs, but we dropped one this week in light of other liturgical activity that will be taking place. (The middle hymn was going to be “Become to us the living bread” (O filii et filiae); hence the offertory music on the tune by D’Andrieu.) The organ postlude will be my (Mike Barker’s) setting of the tune “Kings of Orient.” When I sent a complimentary copy to my first piano teacher after the piece was published, Betty wrote back asking if I was really serious about the tempo indication (quarter note = 144). “Of course,” I replied, “the magi were in a hurry to get there!”