Music for Worship March 9, 2008

At FirstLight this week we will renew our acquaintance with a couple of old hymns. Our opening set will include Eleanor Farjeon’s “Morning has broken,” made popular by Cat Stevens. Our service will conclude with Chris Tomlin’s take on “When I survey the wondrous cross” popularly known as "The Wonderful Cross." The Prophets will sing a new setting of Fanny Crosby’s “Draw me nearer” at the offering. Hearing these old familiar words with this stirring new tune really prompts the singer and listener to hear the text anew. Here’s a recording using full choir and orchestra; they sound almost as good as the Prophets! Other congregational songs will include Lanny Wolfe’s “Surely the presence,” “You are my King (Amazing love)” and “I give you my heart.”

At 11 AM the choir will be singing John Rutter’s setting of Psalm 130 from his Requiem. The text is the English Bible translation of the Psalm. The music is influenced by everything from “Porgy and Bess” to Dave Brubeck. Here is an interesting site on all things related to the requiem mass, in particular the musical setting by Rutter. The choir is planning to perform the whole Requiem in Fall 2008 for All Saints. Worship will conclude with Rutter’s only work for organ, his wickedly rhythmic “Toccata in Seven.” Congregation hymns will include “Morning has broken” (BUNNESAN), “Spirit” (SPIRIT), and “In the cross of Christ I glory” (RATHBUN). In organ history Psalm 130 is associated with the versification “Out of the depths I cry to thee,” with the German chorale tune “Aus tiefer not.” We’ll hear this tune in a setting by Johann Walther at the offering.