Worship for Palm-Passion Sunday 032810

For Palm-Passion Sunday we will devote much of our worship to a dramatic portrayal of the events of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. A team of folks under the leadership of Donna Marie Todd will tell the story of Holy Week throughout the service, interspersed with prayers and singing. FirstLight and our 11AM service will be very similar; the biggest difference will be the music (though there will be plenty of cross-over there also). To see what's coming you can see a copy of the liturgy for FirstLight here. And here's a copy of the liturgy for 11AM. In both documents you can see the music we'll be using. See you Sunday!

Quintessential hymns

"So," I asked the choir tonight, "for what denomination is "Lift high the cross" (CRUCIFER) the quintessential hymn?" (It's one of our hymns for this coming Sunday.) Once they figured out what I was asking, they put it together and responded, "Lutherans."

Exactly.

I went on...the quintessential Presbyterian hymn is "Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty" (LOBE DEN HERREN).

For United Methodists, AZMON, "O for a thousand tongues to sing." By that point we were off.

I proposed that the Baptist equivalent would be "Praise Him! Praise Him!" (...Jesus our blessed Redeemer...). Our resident Baptist wasn't convinced, but also didn't think, as a third person suggested, that "Just as I am" really summed up Baptist hymnody quite right either.

The way I further explained it was, "what hymn gets a group of whomever we're speaking of singing with everything they've got?" What song would compel a member of said denomination to stand up and join in singing?

For Moravians we decided "Ten thousand times ten thousand." The lyrics rival "For all the saints" (SINE NOMINE) in their beauty to my thinking.

One of the other mainline denominations we've failed to mention to this point is the Episcopal Church in the US. What, the choir singers and I pondered together, would be the Episcopal "signature tune?" I'm still wondering. "O God our help in ages past?" (As I am putting the final edit on this, I now wonder if maybe it's "For all the saints.")

This got going in my head because a friend and colleague recently gave me a new hymnal, the new Celebrating Grace Hymnal, published by Celebrating Grace Ministries, which seems to be of the Baptist persuasion. It had a delightfully comprehensive and inclusive, if somewhat Baptist-weighted, corpus of hymnody and congregational song: KING'S WESTON to Chris Tomlin and DIVINUM MYSTERIUM to Fred Pratt Green.

Of course then one has to ask, "would other groups (Episcopalians, Unitarians, Congregationalists, etc.) be caught singing their hearts out on any song at all?!?" For some this abiding joy and fervor over congregational singing may be an alien thing.

So weigh in. Got a suggestions for AME Zionists? Or National Baptists? Members of the Christian Reformed Church? Care to argue any of the choices I named at the outset?

New hymnal

I received a copy of the Celebrating Grace Hymnal, published by Celebrating Grace, Inc., in GA. Arden S. was in attendance for the premiere and sang in the choir that helped introduce the new song resource. Interesting tidbits: KING'S WESTON to Chris Tomlin and DIVINIUM MYSTERIUM to Fred Pratt Green. It's got a definite Baptist slant (Praise Him! Praise Him!), but seems like a very nice resources. Is this a shot across the bow of Lifeway Resources' marketing grip on the Baptist denomination as it seems? Thanks, Arden!

Maryville Pics

Images from the Friday dinner, concert and reception with Maryville College Choir.



Thanks to Carolyn Konnert for taking the pictures!

Worship Music for 031410

FirstLight
Gathering Song
Bless the Lord, my soul

Opening Song
Come, thou fount of every blessing

Confession
Lord, have mercy
Surely it is God who saves me

Offertory
O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Doxology
We are an offering

Closing Song
How deep the Father’s love for us

11AM
Hymns
2236, Gather us in (GATHER US IN)
356, Come thou fount of every blessing (NETTLETON)
298, There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (IN BABILONE)

Introit
Berthier, Bless the Lord, my soul

Confession
Lord, have mercy upon us, Merbecke
Surely it is God who saves me, White

Anthem
Philip Young, O the deep, deep love of Jesus
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Doxology
All things come of thee O Lord

Benediction Response
Berthier, Jesus remember me

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: JS Bach, Blessed Jesus, at your word
Offertory: Arr. Manz, In Babilone
Postlude: Pachelbel, Fantasy in G Minor

Tour details: Marryville College Choir

Friday, March 12

8:00 Load the bus (arrive dressed in black pants and choir t-shirts)

8:30 Departure

9:15 Arrive at Daniel Boone High School

9:30 Performance

11:00 Departure

12:00 *Lunch & Free Time in Abingdon, VA

2:30 Departure

4:30 Arrival, unload, set up and warm up

5:30 Dinner

6:00 Dress

6:30 Assemble

7:00 Concert

Black Mountain Presbyterian Church

117 Montreat Road

Black Mountain, NC 28711

Phone: 828-669-2725

Website: http://bmpcnc.org/index.htm

Contact: Mike Barker, Choral Director

mbarker118@bellsouth.net

Shannon Kershner, Pastor

Folks bringing food for supper may bring it anytime Friday and leave in the kitchen with a label and instructions. Dinner will be in the fellowship Hall, a reception will follow the concert in the narthex. Women singers will be using CR 1 and the Parlor as their green rooms; men will use the Library and CR 2. Host families should pick up singers after the concert and reception. Singers need to be back at church on Saturday at 9AM. Anyone involved with the event may use the cell number I've given you 24/7 Friday and Saturday with questions or problems.

Three Choral Anthems

Harold Friedell's "Draw us in the Spirit's tether" has been for me, for quite some time, a "perfect piece of choral music (even with the somewhat dated 6-5 suspension at the end). The tune (UNION SEMINARY) is drop-dead gorgeous (usually in luscious A-flat major), and the text for communion, with its numerous and subtle allusions to scripture is glorious. (Published: HW Gray)

Several years ago Mike Bedford wrote "Now to praise the name of Jesus" as his answer to the Friedell anthem. It has the same stately feel, flowing in triple meter. The text has just a couple of weak turns of phrase, but is all in all fine, fine poetry. The piece (in stately F major) includes a soaring descant, including a high-A for the sopranos. It concludes with a solemn "amen." (For those who know me, you know that in my book this would be the only draw-back: I hate "amens.") But all in all a very nice piece. (Published: Presser)

This winter I discovered Philip Young's new setting of the text "O the deep, deep love of Jesus." Again in triple meter, with a beautiful melody. I only wish the text were explicitly eucharistic: it would make a perfect match to the other two. Alas, it joins their ranks missing that one hallmark. Yet, it still makes the cut. The melody is just that pretty. The only real drawback to the piece is that it changes key for each stanza (B-flat, C, D, not even interesting key relations). One key would have been ideal, two tolerable. It misses greatness by relying on too many changes in key. It has a very nice counter-melody at the end. No "amen." (Published: Lorenz {I know!})

I have not had to introduce any choir I've worked with to the Friedell piece. It's that much of a choral repertoire staple. I have purchased Bedford's anthem everywhere I've been staff musician. With the caveats noted above, I would commend the third to my colleagues. And to any chorister, I would commend the text of all three anthems. "Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them." You owe it to yourself.

Maryville College Choir program

Below is a list of the works on the choir's program. Read and have your musical appetite whetted!

Program

“Make Our Garden Grow”

Maryville College Concert Choir

To be selected from the following:

Grow in Faith

Non Nobis, Domine, Rosephanye Powell

O Clap Your Hands, John Rutter

Pilgrim’s Hymn, Stephen Paulus

Beautiful Savior, F. Melius Christiansen

Will You Come and Follow Me?, Arr. John Bell

Antiphon, Ralph Vaughan Williams

From “Five Mystical Songs”

Grow in Love

A Boy and a Girl, Eric Whitacre

The Turtle Dove, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Grow in Heritage

Danny Boy, arr. Joseph Flummerfelt (Off Kilter)

Loch Lomond, arr. Jonathan Quick

Keep Your Lamps, Andre Thomas

Ezekiel Saw de Wheel, arr. William L. Dawson

Make Our Garden Grow, Leonard Bernstein

From “Candide”

Grow in Levity (Off Kilter)

Theme from “Mission: Impossible”, Schirfrin/arr. Emerson

My Girl, Robinson/arr. Raugh & Sharon

Stand By Me, King/Leiber & Stoller/arr. Mac Huff

Breaths, Ysaye M. Barnwell

Wanting Memories, Ysaye M. Barnwell

Killing Me Softly With His Song, arr. Deke Sharon

Heartbreak Hotel, arr. Raugh & Sharon

Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, Lennon & McCartney/arr. Bill Ives

Lion Sleeps Tonight, arr. Raugh & Sharon

Grow in Tradition

Concert Choir

Hallelujah Chorus, George Frederick Handel

From “Messiah”

Benediction and Amen, Peter Lutkin.

Touring Choir: Maryville College (TN)

Here's their publicity photo. I heard from Director Stacey Wilner that the music department has moved into new digs on campus: a new arts center! I suppose this is located in the new hall. Good looking group of kids!

All you folks that have been telling me "I went to Maryville...," or "I know someone who went to Maryville..." drop us a comment and share your stories!

Maryville College Choir

They'll be here Friday 3/12 for a 7PM concert. Click here to see their spring tour and event poster. They've got a busy semester. See you in a couple of weeks, guys!