Carol Singing

The January 2009 issue of British Heritage magazine has a nice article on carol singing in Britain. It discusses the development of carols and carol singing, their repression under Puritan rule and restoration after 1700. Also discussed are some favorite secular and sacred carols. The article reveals some historical tidbits: the word "waits" associated with carolers is the early word for the town watchmen. Wassail come from two old Anglo-Saxon words, waes hael, meaning "be healthy." The articles of the issue are not yet on-line, but likely will be in a few weeks here. Thanks for Mary V. for sharing the magazine. She wouldn't be satisfied unless I also mentioned that there is an article on John Rutter which includes a picture of the maestro holding a cat, of all things! Choral singers especially will find both article interesting.

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.

Music for Sunday 9/23

Congregational song at FirstLight will begin with Laurie Klein's passionate chorus, "I Love, You, Lord," followed by "I Give You My All," "Reign In Me," and "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord." The third song will be new to some, but is easily learned. The concluding song will be Dan Schutte's hymn of call and commitment, "Here I Am, Lord." The Prophets will be singing a Brazilian worship song, "Cantad al Senor" at the offering. Perrin Todd has been working overtime, brushing up his Hispanic-style playing skills!

The Chancel Choir will sing John Rutter's "Te Deum" at 11 AM. Accompanied by organ (our own Carla Sperry) and brass, this will be a thrilling musical element in our worship this week. Brass players contracted for this presentation include Julie Howard, David Pressley, our own Anna McClintock, Peter Schlecht, Todd Sessoms, Dave Oakley and Will Talley. We welcome these players as part of this special music presentation. Hymns for worship will be "Ye Servants of God" (Hanover), "God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending" (Beach Spring), and "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less" (Solid Rock). Organ music by Flor Peeters, Max Reger, and John Heron is also part of the musical lineup.

Rutter: Te Deum on 9/23

The Chancel Choir will sing John Rutter's "Te Deum" for 11 AM worship on the 23rd of September. Rutter's setting, written for use in English-speaking churches, uses the English translation of the text. The original Latin carries a certain beauty, such that it is worth reading on its own right. Here is a favorable review of the work, and other music on the CD Rutter has completed of this work.

Wikipedia says the following about this ancient hymn: "The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. Though its authorship is traditionally ascribed to Saints Ambrose and Augustine, on the occasion of the latter's baptism by the former in AD 387, contemporary scholars doubt this attribution, many assigning it to Nicetas, bishop of Remesiana in the late 4th to early 5th centuries. The hymn follows the outline of the Apostles' Creed, mixing a poetic vision of the heavenly liturgy with its declaration of faith. Naming God immediately, the hymn proceeds to name all those who praise and venerate God, from the hierarchy of heavenly creatures to those Christian faithful already in heaven to the Church spread throughout the world. The hymn then returns to its credal formula, naming Christ and recalling his birth, suffering, and glorification. At this point the hymn turns to the subjects declaiming the praise, both the Church in general and the singer in particular, asking for mercy on past sins, protection from future sin, and the hoped-for reunification with the elect."

Here is the original Latin text:
Te Deum laudámus: te Dóminum confitémur. Te ætérnum Patrem, omnis terra venerátur. Tibi omnes ángeli, tibi cæliet univérsæ potestátes: tibi chérubim et séraphimincessábili voce proclámant: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra maiestátis glóriæ tuæ. Te gloriósus apostolòrum chorus, te prophetárum laudábilis númerus, te mártyrum candidátus laudat exércitus. Te per orbem terrárum sancta confitétur Ecclésia, Patrem imménsæ maiestátis; venerándum tuum verumet únicum Fílium; Sanctum quoque Paráclitum Spíritum. Tu rex glóriæ, Christe. Tu Patris sempitérnus es Filius. Tu, ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem, non horrúisti Virginis úterum. Tu, devícto mortis acúleo, aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum. Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes, in glória Patris. Iudex créderis esse ventúrus. Te ergo quǽsumus, tuis fámulis súbveni, quos pretióso sánguine redemísti. Ætérna fac cum sanctis tuisin glória numerári. Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ. Et rege eos, et extólle illosusque in ætérnum. Per síngulos dies benedícimus te; et laudámus nomen tuumin sǽculum, et in sǽculum sǽculi. Dignáre, Dómine, die isto sine peccáto nos custodíre. Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri. Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos, quemádmodum sperávimus in te. In te, Dómine, sperávi: non confúndar in ætérnum.

And in English:
We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. To thee all Angels cry aloud, the Heavens, and all the Powers therein. To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles
praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee. The noble army of Martyrs praise thee. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee; the Father of an infinite Majesty; thine honourable, true and only Son; also the Holy Ghost the Comforter. Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in glory everlasting. O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage. Govern them and lift them up for ever. Day by day we magnify thee; and we worship thy Name ever world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord to keep us this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us have mercy upon us. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee. O Lord, in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded.

The Chancel Choir hopes that you will enjoy hearing this glorious text, in a fine musical setting by John Rutter in worship on the 23rd.