At worship this coming Sunday we will be singing some of my favorite church music that I grew up singing and being spiritually nourished by. My Father often used the two anthems our Chancel Choir will be singing, and our two hymns are much-loved around the world.
Our Choral Prelude is truly an invocation of the Holy Trinity, written by Leo Sowerby, often called the Dean of American Church Music. He based his anthem on the Gregorian Chant “Ave Colenda Trinitas” – All Hail, Adored Trinity. (Starts at 54:07 in the video.) No stand-alone recording of the work exists, but this recording from Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Philadelphia includes it at the Communion. Sowerby gives the chant a dignified and simple treatment, ornamenting it with shimmering organ chords and soprano obligato above the cantus firmus sung at all times by the men, but joined in different verses by the sopranos and altos.
Our opening hymn and my organ voluntary utilize John Bacchus Dyke’s great hymn tune NICAEA, to the text Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. The Chancel choir will be singing a rich harmony on verse 3 to paint the text “though the darkness hide thee…” and our majestic verse 4 descant is by Paul Halley and can be heard at 3:07 in this video.
As we close the season of Eastertide, we will be emptying that butterfly-covered box of Alleluias we protected during Lent as we sing Randall Thompson’s stirring “Alleluia”. Written as the storm clouds of World War II were growing in Europe, Thompson wrote a hymn of praise (Alleluia = “God be praised”) that was tinged with angst and uneasiness, yet undergirded with hope and trust in the Almighty no matter what may come. The composer gave an insightful interview on the genesis of the work, and the publisher made it available on the work’s 75th Anniversary. Our amazing Chancel Choir sings it SO heartfully, and we will be praying this beautiful five minute work without accompaniment.
My parting thought for us this week is taken from the great hymn “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate”:
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity. The power of God to hold and lead, God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay, God’s ear to hearken to my need. The wisdom of my God to teach, God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward; the word of God to give me speech, God’s heavenly host to be my guard.
May every moment of our day be guided by the power of God, the love of Christ and the strength of the Holy Spirit.
