Liturgy Lessons: Oct. 9, 2016
Prelude
Introit: Jesus, Priceless Treasure
Call to Worship: Based on Isaiah 55 & Matthew 11; selections from Isaiah 43 & Psalm 107 (responsively)
Opening Hymn: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (#345)
Confession: from Book of Common Prayer
Assurance of Pardon: Based on Isaiah 54:8; 43:25; 44:22
Song of Assurance: Come, Lonely Heart
Catechism/Congregational Prayers
Offertory: “Jesus Paid it all”, arr. Lloyd Larson
Doxology: #733
Sermon: Casey Bedell
Meditation: “Nimrod”, from Enigma Variations, by Edward Elgar
Supper Hymns: Here is Love, vast as the ocean; O, for a thousand tongues (#164, vs. 1-4)
Closing Hymn: Let us love and sing and wonder (#172)
Benediction
“Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth.”
Psalm 96:1
“Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.”
Psalm 33:3
“O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.”
Psalm 98:1
This week I will highlight an old hymn and a new hymn. You may find yourself drawn to one over the other. That’s o.k.. My desire is to broaden our perspective of music to bring grace and understanding into the singing of ALL our songs. Heated debates, discussions, fussing, and arguments over music in the church are nothing new. The Bible tells us to sing a new song, but in this area, the church has not always agreed on what is appropriate adornment for worship. And, to this day, the church remains very divided along lines of style and substance in its worship practices. However, the musical feast that we enjoy in our culture today would likely not be possible if it weren’t for faithful figures in history who were able to exercise skill and discernment in balancing old and new to bring beauty into the sanctuary. I’d like to tell you a story about one such figure, and his creation of “new” music in the church:
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) was a renaissance Catholic composer of sacred music, and is sometimes called the savior of church music. During his lifetime, the church was involved in a debate over music. Up until the 1200’s most of the music in the church had been monophonic chant. One voice at a time, singing so that the music remained subordinate to the text, which was always to be clearly understood and not obscured. In the late 13th cent. some French composers named Leonin and Perotin were experimenting with organum where one voice held the main theme (cantus firmus) in long notes, while two or three other voices ornamented freely above it (listen to a sample here). And so, the era of polyphony (many voices moving independently of each other) was ushered in like wildfire across Europe. By the 14th century, the cathedral of Notre Dame was incorporating polyphony into their masses with the help of their legendary composer Machaut. However, most churches still did not allow instruments for fear of pagan sensuality and secular associations, and even prohibited the use of certain musical intervals, such as the tritone, calling it the “devil’s interval”. Despite these developments in the outer rings of the Catholic world, in the bullseye seat of Rome there was staunch resistance and grave concern. The Italian popes during the 15th cent. considered harmony frivolous, lascivious, and an obstruction to the audibility of the words. By the time the Council of Trent (1545-1563) came along, the pope was considering outlawing polyphony throughout the Catholic kingdom, and returning to all chant. Palestrina was working in Rome at that time. In response to the council’s concerns, he argued that the intelligibility of text was not the fault of polyphony, but the fault of composers. To prove his point, he wrote the Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass), in which he used a new type of innovative writing that came to be known as homophony, where most of the voices would move together rhythmically. The reformers over in Germany were already championing this style for their hymns, in an effort to encourage congregational participation in the music of worship. Apparently, this new composition by Palestrina had a great influence on the church leaders and the pope, who was persuaded that this new style could be incorporated into the church. And, once you have a listen to this excerpt from his setting of the Gloria (“Glory to God in the Highest”), you’ll understand how this exquisite music could easily win over popes. So, Palestrina went down in history as one of the greatest sacred music composers of all time, and he played a very pivotal role in restoring the place of harmony and paving the way for musical possibilities in the church. Just a century after him, another musical genius would be born in Germany that would be called the greatest church musician to ever live. But, you’ll have to wait until next week to hear about him. I’m sure you may already know his name.
Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken
Text: John Newton, 1779 Music: Austrian Hymn, Franz Haydn, 1797
This has been called one of Newton’s finest hymns, and it is certainly one of his most popular. The opening quotes Psalm 87:3 “Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God” (ESV). The theme of these stanzas is the universal church, and its story. The text begins with a vision of the new city of God (Hebrews 12:22) in the first two stanzas, and then looks back to the early journey of the Israelites, with references in the third stanza to cloud, fire, and manna (Exodus 13:21, 16:31). We are reminded through this of the long history God has with His people, and of the wonderful future awaiting those who are, through grace, members of God’s family.
The music comes to us from a string quartet by the classical composer Haydn. The theme from that quartet was paired with Newton’s text in the early 18th century, and it is a wonderful match. This tune is also the national anthem of Austria.
Link to sheet music: http://www.hymnary.org/media/fetch/103744
Haydn’s original string quartet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_chH88_–A
Hymn version with Organ accompaniment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2zWu_wW-zQ
Come, Lonely Heart
Text: Chris Anderson, 2012 Music: Greg Habegger, 2012
This hymn comes to us from the faithful and diligent stewards over at Church Works. Founded in 2006, their vision was “to provide resources for church ministry”, with a specific focus on writing “doctrinally-rich, Christ-centered hymns and psalms for corporate worship”. Pastor Chris Anderson and Music leader Greg Habegger have collaborated on many new hymns, 8 of which are published in the new “Hymns of Grace” hymnal. This hymn, which I think is one of their best collaborative efforts, is based on John’s account of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar (John 4:1–42). If you are interested, here is the link to a doctrinal overview of the hymn text: http://churchworksmedia.com/come-lonely-heart
What I love about this hymn is, first and foremost, the melody. I am still mystified as to why some melodies are memorable. It’s humbling, and I can’t always explain it, but after I discovered this one, I found myself humming it unwittingly at various moments throughout the day. There is a celebratory delight in the song that really captured me. It seems a good mix of sophistication (subtle use of suspensions, playful use of rhythm), and simplicity (just enough repetition for the non-musician). And that mixture makes the tune a good fit for the text that focuses on the Lord of Lord’s ability to condescend in His mercy. He doesn’t just reign supreme from on high, but he stoops to the lowly.
One note on the text. In the sheet music and recording listed below, you will see and hear the repeated mini-refrain in the middle of each verse “No soul is too small for his mercy”. Well, I have taken some creative license and tailored that line to fit our liturgy this Sunday. So, we will be singing this alternate lyric: “No soul is too lost for his mercy to find”(changes in italics).
Link to sheet music: http://media.virbcdn.com/files/92/FileItem-276621-ComeLonelyHeart_Full.pdf
Link to recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUPti0Vpv7U
These lessons are designed to help us creatively celebrate Christ. So, as a playful postlude to these lessons, something for the kiddos, or the “kid in you”, I’m offering a weekly alliterative rhapsody on our redeemer, based on the alphabet. So, today’s liturgy lesson has been brought to you by the letter “A”:
Almighty, Alpha, Ancient of Days, Author of Faith, Adonai. Advocate. Arriving, Agonizing, Absorbing all, Accepting, Awaking, then Arising, and then Ascending. Announcing “AMEN” to an Astounding Array of Amazing and Awesome Abundance. Antelopes, and Aardvarks. Apples and Artichokes. Aquatic Anemone and Algae. The Australian outback and the Arctic. Assembler of Ant Armies. Architect of Alaska, Arches National Park, and Autumn.
The original Abstract Artist!