Worship for September 27, 2020
Please view the embedded video of our service below by clicking on the grey arrow in the middle of the image.
About the Music:
Prelude - This beautiful prelude on the German Communion hymn "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele", (Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness, #339 in The Hymnal 1982) is from the Eleven Chorale Preludes, Op. 122, of Johannes Brahms, written in 1896 in the last year of the composer's life. While on his summer holiday in Austria, Brahms was reflecting on the recent death of his dear friend Clara Schumann, and his own illness. Listen for the melody in the soprano, with the other two voices gently weaving underneath in the style of Bach.Hymn 339 - "Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness" is a classic German Lutheran Eucharistic hymn by Johann Franck written circa 1646. It is sung to the tune Schmucke dich composed specifically for these words by German composer Johann Cruger and is named for the first words of the hymn in its original German. This timeless chorale tune has been used as the basis for many types of musical pieces by many composers including the beautiful setting by Johannes Brahms heard at the prelude.
The Anthem this Sunday is "Christus Factus Est" by Italian Rennaissance composer Felice Anerio. These words were historically sung as part of the Roman Rite on Maundy Thursday and more recently on Palm Sunday. Sung in the original Latin, the text comes from Philippians 2: 8-9 which is the Epistle Lesson appointed for this day.
Christ became obedient for us unto death,
even to the death, death on the cross.
Therefore, God exalted Him and gave Him a name
which is above all names.
Postlude - Craig Phillips (b. 1961) is a distinguished and popular American composer and organist who is Director of Music at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, CA. His "Trumpet Tune" features the loudest stop on the organ, the trumpet en chamade mounted horizontally on the back wall of the nave. Unlike the other trumpet stops in the organ which are designed to blend in with the other stops, this one is designed strictly for solo use.