Sunday Worship for September 6, 2020
Please view the embedded video of our service below by clicking on the arrow in the middle of the image.
About the Music:
Prelude: "Prelude on Union Seminary" is based on the hymn tune of the same name composed by Harold Friedell (1905-1958). Friedell taught on the faculty of the Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music in New York City. and served several Episcopal parishes there, including St. Bartholomew's on Park Avenue. American composer and organist Charles Callahan arranged this lovely tune for organ solo, which features the lovely string sounds and soft solo stops of the Aeolian-Skinner organ.
Hymn 440: "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier" (literally: Dearest Jesus, we are here) is a Lutheran hymn with text written by Tobias Clausnitzer in 1663, an English translation by Catherine Winkworth, and a hymn tune based on a 1664 melody by Johann Rudolf Ahle. A prayer for illumination, it is suitable for the opening of a church service and to be sung before a sermon.
The anthem, "Draw Us in the Spirit's Tether" by Harold Friedell picks up on the line from this Sunday's Gospel, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them". Originally composed as a choral anthem, the tune was later arranged for use as a hymn and named Union Seminary where Friedell taught for many years. Here we use the organ accompaniment from the anthem with the solo melody of the hymn sung by Hannah Glass.
Postlude: The bright and joyous "Festival Voluntary" was composed by the Flemish organist, composer and teacher Flor Peeters (1903-1986). At 16 he entered the Lemmens Institute in Mechelen where, in 1923, he became organ teacher and also simultaneously acquired the post of organist of St Rumbold’s Cathedral. Most of his more than 100 compositions were for organ or choir or both. This work features the full organ sound, including virtually all the stops at the end.