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Home , Carols for Choirs, Herbert Howells, The English Hymnal

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS & CAROLS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 S T . P A U L ’ S E PISCOPAL C HURCH F AIRFIELD , C ONNECTICUT 2

ELCOME TO THIS SERVICE , which anticipates the great feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Christ. The liturgy of Lessons and Carols was first used in the chapel of W King’s College, Cambridge, on Eve, 1918, with the candle-lit splendor of the chapel, the prayers and scripture readings, the great and the soaring music of the and organ standing in eloquent contrast to the darkness of a cold winter night and the tragic shadows of the recently concluded Great War. The intervening years have seen the worldwide broadcast of this service become a much beloved Christmas tradition. As in 1918, we in our own day turn again to these sacred words and songs in a world troubled by war, natural disaster, violence, and economic uncertainty. Tonight’s service is offered in the spirit of that first service at King’s, as a light shining in the darkness; with fervent prayer for peace, goodwill and understanding among all people rising amidst the strains of glorious hymns and carols. Although much of the music at this service is sung by the choir, the congregation plays a central role. Please listen intently, pray and sing with your heart, mind, and voice, as indicated below. Again, welcome ! [This year’s Festival is somewhat abbreviated, due to an unusual and unfavorable calendar which placed this service and our Lessons and Carols service a mere two weeks apart. The two carol services this year tell a single, contiguous story of Salvation. The Advent service concluded with the angel ’s to Mary; this service picks up the thread with Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth prior to the birth of Jesus and and continues through Jesus’ presentation in the temple.] Of course, a major part of this service involves the joining together of everyone in making a joyful noise to the Lord. Should your child be further inspired to the making of extended joyful noise while others are trying to listen, we do ask that you escort your little one to the gathering area or outside for a brief moment or two until he or she becomes more contemplative. And please do not be shy about doing this – many of the adults surrounding you are parents too, and are very glad that you and your child are here! You are among friends.

ORDER OF SERVICE ORGAN VOLUNTARY

Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) ¶ The Congregation is requested to be silent during the organ voluntary. Please rise as the clergy and choir enter the church. 3

0:01:45 [Verses 1 & 2 Choir only] 1 Once in royal David’s city 2 He came down to earth from heaven stood a lowly cattle shed, who is God and Lord of all, where a mother laid her baby and his shelter was a stable, in a manger for his bed: and his cradle was a stall: Mary was that mother mild, with the poor, the mean, and the lowly, Jesus Christ her little child. lived on earth our Savior holy.

[Congregation in unison] 5 Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by, we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high; where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.

Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) Music: Irby , melody and harm. Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876); revised by A. H Mann (1850-1929) and others; (1919-2015) 87. 87. 77 4

THE BIDDING PRAYER ¶ Said by the Rector

ELOVED IN CHRIST, at this Christmas-tide let it be our care and delight to hear again the message of the angels, and in heart and mind to go unto and see this thing which B is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger. Therefore let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience through the glorious Redemption brought us by this holy Child; and let us make this church, dedicated to his great apostle Paul, glad with our carols of praise: But first, let us pray for the needs of the whole world; for peace on earth and goodwill among all his people; for unity and understanding within the Church he came to build, and especially in our sister parish of San Lucas y San Pablo in Bridgeport; in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and in the town and county of Fairfield. And let us remember, in his name, those that he loves most fervently: the poor and the helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed; the sick and them that mourn, the lonely and the unloved, the aged and the little children; all those who know not the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love. Lastly, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are one for evermore. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to God, in the words which Christ has taught us:

¶ All, together

UR FATHER , who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, O thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ The Rector continues May Almighty God give us grace: May Christ give us the joys of everlasting life: and unto the fellowship of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us all. Amen.

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

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0:08:30 CAROL English carol, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)

N CHRISTMAS NIGHT all Christians sing, to hear the news the angels bring — O News of great joy, news of great mirth, news of our merciful King’s birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad, since our Redeemer made us glad? when from our sin he set us free all for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before his grace, then life and health come in its place, angels and men with joy may sing all for to great the newborn King.

All out of darkness we have light, which made the angels sing this night: “Glory to God and peace to men now and for evermore. Amen.” —, Traditional English

THE FIRST LESSON Luke 1:39-49, 56 Reader: Miranda S., A Chorister Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth before Jesus’ birth and sings .

0:12:10 (1892-1983)

SPOTLESS ROSE is growing, Sprung from a tender root, A Of ancient seers’ foreshowing, Of Jesse promised fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light Amid the cold, cold winter, And in the dark midnight.

The Rose which I am singing, Whereof Isaiah said, Is from its sweet root springing In Mary, purest Maid; Through God’s great love and might The Blessed Babe she bare us In a cold, cold winter's night.

—15 th Cent. German, tr. Catherine Winkworth

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THE SECOND LESSON Luke 2:1-7 Reader: Sarah McCormack, a Member of the Schola St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

0:17:15 HYMN Die heilige Nacht, Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1853) arr. John Abdenour (b. 1962)

TILLE NACHT , HEILIGE NACHT ! SILENT NIGHT , HOLY NIGHT ! Alles schläft einsam wacht All’s asleep, one sole light S nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Just the faithful and holy pair, Holder Knabe im lokkigen Haar, peaceful boy with curly hair, schlafe in himmlischer Ruh, Sleep in heavenly peace, schlafe in himmlischer Ruh! Sleep in heavenly peace!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Silent night, holy night! Hirten erst kund gemacht! Shepherds first see the sight durch der Engel Halleluja through the angels’ hallelujah tönt es laut von fern und nah: sounding loudly both far and near: Christ der Retter ist da, Christ the Savior is here, Christ der Retter ist da! Christ the Savior is here!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Silent night, holy night! Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Son of God, Mary’s child, Leib aus deinem göttlichen Mund, love is smiling from thy holy face da uns schlägt die rettende Stund, at this hour of redeeming grace, Christ, in deiner Geburt, O Christ at thy birth, Christ, in deiner Geburt! O Christ at thy birth! —Jopsephus Franciscus Mohr (1792-1848) ; trans. various sources

¶ All standing.

0:21:00 HYMN

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[Choir only] [Congregation in unison] 3 How silently, how silently, 4 O holy Child of Bethlehem, the wondrous gift is given! descend to us, we pray; So God imparts to human hearts cast out our sin and enter in, the blessings of his heaven. be known in us today. No ear may hear his coming, We hear the Christmas angels but in this world of sin, the great glad tidings tell; where meek souls will receive him, O come to us, abide with us, still the dear Christ enters in. our Lord Emmanuel!

Words: Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) Music: Forest Green, English melody; adapt. and harm. (1872-1958) CMD

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE THIRD LESSON Luke 2:8-16 Reader: Julianne Seymour, Chair, Music Ministry Team The shepherds go to the manger.

0:26:45 CAROL Michael Head (1900-1976 ); arr. Noble Cain (1896-1977)

S I WALKED DOWN THE ROAD at set of sun, the lambs were coming homeward, one by one. A I heard a sheep bell softly calling them Along the little road to Bethlehem.

Beside an open door, as I drew nigh, I heard sweet Mary sing a lullaby. She sang about the lambs at close of day and rocked her tiny King among the hay.

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Across the air a silver sheep-bell rang, “The lambs are coming home,” sweet Mary sang, “Your star of gold, your star of gold is shining in the sky, So sleep, my little King, go lullaby.” — Margaret Rose (d. 1958)

¶ All standing.

0:30:10 HYMN

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¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE FOURTH LESSON Matthew 2:1-18 Reader: John Ogletree, Senior Warden of the Vestry The magi visit the Holy Family.

0: 36 :25 CAROL Peter Warlock (1894-1930)

HEN HE IS KING , we will give him the Kings’ gifts, myrrh for its sweetness and gold for a crown, “W beautiful robes,” said the young girl to Joseph, fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down. Bethlehem Down is full of the star-light, winds for the spices and stars for the gold, Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold. When he is King they will clothe him in grave-sheets, myrrh for embalming and wood for a crown, he that lies now in the warm arms of Mary, sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down. Here he has peace and a short while for dreaming, close huddled oxen to keep him from cold, Mary for love, and for lullaby music songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold. —Bruce Blunt (1899-1957)

THE FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:22-32 Reader: The Rev’d Edrice Viechweg, Deacon Simeon proclaims the salvation of God.

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0:42:50 Johannes Eccard (1553-1611) ARIA WALLT ZUM HEILIGTUM When to the temple Mary went, und bringt ihr Kindlein dar, And brought the Holy Child, Mdas schaut der greise Simeon, Him did the aged Simeon see, wie ihm verheißen war. As it had been revealed. Da nimmt er Jesum in den Arm He took up Jesus in his arms und singt im Geiste froh: and sang in holy joy: Nun fahr' ich hin mit Freud, In joy I now depart, dich, Heiland, sah ich heut, you, Savior, I saw today, du Trost von Israel, das Licht der Welt. The Hope of Israel, the Light of the world.

Hilf uns, du lieber Jesu Christ, Help now thy servants, gracious Lord, daß wir zu jeder Frist That we may ever be an dir, wie auch der Simeon, As once the faithful Simeon was, all unsre Freude han, Rejoicing but in Thee; und kommt die Zeit, sanft schlafen ein In time, when we must fall asleep, und also singen froh : grant us the grace to sing: Nun fahr ich hin mit Freud, ‘In joy I now depart, dich, Heiland sah ich heut, you, Savior, I saw today, du Trost von Israel, das Licht der Welt. The Hope of Israel, the Light of the world.’ —Anon. 16th cent. German, Trans. J. Troutbeck and J. Abdenour

0:47:15 ANTHEM Herbert Howells (1892-1983)

ord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. LTo be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. —Nunc dimittis – Luke 2 :29-32

¶ The Congregation stands for the Sixth Lesson.

THE SIXTH LESSON John 1:1-16 Reader: The Rev’d Curtis Farr, Rector St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.

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¶ Sung by all, standing.

0: 52 :4 0 HYMN

[Congregation in unison] 4 Sing, of angels, sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God, glory in the highest. Refrain

Words: John Francis Wade (1711-1786); tr. Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880) and others Music: Adeste fideles, present form of melody att. John Francis Wade (1711-1786); harm. The English , 1906; descant J. R. Abdenour (b. 1962) Irr. 12

¶ The Congregation remains standing.

THE COLLECT FOR CHRISTMAS

Rector The Lord be with you. People And also with you.

The Rector says the Collect.

LMIGHTY GOD, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your A children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

THE BLESSING

The Rector blesses the people.

AY OUR GREAT REDEEMER, who by his incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with the sweetness of inward peace and goodwill; and the M blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.

¶ Sung by all, standing.

0:57:50 HYMN

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Words: Charles Wesley (1707 -1788), alt. Music: Mendelssohn, (1809-1847); adapt. William H. Cummings (1831-1915); desc. J. R. Abdenour (b. 1962) 77. 77. D with Refrain

ORGAN VOLUNTARY BWV 729 (1685-1750)

¶ Please leave the church quietly, so that those remaining can listen to the voluntary.

Thank you for your presence at this service. The People of St. Paul’s wish you and all those you love a blessed and holy Christmas.

We wish to thank Julie Seymour, the Music Ministry Team, and the Choir Parents for presenting the Café prior to this evening’s service.

ABOUT THE MUSIC If any single human being can be said to have Around the time Willcocks was appointed to his changed the sound of Christmas in the last hundred post at King’s College in 1958, he was also editing a years, it must be David Willcocks. During his tenure new anthology of , , as Director of Music at King’s College Chapel, a franchise of four volumes which would become Cambridge, he created a large body of music for an indispensable canon of Christmas and Advent Christmas, specifically, music for choir and organ music for English speaking choirs around the world and usable in a liturgical setting. In today’s service, for over forty years. Willcocks’ beloved his music is represented by his timeless descant for arrangement of Sussex Carol is from Carols for the hymn “Once in royal David’s city.” Choirs 1, and is dedicated to Ralph Vaughan 14

Williams, who had first made the West Country folk Warlock’) leading a somewhat Bohemian and hymn known to the wider world fifty years earlier. dissolute existence in 1927 when he and his poet Vaughan Williams passed away shortly before the friend, Bruce Blunt, hit upon the idea of creating a publication of Carols for Choirs. for a composition competition being In 1919 Herbert Howells was working as an held by the Guardian of London. The hoped-for editorial assistant to Richard Terry, who was both prize would underwrite the friends’ beverage supply Director of Music at in for their Christmas festivities. In the event, their London and the editor of a new collection of Latin entry, Bethlehem Down , won the competition and Tudor . This experience gave Howells became popular (and Christmas festivities did in fact an unmatched education in the music of Byrd, Tallis, take place as hoped). The somewhat questionable and their generation, and would have a permanent circumstances of the work’s genesis cannot obscure impact on Howells’ choral compositions thereafter. the brilliance of Warlock’s and Blunt’s creation, nor Around this time he composed his Three Carol- impair the meaning of its words. A fitting metaphor, , one of which is A Spotless Rose . One of it seems, for a season when we celebrate the out-of- those irritating pieces that sound much easier to sing wedlock birth, in a barn, of the Prince of Peace. than they actually are, A Spotless Rose is nonetheless Johannes Eccard was a Thuringian-born widely sung today throughout the world because it is Kapellmeister, about one hundred and thirty years simply gorgeous music, reflecting a significant debt before the advent of a rather more famous chap to the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams. named Sebastian Bach, who fit the same bill. Eccard While it may have begun life as a humble was working during the early years after the German Tyrolean folk hymn, what we now think of as “Silent Reformation, studied with di Lasso in Munich, and Night” is rarely performed that way today. World- ended up in Berlin as principal musician in the court wide fame has not been kind to this little tune, and of Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg. tonight we will attempt a little restorative justice. The Among his compositions is the motet Maria wallt choir will sing a simple arrangement of three of the zum Heiligtum, which tells the story of Simeon original stanzas, unaccompanied, in German. Even seeing Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem. Usually sung this will overstate things a little bit: the evidence these days in English (and too slowly), the work suggests that the earliest performances of Die comes alive at the proper tempo, and language. heilige Nacht were in unison or two parts at most, And back to Howells. After the acclaim accompanied by guitar. A quick glance at the Howells received for his splendid setting of the translation ( see above) will show that the original text morning and evening for the choir of has not survived unaltered into the most common King’s College, Cambridge, someone pointed out English translations. Joseph Mohr’s six stanzas that he had not yet made a setting for the equally unfold their theology and doctrine at a more leisurely excellent choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, pace than would work in the usual three stanza where he had been the substitute during the structure of our contemporary English version. second world war. Howells rectified the oversight Thus Mohr could take time in the opening stanza to with his Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis Collegium Sancti paint his image of the baby Jesus as a ‘beautiful boy Johannis Cantabrigiense. Tonight we hear the Nunc with curly hair,’ a phrase now permanently Dimittis from this set. overwritten as ‘holy infant so tender and mild.’ The to “O come, all ye faithful,” “Hark! A generation before there was there the herald angels sing,” and “It came upon a was Michael Head. Unlike Rutter, whose Christmas midnight clear” were composed in recent years, for offerings would fill a decent sized volume by the St. Paul’s Choir. “Hark! the herald angels” is themselves, Head’s oeuvre of choral works for structured for four part choir and congregation, with Christmas stands at one: his setting of a poem by each vocal part of the choir assigned its own unique Margaret Rose, The Little Road to Bethlehem . descant, all of them sung concurrently. Principally a composer of art songs, Head adorns Rose’s words with a melody of timeless beauty and sweetness (basically setting the template that would become the hallmark of so much of John Rutter’s music). Philip Arnold Heseltine was a young composer (working under the pseudonym ‘Peter 15

PARTICIPATING IN TODAY’S SERVICE

Clergy The Reverend Curtis Farr, Rector The Reverend Edrice Viechweg, Deacon

Music John R. Abdenour, Director of Music Christopher McCormack, Dylan Cranston, Assistant Conductors

Acolytes Matthew B., William B., Neal M.

Ushers Bill Pellegrini, Linda Shaffer

T H E S T . P A U L ’ S C H O I R

Cantoris Choir - Treble Madison C., Claire D., Julia H., Evan M., Josephine M., Olivia S. *†, [Matthew B., Conor G., Corinne A.]

Alto – : Robin Clark-Smith, Becket Greten-Harrison (Section Leader) , Laura Mozier, Eva Uhrich

Tenor – Cantoris: Christopher McCormack (Section Leader), Colin Spencer, Noah Sullivan

Bass – Cantoris: Eric Andren, Gregory Sullivan (Section Leader)

Decani Choir - Treble Olivia B., Fiona C., Madison C., Madeline C., Caitlyn G., Maya K., Emma L. **, Miranda S. [William B., Lucy J., Natalie F.]

Alto – Decani: Tracey Cranston, Benjamin McCormack (Section Leader) , Elijah McCormack, Sarah McCormack

Tenor – Decani: Jonathan Taylor (Section Leader)

Bass – Decani: Dylan Cranston (Section Leader), Benjamin Pulsifer, Philip Sidebottom

*Head Chorister of the Choir **Associate Head Chorister of the Choir † Soloist, Once in Royal David’s city

THE SAINT PAUL ’S CHOIR is a 35 voice ensemble made up of boy and girl trebles with professionally led adults singing alto, tenor and bass. The choir has toured England five times, most recently in 2016, and has sung services in the cathedrals in Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Ely, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Norwich, Peterborough, Southwark, St Albans, and Worcester. Early plans are being laid for a return tour in the summer of 2020. The choir has also sung at most of the major Episcopal churches in New York City, and engages in ongoing artistic collaborations with the venerable British choirmaster Barry Rose. Most members of the Choir are parishioners or children of parish families, but the Choir is open to all young people with an interest in singing and a commitment to membership in the choir. Neither membership in the parish nor previous choral training are required. (Membership for altos, tenors, and basses is open by audition, as space permits.) If you would like further information on any of these ensembles, please contact the Director of Music, John Abdenour.

THE MUSIC MINISTRY TEAM is an organization dedicated to enhancing and supporting the musical education and outreach ministries of St. Paul’s Church, in particular the St. Paul’s Choir and the St. Cecilia Choir. The MMT is responsible for the operations, publicity, communications, and logistical needs of the choirs and music ministry, and exists as a standing ministry team established by the Vestry. The MMT is chaired by Julie Seymour. 16

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE ST. PAUL ’S CHOIR

Saturday, January 27, 4:00 PM TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL SING PRAISES CHOIR FESTIVAL Choral , directed by Dr. Barry Rose, at All Saints Episcopal Church, Worcester, Mass., together with the Choir of St. Paul’s, Norwalk and the Choir of All Saints, Worcester.

Sunday, March 18, 5:00 PM SACRED CHORAL MUSIC FOR THE FRENCH CHURCH A concert of liturgical and sacred works composed by Maurice Duruflé, Jean Langlais, Francis Poulenc, and others. With Jonathan Vaughn, organ.

C HRISTMAS W ORSHIP AND E VENTS A T S T . P A U L ’ S

SUNDAY , DECEMBER 24 – FAMILY CRÈCHE SERVICE (H OLY ) AT 3:00 PM Music provided by the Junior Choristers and Probationer Choristers of the St. Paul’s Choir

FESTIVAL HOLY EUCHARIST AT 5:30 PM Music provided by the St. Paul’s Choir and Alumni

CANDLELIGHT HOLY EUCHARIST AT 10:00 PM Music provided by the St. Cecilia Choir

MONDAY , DECEMBER 25 – CHRISTMAS DAY HOLY EUCHARIST AT 10:00 AM

ST. PAUL ’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

CLERGY The Reverend Curtis Farr, Rector The Reverend Edrice Viechweg, Deacon

OFFICERS OF THE VESTRY John Ogletree, Senior Warden Linda Shaffer, Junior Warden Peter Osborne, Treasurer Janet O’Donnell, Secretary of the Vestry

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church 661 Old Post Road, Fairfield, Conn. 06824 Parish Office 203.259.3013 Web Site www.stpaulsfairfield.org

COVER ILLUSTRATION: Illuminated Nativity, Huth Hours Flemish 15th c. MS British Library In the Public Domain.