Music Notes for Palm Sunday

Prelude

Chorale Melchior Teschner/William H. Monk Chorale Improvisation Alexandre Guilmant Chorale Prelude Dale Wood

The text of the Palm Sunday All Glory, Laud, and Honor was written by Theodulph of Orléans (c.750 – 821), Bishop of Orléans during the reign of Charlemagne. Based on the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry from the gospel of Matthew, the original text was thirty- nine stanzas. The translation found in most hymnals was made by John Mason Neale (1818- 1866) in 1831. Neale, an Anglican clergyman, translated many early Latin texts into English and founded the Order of St. Margaret for women in the Church of England dedicated to nursing the sick.

All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer. King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring! Thou art the king of Israel, thou David’s royal son, who in the Lord’s name comest, the King and blessed one. The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went; our praise and prayers and anthems before thee we present. To thee, before thy passion, they sang their of praise; to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise. Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King!

The tune St. Theodulph was composed by Melchior Teschner (1584 – 1635). Born in Poland, he was a German cantor, composer, and theologian. William Henry Monk (1823 – 1889), an English organist and church musician, composed the arrangement found in modern hymnals Alexandre Guilmant (1837 – 1911) was a French organist and composer who played at the church of La Trinité in Paris and was professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory. Dale Wood (1934 – 2003) was an American organist, composer, and church musician in California.

Psalm 118 setting: Hal Hopson Hal Hopson (b. 1933) is an American composer and church musician.

Solo

Ride On, King Jesus spiritual, arr. Hall Johnson

Ride On, King Jesus is an African-American spiritual brought to prominence by the Fisk (University) Jubilee Singers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Hall Johnson (1888 – 1970), who studied at Allen University in South Carolina and at the Juilliard School, was one of the first composers to elevate the African-American spiritual to an art form. He and the Hall Johnson Choir also provided music for more than 30 Hollywood films.

Ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can a-hinder me. For he is King of kings, he is Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, the first and last. No man works like him. King Jesus rides a milk white horse…the river of Jordan he did cross…King Jesus rides in the middle of the air…he calls the saints from everywhere…

(continued) Meditation

Chorale Prelude on Herzliebster Jesu Johannes Brahms

This tune was composed by Johann Crüger (1598 – 1662), cantor at St. Nicholas Church in Berlin and the editor of the most widely used Lutheran hymnal of the seventeenth century, . He composed the tune for the text Ah, Holy Jesus, written by German poet (1585 – 1647) in 1630. The translation in most modern hymnals was made by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 – 1930), Britain’s poet laureate from 1913 to 1930.

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that we to judge thee in hate have pretended? By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted! Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee! 'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee. Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered; the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered. For our atonement, while we nothing heeded, God interceded. For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation, thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation; thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, for my salvation. Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee, think on thy pity and thy love unswerving, not my deserving.

German pianist and composer Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) composed a set of eleven chorale preludes for organ in the last year of his life.

Solo

The Crucifixion Samuel Barber

American composer Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) composed a collection of songs in 1953, setting anonymous poems and graffiti from medieval Irish monks. Soprano Leontyne Price premiered the collection with Barber at the piano. This text is found in The Speckled Book, compiled in Ireland in the late 14th or early 15th century. Howard Mumford Jones (1892 – 1980), a poet and professor of English at the University of Michigan and at Harvard University, translated the text.

At the cry of the first bird, they began to crucify thee, O Swan! (The swan was an ancient symbol for grace and purity.) Never shall lament cease because of that. It was like the parting of day from night. Ah, sore was the suffering borne by the body of Mary's Son. But sorer still to Him was the grief which for His sake came upon his mother.

Postlude

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded Max Reger

The text for this hymn comes from a poem written by French abbot Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153), a major leader in the revitalization of the Benedictine order of monks and in the organization of the Second Crusade. His poem addressed the different parts of Christ’s body as he was suspended on the cross. This last part of the poem was translated into German by Lutheran minister (1607 – 1676). The translation in modern hymnals is based on that made by James Waddell Alexander (1804 – 1859), an American Presbyterian minister.

(continued) O sacred head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down; now scornfully surrounded with thorns, thine only crown; O sacred head, what glory, what bliss till now was thine! Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine. What thou, my Lord, has suffered was all for sinners’ gain: mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ‘Tis I deserve thy place; look on me with thy favor, and grant to me thy grace. What language shall I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend, for this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end? O make me thine forever; and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee.

The tune was composed by German composer Hans Leo Hassler (1564 – 1612) as a love song! The tune was modified and paired with the Gerhardt text by Johann Crüger (see meditation) for his hymnal in 1656. Max Reger (1873-1916), the German organist, composer, and professor at the Royal Conservatory in Leipzig, composed this setting in 1905.