COTM Music and History for Sunday, September 13, 2020 Proper 19 Prelude #1: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus Hymn #461

Hymn 461 Connued Story behind the Hymn “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!” Hymn 461

This tune is one you probably don’t know, unless you have sung it in other Episcopal churches. Here at COTM, when we sing this hymn text we use the tune of Hymn 460, called “Hyfrydol” by Richard Prichard. It is in ¾ me, which is like a waltz. Today’s hymn tune, set with the same words, is in a 4/4 me signature ----and has a completely different feel! The 4/4 (or common me) signature gives the song a more regal and processional sound. It’s a rather exquisite melody, so I decided to use this one for the prelude. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! The music was wrien by Samuel Sebasan Wesley (1810-1976). Born in London England, he was the grandson of Charles Wesley. As a boy he sang in the choir of the Chapel Royal. He learned music and composion from his father and completed a doctorate in music at Oxford. He composed for piano, organ, and choir. He was organist at some prey exclusive cathedrals including Hereford Cathedral, Exeter Cathedral, Leeds Parish, Gloucester Cathedral, and Winchester Cathedral. That’s quite a resume! Samuel was a prolific church music composer. He strove to improve the standards of church music and church musicians. His Service in E Major (1845) contains a preface on the state of contemporary church music. He was the editor of several hymnals and wrote over 130 hymn tunes. I cannot help but wonder if Samuel’s middle name was an homage to Johann Sebasan Bach, as his father was also a musician. I hope that when we get back into “together worship” in our building that we can sing this hymn together with Wesley’s melody. Prelude #2: Hymn #538 “God of Mercy, God of Grace”

1 God of mercy, God of grace, show the brightness of thy face. Shine upon us, Savior, shine, fill thy Church with light divine, and thy saving health extend unto earth's remotest end.

2 Let thy people praise thee, Lord; be by all that live adored. Let the nations shout and sing glory to their Savior King; let all be, below, above, one in joy, and light, and love.

This hymn is one of my favorites in our hymnal. The music and text are wedded together in such a tender and lovely way ---- this hymn exudes beauty. The melody themes, which rise then fall to a moment of respite, is tender just as the words ask the mercy and grace of God to shine down upon us. This hymn is fing for opening and closing of a service. It would be beauful in a wedding and a funeral. It’s one of those hymns that just sounds beauful and inspiring in any church situaon. From the coal mines to being a well-known Welsh composer and choral judge ----- this was the life of David Evans who composed this hymn. He worked in the Welsh mines as a teenager but always had a passion for music. He won a music scholarship and studied under Joseph Parry which led him to study at the University of Wales in 1895. He was the organist and choir director at the Calvinisc Methodist Church in London. Later he went back to his college and took over his professor’s music department. Imagine taking over your old teacher’s job! Some of his composions aributed to him were in fact wrien by his eldest son, Arthur, who died in the influenza pandemic of 1918. This man knew what it was to lose someone in a pandemic, like so many of us in the world of 2020. Hopefully knowing more about the composer and how he lived through a flu pandemic will give you encouragement as well in your faith-walk with Christ. Postlude: “Jesus In The Morning” #76 from “Li Every Voice and Sing: An African American Hymnal”

The postlude is from our church’s hymnal called “Li Every Voice and Sing” (we music directors call it “LEVAS” for short). It is sister to the Hymnal 1982 and our Gospel/African American companion. It was meant that church pews would have both hymnals available, one with more ancient and historical music, the other having American folk and other cultural influences. Thus, a rich source of music would be at the parishioner’s fingerps! We don’t have room in our chairs to hold the BCP, a Bible and two hymnals so alas, we are at a disadvantage. We do sing songs from LEVAS occasionally throughout the year in the second service. “Jesus in the Morning” is a tradional African-American song, labelled in LEVAS as a Negro Spiritual. The music is American-tradional. One of the wonderful characteriscs of folk/spirituals is that they are simple and repeous. The words are similar in each verse which makes it easy to learn. As the song progresses the singers gain confidence and grow in harmonies. When we sing this at our church, the band will do a key change between verses 4 and 5 to give a sense of “li” to the final and culminaon of singing Jesus’ name over and over. The simplicity and repeve nature of spirituals makes them open for fun harmonizaons and even solos. A soloist could sing the “Jesus, Jesus” and the congregaon could answer with “Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noonme….” This makes for a joyful call and response kind of singing that we see in all Chrisan churches around the world. I love to mess with the harmonies of spirituals. I can add my own touch by adding a 7th chord where a plain triad exists and totally get away with it! You will hear me improvise with the song on Sunday. I couldn’t do that to a hymn such as Holy Holy Holy, but with a spiritual I’m free to add my personal style to the song.