Commentary & Hymn Suggestions, Palm Sunday-Easter
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1 MUSIC NOTES FOR PALM SUNDAY THROUGH EASTER DAY By Sarah Hussey, Canon for Music, Diocese of Montana PALM SUNDAY Palm Sunday is one of the most difficult liturgies to plan well, due to its split personality: triumphal entry, with a drastic shift in focus after the full Passion reading to a solemn focus on the Cross to come. The earliest liturgical references we have for worship services on this day, from the late 4th century, reflect this same pattern, with a morning service commemorating the entry into Jerusalem, and a service later in the day also including a procession (with palm and olive branches) from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem, concluding with a recitation of the Passion narrative. Liturgies for the day from later centuries reflected the same, including an elaborate and lengthy Sarum rite from the 11th century. However, by the 16th century, various Protestant worship materials either split these focuses, or eliminated altogether any mention of the Entry, including the 1549 Prayer Book rites for the “Sunday next before Easter”. This elimination, or truncation, continued well into the 20th century. In the 1928 BCP, even though the day is “The Sunday next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday”, there is no mention of the entry into Jerusalem (or waving of branches) in the collect or readings that day; the Gospel is not a full Passion reading, but begins with the Trial. Rather, the full Passion was read one week earlier, on “Passion Sunday”, what we now call Lent V. Likewise, Roman missals through approximately 1960 called Lent V “Passion Sunday”, beginning a two-week focus on the Passion with a full narrative; this contrasts with the one “Holy Week” most Christian communities now observe. Frequently, of course, liturgical developments come from practical concerns, not theological ones. For a number of reasons -- a primary one, the adoption of a common lectionary by several Christian denominations -- by 1970 in Roman missals, “Passion Sunday” on Lent V had been eliminated, with a full Passion reading shifting to Palm Sunday. In our church, the 1960 Book of Offices added a ceremony for the blessing of palms. In the 1979 BCP, Lent V is no longer Passion Sunday, and on Palm Sunday we find appointed both a Liturgy of the Palms and a full account of the Passion (from the entry into Jerusalem through the Crucifixion). Thus, with the 1979 BCP, we return to the practice for the day observed by Christians throughout most of our 2000-year history, but it brings us back to our challenge in liturgy and music planning. We begin the day in praise and adoration…but it ends foreseeing tragedy. It’s tempting in more informal churches to center the music – particularly a choral anthem at the Offertory -- on Hosanna and donkeys and waving of palms. But if we do so, we have not only inappropriate music, but likely immature as well. Yes, music in this service begins with adulation, but we must shift the music focus to the Passion when the readings themselves shift. And, we must think carefully enough about this shift to avoid the service seeming a schizophrenic hodgepodge. The hymns you choose for this service, and where you place them, require many considerations: 1. For the Liturgy of the Palms, will you have a procession “outside to inside”? If so, will there be singing while still outside? 2. Do you have a choir, or strong independent singers in the congregation, or do you have a small gathering that sings only if a hymn is very familiar? 3. If you have a choir or strong singers, are they capable of carrying hymns that might be less familiar or even new? 2 Music Notes for Palm Sunday through Easter Day Sarah Hussey, Canon for Music, Diocese of Montana 4. If you don’t have a choir, is your accompanist skilled enough to convey the shift in tone through her/his playing style? Can the accompanist lead unfamiliar hymns confidently? 5. And, will you have sung music (choir or congregation) at your Good Friday service? Specifically, this affects whether or not I suggest “O sacred head, sore wounded” (168) as a final hymn on Palm Sunday. Given these myriad considerations, I offer a number of variations below, as well as extended commentary. ENTRANCE HYMN (into church): For practical and theological reasons, Hymn 1541, “All glory, laud and honor” should be the FIRST congregational hymn of this service. Because its text celebrates triumph, save one brief phrase, “before thy passion”, it should NEVER be elsewhere on Palm Sunday (i.e., offertory), nor should any choral anthem at the offertory or communion reflect this theme. During the Liturgy of the Palms the choir/soloist may sing/lead a different processional anthem, or anthems, particularly if the service begins outside, but please schedule 154 for the first congregational hymn once the procession is indoors, or as it is entering the church. Most likely, you’ll have some congregants or guests who choose not to (or cannot) be part of the outdoor procession; they will be indoors already. This is the only day this powerful hymn can be sung. Using it once indoors, or while coming indoors, will allow the most people to participate, even if all they are doing is listening. SEQUENCE/GOSPEL HYMN, With a choir or strong congregational singers: Hymn 156, “Ride on, ride on in majesty”, verses 1-3 only. Alternative older tune, Winchester New, 391. Canon comment: Even though it was the most common tune in 19thC-early 20th English hymnals, and still is the standard in Church of England hymnals, I don’t consider it an appropriate musical fit (and neither did Alec Wyton, which is why Dirksen’s The King’s Majesty is Hymn 156 in 1982),. I mention it here in case you have a smaller, older congregation that may know it and might be lost using The King’s Majesty (156). Alternative without choir or strong congregational singers: 458, My song is love unknown, verses 1-3 only. The downside to this choice: you’ve “used up” they hymn for this day, and can’t sing all the verses later (as you can if a communion hymn, which is where I prefer it). OFFERTORY HYMN: If you do not sing a Sequence hymn, 156 (all verses, not just 1-3) is an option. 458 My song is love unknown is also possible here, particularly if you do not commonly sing long communion hymns (sing a shortened version at the Offertory, v1, v2, v7 only). COMMUNION HYMNS 313 Let thy blood in mercy poured 458 a. If you do not sing it at the Offertory, program My song is love unknown as the final (or only) Communion hymn, all verses. b. An SATB Choral version: v1 unison, v2 SATB, v3 men melody, v4 ladies melody, v5 tenor melody with A&B as written and S singing tenor line one octave higher, v6 SATB, v7 unison (accomp) or SATB unaccompanied. As v6 and v7 are not set to music in the hymnal, you may want to make an edited version for the choir. 1 This is a superb hymn for many compositional reasons, but much magnificence comes from it spanning so many centuries: text circa 900A.D., melody circa 1600, harmony (in our Hymnal) 19th c. 3 Music Notes for Palm Sunday through Easter Day Sarah Hussey, Canon for Music, Diocese of Montana c. Shorter version: verses 1,2, 7 POST-COMMUNION HYMN, 164 Alone thou goest forth, O Lord If you will NOT have sung music at your Good Friday service, you may program 168, O sacred head, v.1- 3 only. Canon comment: Good Friday is the more appropriate service for O sacred head, but it should be sung sometime during Holy Week, so if you will not have sung music on Friday, 168 (v. 1-3) will fit as the closing hymn on this Palm/Passion Sunday. If you do sing 168, O sacred head, to close the service, then you can choose 164 for an Offertory or Communion hymn. MAUNDY THURSDAY Different clergy assign this service different flavors, so it’s difficult to recommend a generic hymn list. Here, my comments on where you can use common hymns for this service. 495 Hail, thou once despised Jesus (verses 1 and 2 only, or 1,2,4) A good entrance hymn, but the tune at 495, In Babilone, is a bit peppy for this evening. Try Abbott’s Leigh (523) or, if that’s unfamiliar, Hyfrydol (460) with a subdued registration. 439 What wondrous love is this As an entrance hymn, this would set a familiar and welcoming tone. Can also work as a Sequence hymn, if you do not want opening music to focus on the institution of Communion. 325 Let us break bread together Appropriate for Sequence if you want to reflect Epistle, but realize it does not segue naturally into the reading from John. Of course, very appropriate at Communion 322 When Jesus died to save us Beautiful as Sequence, but won’t be familiar to most congregants, so best as choir only, or by soloist. I prefer piano accompaniment for a soloist, if possible. 602 Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love Excellent at footwashing, particularly for an informal mood. Also appropriate as Offertory. 576 (or 577) God is love Appropriate at footwashing or offertory. If 576 isn’t well known, a soloist or small group can sing the verses, with all on the refrain. Settings of Ubi caritas (Where charity and love are found, there God is).