First Presbyterian Church, April 14, 2013

First Presbyterian Church, April 14, 2013, Third Sunday of Easter

John 20: 19-23;  Acts 5:27-32

Preludes--- focusing on the Trinity.

The Son: “ In Death Strong Grasp the Savior Lay”……………… J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

The Spirit (and the Trinity): “Come Holy Ghost, God, and Lord” ……   Frederich Wilhelm Zachau (1663-1712)

The Father: “All Glory Be to God on High”……………………….   Georg Phillip Telemann (1681-1767)

This is the Casavant organ mentioned earlier.  It was tuned on April 1, so this is the first Sunday that I have played it since.  The mixtures are much brighter and the tremulants have been repaired and all work.  Sounds really nice. 

In the Bach I use an Organo Pleno based on the 8’ Rohrflote rather than the Montre, which is a bit too heavy and obscures the upperwork.  The Positif is coupled to the Grand Orgue at 4’ to get the Cymbale up to a higher pitch.  The pedal uses the Trompette 16 from the Recit along with the Bourdon 16 and the Resultant 32, with the Recit coupled for brightness.  The Recit Diapason 8 and Plein Jeu IV give breadth and clarity.

For the Zachau I use the Clochettes (Zimbelstern) and the Recit Major Flute 8 and Ocavin 2.  

For the Telemann, which is a 2-voice alio modo I take a tack toward metaphor.  The right hand is seen as the voice from Heaven, with the chorale melody, and the left hand with the counterpoint is seen as mankind scurrying around willy nilly.  In that vein the right hand uses the Positif Cornet decompose´ with Bourdon 8, Principal 4, Nazard, Quarte de Nazard 2, and Tierce, with tremulant.  The left hand plays on the Recit with the swell box almost closed.  The registration is Trompette 16, Principal 4, and Octavin 2.  A beautiful singing line is contrasted with a snarling, busy line. 

Anthem: “Christ is our Cornerstone” by David Thorne, from Oxford Easy Anthems.  Being a “British” work I use a typical English Full Swell.   On the Recit I use the Diapason 8, Octave 4, Octavin 2, Plein Jeu IV, and Hautbois 8. The Trumpet 16 is too heavy, so was not used.  This is coupled to the Positif flutes 8 & 4.    In the Pedal I use the Bourdon 16 and Resultant 32 with Recit to Pedal. I use both expression pedals together, from partially open to mostly closed until the end when I open them up for the ff ending.  The pedal is heavy but will not obscure the singers. 

Offertory:  “Fuge or Voluntary” ………………………….Wm. Selby  (1738-1798),  ed. Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006)

Selby was a friend of Handel, and was organist at King’s Chapel, Boston from 1771 until his death. He introduced Handel’s music to the new world, and organized the first concert series in the new nation.   The voluntary is in typical English style, for two manuals without pedal.  

The “Great Organ” sound is on the Grand Orgue with Rohrflote 8, Octave 4, Doublette 2, and Fourniture IV.

The “Chair Organ” sound is on the Recit using the Major Flute 8 and the Octavin 2.   

Postlude: “O Lord we Praise Thee, Bless Thee, and Adore Thee” ……. Heirich Scheidemann (1595-1663)

Scheidemann was of the generation before Bach, Zachau, and Telemann.  To approximate the sound of the Plenum on an organ of the period, the full chorus on the Grand Orgue, Positif and Recit are coupled, with the secondary manuals at 8’ and 4’ for brilliance.  The 16’ Trompette is added to the Recit for gravity and fire.  Reeds, the Tierce, and the Cornet are included to get the 3rd sounding ranks into the texture.  In the pedal the full resources are used, with the Recit coupled for a bright mixture.   The cantos is carried in the pedal.  The registration emphasizes both fire and brilliance, with appropriate weight in the pedal.  If you have heard recordings of the Weingarten organ by Gabler, that's pretty close to the sound. 

Hymns:  

All Creatures of Our God and King.  Introduction includes a portion of Fanfare in D by C. S. Lang, going into the final two phrases of the hymn in D.  The first 4 verses are in D.  There is a modulation to Eb for the  (1891-1971) fifth verse with hymnal harmony, followed by the final verse in Eb with harmonization by Noel Rawsthorne (b. 1929)

Congregational Response:  Final verse of “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.” Tune “Easter Hymn.”  Hymnal version.

Take My Life and Let It Be:  Hymnal version--tune “Hendon.”  Three verses after the sermon, final three verses just before benediction.  Final verse harmonization in each set by V. Earle Copes (b.1921)