Tuesday, March 4, 2014

New Providence Presbyterian Church, Raphine VA March 9 2014

New photos of the organ are now on the OHS Database
http://database.organsociety.org/SingleOrganDetails.php?OrganID=27949

Prelude:  "Epitaphe"  op.31 #4  (Louis Vierne 1870-1937)

Introit:  "Blest Be the Tie"

Hymn "All Mankind fell in Adam's fall" 
Sung to the tune of "The Doxology"
(The version starting each phrase with a quarter note)
=============================
All man-kind fell in A-dam's fall,
One com-mon sin in-fects us all;
From sire to son the bane de-scends,
And over all the curse im-pends.
Through all man's powers cor-rup-tion creeps
And him in dread-ful bond-age keeps;
In guilt he draws his in-fant breath
And reaps its fruits of woe and death.
From hearts de-praved, to e-vil prone,
Flow thoughts and deeds of sin alone;
God's im-age lost, the dark-ened soul
Nor seeks nor finds its heav'nly goal.
But Christ, the sec-ond Adam, came
To bear our sin and woe and shame,
To be our Life, our Light, our Way,
Our only Hope, our only Stay.
As by one man all man-kind fell
And, born in sin, was doomed to hell,
So by one Man, who took our place,
We all re-ceived the gift of grace.
We thank Thee, Christ; new life is ours,
New light, new hope, new strength, new powers:
This grace our ev-ery way at-tend
Un-til we reach our jour-ney's end!
================================
Prayer Response:  "Kyrie"  (John Merbecke 1510-1585)
Anthem:  "O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High"  (arr. Schalk)
Hymn 632 (supplemental hymnal):  "Jesus Calls Us"
Offertory:  "Voluntary in G Major"   (Samuel Jackson 1816-1885)
Hymn 81:  Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days
Benediction Response:  Dresden Amen  (Johann Naumann 1741-1801)
Postlude:  "Sunday Song"  (Max Oesten 1843-1917)

Music Notes:
Dresden Amen has two amens--suitable before Pentecost. 
Sunday Song comes from "The Village Organist" which is available online in numerous volumes. It is registered with the Swell Harmonic Flute 4 coupled to Great 8 and 4, Great Open Diapason 8, Pedal Bourdon 16, Great to Pedal.  The Swell to Great couplers couple through to the pedal.  
The Jackson Voluntary is played on the Open Diapason Alone.  It is from The Church Organist's Library.  
The Vierne Epitaphe is registered with the Stopped Diapason in the Swell, the Dulciana in the Great, Pedal Bourdon 16 Swell to Great, Great to Pedal.  



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

New Providence Music March 2, 2014


Prelude:  "Sanctus"   ( François Couperin 1668-1733 )

Introit:  "Psalm 65:4"  (Bob Moody b.1941)

Hymn 487  "When Morning Gilds The Skies"

Prayer Response  "Have Thine Own Way, Lord"

Anthem:  "O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair"  (Text: Latin 15th Century;   Tune English 12th Century)

Hymn 142  "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"

Offertory:  "Orgelstück"  (Justin Heinrich Knecht 1752-1817)

Hymn 485 "To God Be the Glory" 

Benediction Response  "Psalm 134:3"  (English Folk Song)

Postlude.  "Psalm 19 : The Heavens Declare the Glory of God"  (Benedetto Marcello 1686-1739)


Music Notes:
Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  

We therefore use music and hymn texts from all ages in our worship.  Today the sung texts include the Psalms of David, a hymn from the fifteenth century, and a text by Fanny Crosby from 1875.  Music to which the texts is sung dates from the twelfth century to the 1990's.  Organ music originates from France, Germany, and Italy, underscoring the omnipresence of God.  (Orgelstück means "organ piece.")

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

New Providence Presbyterian February 23, 2014

Prelude: On The Lake of Galilee (Isaac Barton, MD--1912)

Introit:  Psalm 65:4   (Bob Moody)

Hymn 333:  Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God.

Prayer Response: "Have Thine Own Way, Lord"

Anthem:   Wonderful Grace of Jesus  (Haldor Lillenas) 

Hymn 387: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Offertory:  Ballade (King Richard the Lionhearted -12th Century)

Hymn 649 (Supplemental Hymnal)  I Need Thee Every Hour

Benediction Response:  Psalm 134:3  (English Folk Song) 

Postlude: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (Donald Hustad--1960s)


Music Notes on today's anthem:

Haldor Lillenas (1885-1959) was one of the most important 20th century gospel hymn writers and publishers.  He was an ordained minister, author, poet, music publisher and prolific hymn writer who is estimated to have composed over 4,000 hymns, the most famous being Wonderful Grace of Jesus, from 1918.   This hymn was the theme song of the 50-member Chorus Choir of St. Paul's Evangelical United Bretheren Church in Staunton for their weekly half-hour broadcasts of the St. Paul's Sunday Evening Song Service on the Armed Forces Radio Network during the 1950's.  Todaty's version is from the Celebration Hymnal. 

New Providence Presbyterian February 16, 2014

Prelude:   All Glory Be to God on High  (Georg Phillip Telemann)

Introit:  Psalm 65:4  (Bob Moody)

Hymn 145:  Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart!

Prayer Response:  "Have Thine Own Way, Lord"

Anthem:  Psalm 112.  (Text from 1912 Psalter, tune "Tallis Canon" arr. Bob Moody)

Hymn 646:  We've a Story to Tell to the Nations  (Supplemental Hymnal)

Offertory:  Chromatic Fugue (Johann Pachelbel)

Hymn 366:  Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me

Benediction Response:  Ps. 134:3  (English Folk Melody)

Postlude:  Toccata in F Major  (Dietrich Buxtehude)

New Providence Presbyterian February 2, 2014

Prelude:  "Meditation"  (Caleb Simper)

Introit:   "Introit #1, ps 65:4"   (Bob Moody)

Hymn 457  "I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art  (attr. John Calvin)

Prayer Response: "Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Anthem:  "This Little Light of Mine"  (arr. Bob Moody)

Hymn of Preparation #626 (Supplemental Hymnal)  More About Jesus

Hymn  485:  "To God Be the Glory"

Offertory:  "Pastorale"  (Caleb Simper)

Hymn 341: "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine"

Benediction Response:  "Psalm 134: 3"  (English Folk Tune)

Postlude:  "March"  (Caleb Simper)


Music Notes:
Caleb Simper (1856-1942) Was an English composer and organist.  He gained fame in the early 20th century for his prolific output of choral and organ works.  While he lived his life in an obscure area of western England, he spread the Word of God throughout the world, selling over five million copies of his anthems by the 1920's.  His organ works have one or two word titles and are organized into a number of volumes of seventeen pieces each.  His music fell out of popularity for a while, but is now experience a worldwide resurgence in Singapore, Australia, South Africa, England, and the United States.   There are over 1300 YouTube videos of his music.  All of his music is now in the public domain and is being republished online by interested musicians. Today's organ music is all from Volume 3 of his Voluntaries.

Bob Moody wrote today's Introit while a college student in 1961 for the dedication of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Staunton VA, where his aunt was director of music.  

New Providence Presbyterian Church January 26, 2014

Prelude:   A Mighty Fortress Is Our God..... Johann Pachelbel

Introit:  Tell Me The Old Old Story

Hymn 260:  A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Prayer Response:  Hear Our Prayer, O Lord .... Whelpton

Anthem:   "The People That Walked in Darkness" from Messiah..... Handel
                   Don Roll, bass soloist

Hymn 370:  Just As I Am

Offertory:  Ecce jam Noctis (Lo! the Night is Departing).....  Garth Edmundson

Hymn 620:  Love Lifted Me  (Supplemental Hymnal)

Benediction Response:  It is Well With My Soul

Postlude:  Love Divine!  All Loves Excelling..... arr. Donald Hustad


Music Notes.
Ecce jam Noctis was a latin hymn written by Gregory I (540-604) .  The first and last verses of Pope Gregory's hymn are:
Now, when the dusky shades of night, retreating, Before the sun’s red banner, swiftly flee;
Now, when the terrors of the dark are fleeting, O Lord, we lift our thankful hearts to Thee.

So, when the morn of endless light is waking, And shades of evil from its splendors flee,
Safe may we rise, the earth’s dark breast forsaking,Through all the long bright day to dwell with Thee.

The prelude by Garth Edmunson (1892-1971, organist at First Presbyterian New Castle PA) begins with a mood of darkness and gradually brightens as day (Christ the bright morning star) approaches. 


The hymn and the prelude also reference Romans 13:12  The night has passed, but the day has come. So let us cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light,

New Providence Presbyterian January 19, 2014

Prelude:   Opening Voluntary...... John Zundel

Introit:  Tell Me The Old Old Story

Hymn  411:  Arise, Your Light Is Come!

Prayer Response:  Hear Our Prayer, O Lord (Psalm 143:1) ..... George Whelpton

Anthem:  O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How HIgh..... 15th Century hymn, arr. Carl Schalk

Hymn 630:  Standing on the Promises (Supplemental Hymnal)

Offertory:  Benedictus (Blessed) ..... François Couperin

Hymn 343:  Called as Partners in Christ's Service

Closing response: It Is Well With My Soul

Postlude: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee..... Donald Hustad.

Music Notes:
John Zundel (1815-1882) was best known for the hymn tune "Beecher" used for "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling," as well as today's final hymn.   Zundel emigrated from his native Germany to Russia in 1840 where he served as a bandmaster and organist and then to the United States in 1847. He held several church music appointments in the US including as organist at Plymouth Congregational Church, Brooklyn where he worked briefly with Henry Ward Beecher, for whom his famous hymn tune was named. Upon retirement he returned to his native Germany.  His Opening Voluntary is typical of nineteenth century American organ music and was composed for the kind of organ sound present on the New Providence Estey organ of 1911.