Lent 2 - 24 February, 2013

• Organ: O man, bewail thy grievous sin (O mensch bewein) – J.S. Bach 
• Entrance Hymn 537 “In the cross of Christ I glory” 
• Service Music: New Plainsong – David Hurd 
• Psalm 27 text and pointing is downloadable at the parish website worship page »
• Gospel Acclamation: text downloadable at the parish website worship page »
• Offertory Hymn 526 “God is our fortress and our rock”
• Communion Hymn 620 “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds” 
• Communion Motet: Hide not thou thy face from us – Richard Farrant
  

  The text of the motet is taken from this morning’s psalm 27:12, but in the Coverdale translation as in the Book of Common Prayer. 

• Concluding Hymn 577 “God of grace and God of glory”
• Organ: O man, bewail thy grievous sin (O mensch bewein) – Johann Pachelbel 

Music Notes

O man, thy grievous sin bemoan,
For which Christ left His Father's throne,
From highest heaven descending.
Of Virgin pure and undefiled
He here was born, our Saviour mild,
For sin to make atonement.
The dead He raised to life again.
The sick He freed from grief and pain.
Until the time appointed
That He for us should give His Blood,
Should bear our sins' o'erwhelming load,
The shameful Cross enduring.

This text, written originally in German around 1525, inspired J.S. Bach (1685-1750) to create what the great French organist/composer Charles-Marie Widor called the greatest piece of instrumental music ever composed. While others would dispute that claim, it is a sublime work of genius, based on the original tune for this Lutheran hymn and perfectly reflecting the words. At the end of this morning’s service is another ‘treatment’ of this hymn by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). Although it was thought to have been written by Bach, some clever musicologist figured out that it was not, and attributed it to the composer of the famous “Pachelbel’s Canon”.

“Richard Farrant (1530-1580) was Gentleman of the Royal Chapels to King Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth, and in 1564 was appointed Organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and Master of the Choristers there. In 1580 he resign'd his Place in the Royal Chapels, and died in 1585. His Compositions for the Church Service were peculiarly solemn, and well adapted for that Purpose.” (a note from Cathedral Music by William Boyce)

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All are welcome at St. Barnabas - visit the parish website here »

Lent 1 - February 17 2013

• Organ: Fugue – Francois Roberday 
• Entrance Hymn 628 “O love how deep, how broad, how high” 
• Service Music: John Merbecke 
• Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16  Text & pointing download on parish worship page here » 
• Gospel Acclamation: Text  downloadable on parish worship page here » 
• Offertory Hymn 170 “The glory of these forty days” 
• During Communion: Lenten Prose 
• Motet: Schaffe in mir, Gott (Create in me a clean heart) – Johannes Brahms 
• Concluding Hymn 172 “Now let us all with one accord” (Tallis’s Canon #14)
• Organ: Caprice – Francois Roberday

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All are welcome at St. Barnabas! Visit the parish website here »

Last Sunday after Epiphany - 10 February 2013

• Organ: Air – Herbert Howells
• Entrance Hymn 330 “O Praise ye the Lord”
• Service Music: New Plainsong – David Hurd
• Psalm 99

1. The LORD is King / let the peo-ple trem-ble; *
   he is enthroned upon the cher-u-bim let the earth shake. 
2. The LORD is great in Zi-on; *
   he is high a-bove all peo-ples. 
3. Let them confess his Name, which is great and awe-some; *
   he is the Ho-ly One.
4. “O mighty King lover of justice / you have e-sta-blish’d e-qui-ty; *
   you have executed justice and right-eous-ness in Ja-cob.”
5. Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and fall down be-fore his foot-stool; *
   he is the Ho-ly One.
6. Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel among those who call up-on his Name, *
   they called upon the LORD and he an-swer’d them.
7. He spoke to them out of the pil-lar of cloud; *
   they kept his testimonies and the de-cree that he gave them. 
8. “O LORD our God, you answered them in-deed; *
   you were a God who forgave them yet punished them for their e-vil deeds.” 
9. Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and worship him upon his ho-ly hill; *
   for the LORD our God is the Ho-ly One. 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Ho-ly Spi-rit.
As it was in the beginning is now and e-ver shall be: world with-out end A-men.

• Gospel Alleluia
  

  Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
  All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
  Cantor: Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the LORD our God is the Holy One.
  All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

• Anthem – Alleluia – Dietrich Buxtehude
• Offertory Hymn 374 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
• Communion Hymn 64 “Author of life divine”
• Concluding Hymn “Sing alleluia forth in duteous praise”
  

  Choir alone verses 1 and 2
  Sing alleluia forth in duteous praise,
  ye citizens of heaven, O sweetly raise an endless alleluia.
  
  Ye powers who stand before the eternal Light,
  in hymning choirs re-echo to the height an endless alleluia.
  
  Everyone join in verse 3
  The holy city shall take up your strain,
  and with glad songs resounding wake again an endless alleluia.
  
  In blissful antiphons ye thus rejoice
  to render to the Lord with thankful voice an endless alleluia.
  
  There, in one grand acclaim, for ever ring,
  the strains which tell the honor of your King, an endless alleluia.
  
  While thee, by whom were all things made,
  we praise for ever, and tell out in sweetest lays an endless alleluia.
  
  Almighty Christ, to thee our voices sing
  glory for evermore; to thee we bring an endless alleluia.

• Organ: Epilogue – Healey Willan

Music Notes

“And lo, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Beatrice the organist and delivered unto her a new hymn from the Lord God and bade her play it on Sunday. But Beatrice sighed and explained that the congregation would rise up as one and smite her with pew cushions if she were to assault their ears with an unfamiliar sound. And the angel went sorrowing away.”

Well, there’s a new hymn this week at St. Barnabas’ and Beatrice is prepared for the onslaught!  The text is anonymous, 5th Century (Alleluia piis edite laudibus in the original), translated from Latin to English by John Ellerton in The Churchman’s Family Magazine, 1865; but it is a fitting conclusion to the last Sunday of the Epiphany season and the last before the beginning of Lent (remembered by many of us as Quinquagesima), a final opportunity to utter the word ‘alleluia’ word before Easter (and there are many opportunities this morning!). The simple music, recently written, is dedicated to all of the terrific people of St. Barnabas’ (Chester).  To give you a chance to assimilate the tune, we’ve asked the choir to sing the first 2 verses of the hymn and for the congregation to join in verse 3.
    Danish born and German raised, Dietrich Buxtehude (c1637-1709) wrote more than 125 works for choir, although these have long been overshadowed by those of his younger contemporary, J.S. Bach.  But Buxtehude was a major influence on Bach, both as performer and composer.  This morning’s anthem “Alleluia” is from one of his cantatas, and is a delightfully quirky and exuberant piece of music. 
    Herbert Howells wrote two “airs” for clarinet and piano, probably for a music festival competition, both of which have been transcribed for organ.  Healey Willan composed ‘Epilogue’ prior to his emigration to Canada in 1913, apparently for an event at St Alban’s Cathedral.  It is not one of his most performed pieces, but deserves to be heard more often than it is. 

Service of Induction & Choral Eucharist - 3 February, 2013

• Organ: Psalm Prelude Set 1 No. 1 – Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
  

  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (Psalm 34:6)

• Entrance Hymn: Christ is made the sure foundation (Westminster Abbey)
• Service Music: John Merbecke
• Psalm 71: 1-6 (Tone VIII.2)

  1. In you O LORD have I taken re-fuge; *
     let me ne-ver be a-sham’d.
  2. In your righteousness deliver me and set me free; *
     incline your ear to me and save me.
  3. Be my strong rock a castle to keep me safe; *
     you are my crag and my strong-hold.
  4. Deliver me my God from the hand of the wick-ed, *
     from the clutches of the evildoer and the op-pres-sor. 
  5. For you are my hope O LORD God, *
     my confidence since I was young.
  6. I have been sustained by you ever since I was born /
     from my mother’s womb you have been my strength; *
     my praise shall be al-ways of you.

  Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Ho-ly Spi-rit.
  As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be: world with-out end A-men.

• Gospel Alleluia
  

  Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
  All: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
  Cantor: The Lord reigns let the earth be glad: let the distant shores rejoice.
  All: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

• Anthem: I was glad – C.H.H. Parry (1848–1918)
  

  I was glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city: that is at unity in itself. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls: and plenteousness within thy palaces.

• Offertory Hymn: All my hope on God is founded (Michael)
• Communion Hymn: Word of God, come down on earth (Liebster Jesu)
• Communion Motet: “O Sing Joyfully” – Adrian Batten (c1591 - c1637)
  

  O sing joyfully unto God our strength make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take the song, bring hither the tabret the merry harp with the lute.
  
  Blow up the trumpet in the new-moon even in the time appointed, and upon our solemn feast-day. For this was made a statute for Israel and a law of the God of Jacob.

• Concluding Hymn: Thou, whose almighty word (Moscow)
• Organ: Toccata in e – Johann Pachelbel