Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Presentation of Christ / Candlemas - February 2, 2014

  • Organ: Nunc dimittis – Thomas Crawford (1877-1955)
  • Opening Hymn
    Hail to the Lord Who comes, Comes to His temple gate;
    Not with His angel host, Not in His kingly state;
    No shouts proclaim Him nigh, No crowds His coming wait.

    But, borne upon the throne Of Mary’s gentle breast,
    Watched by her duteous love, In her fond arms at rest,
    Thus to His Father’s house He comes, the heav’nly Guest.

    There Joseph at her side In reverent wonder stands,
    And, filled with holy joy, Old Simeon in his hands
    Takes up the promised Child, The Glory of all lands.

    Hail to the great First-born Whose ransom price they pay!
    The Son before all worlds, The Child of man today,
    That He might ransom us Who still in bondage lay.

    O Light of all the earth, Thy children wait for Thee!
    Come to Thy temples here, That we, from sin set free,
    Before Thy Father’s face May all presented be!
  • Service Music: Holy Trinity Service – Christoper Tambling (page 1 of Service Music booklet)
  • Psalm 84 Metrical Paraphrase (Ellers)
    1. How love-ly is your dwell-ing place, O Lord!
    My soul longs to be pres-ent in your courts.
    With joy I sing to you with heart and flesh,
    To you, O liv-ing God of pow'r and might.

    2. Even the spar-row finds a place to nest
    And swal-lows find a place to lay their young
    Near to your al-tars, Lord, my King and God.
    Blest they who dwell in your house, sing-ing praise.

    3. Bless-ed are they whose strength is found in you,
    Your pil-grim peo-ple trav-eling to your house.
    They make the waste-land burst with springs and rain.
    They grow in strength as they see God in Zi'n.

    4. Lord God Al-might-y, hear my hum-ble plea;
    O God of Ja-cob, listen to my pray'r!
    Look on our rul-er, bless him with your might,
    Look on the face of your a-noint-ed one.

    5. One day in your courts is far bet-ter than
    One thou-sand days in an-y oth-er place.
    I'd rath-er stand in God's house at the door
    Than live with-in the homes of wick-ed ones.

    6. For our Lord God is glo-ri-ous and strong;
    He bless-es us; fa-vour and hon-our gives.
    God gives good things to those who do what's right.
    Blest is the one, O Lord, who trusts in you.
  • Gospel Alleluia
Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Cantor: My eyes have seen your salvation: which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
  • Offertory  Hymn 393 “Immortal, invisible, God only wise” (St. Basil #394)
  • Anthem: Nunc dimittis (from Evening Service in C) – Sir Charles Stanford
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
  • Communion Hymn 439 “Blest are the pure in heart” (Franconia)
  • Concluding Hymn 357 “Let all the world in every corner sing” (Luckington)
  • Organ: Final (from ‘Petite Suite’) – Gerald Bales
Music Notes:

Scottish born (in 1877) Thomas J. Crawford went to Germany to study before returning to become assistant organist at Westminster Abbey. He emigrated to Canada in 1922 to become organist at St. Paul’s, Bloor St., succeeding Healey Willan who had moved to St. Mary Magdalene, and a teacher at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (later the Royal Conservatory). He conducted the Eaton Choral Society 1925-31, transforming the group in 1931 into the Eaton Operatic Society, and continuing as music director until 1947. Crawford also conducted 1927-42 the Victoria College Music Club, University of Toronto. He was organist-choirmaster in 1932 at Holy Trinity Church and 1933-46 at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Retiring in 1946, he continued to travel as an examiner for the RCMT, and his last position was at St. Andrew’s Church in Barrie, beginning in 1954. Crawford was killed in a car accident in 1955. An interesting link is that Thomas Crawford was the teacher of Neil Houlton’s first organ teacher (Eric Dowling, in St. Catharines).

Gerald Bales (born 1919) was a Canadian born organist, conductor, composer and teacher. In his early years Bales was organist of St. Anne’s Anglican, Rosedale United and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian churches in Toronto, then later at the Anglican cathedrals in Minneapolis and Calgary. From the early 1970s he taught at the University of Ottawa and was organist at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in that city. Bales retired in 1984 to London, Ontario where he died in 2002. His Petite Suite for organ is one of his most popular compositions, one of more than 120.
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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Epiphany 3 - January 26, 2014

  • Organ: Prelude on “Tallis’ Canon” – Sir Charles Stanford
  • Opening Hymn 487 “Where charity and love prevail” (Primrose)
  • Service Music: Holy Trinity Service – Christopher Tambling
  • Psalm 27: 1, 5-13
  • Gospel Alleluia
Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Cantor: This Jesus God raised up: and of that all of us are witnesses.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
  • Offertory Hymn
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
  • Anthem: “My eyes for beauty pine” – Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
My eyes for beauty pine, My soul for Goddes grace :
No other care nor hope is mine, To heaven I turn my face.
One splendour thence is shed From all the stars above :
'Tis named when God's name is said, 'Tis Love, 'tis heavenly Love.
And every gentle heart, That burns with true desire,
Is lit from eyes that mirror part Of that celestial fire. 
(poem by Robert Bridges 1844-1930)
  • Communion Hymn 559 Blessed Jesus, at your word (Liebster Jesu)
  • Concluding Hymn 385 “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Uttingen)
  • Organ: Prelude for Organ – Fanny (Hensel) Cecilie Mendelssohn (1805-1847)
Music Notes:

This week saw the commemoration of Paul’s conversion (January 25). With reference to that event the offertory hymn this morning is “And can it be”, a text by Charles Wesley. Originally titled “Free Grace,” this hymn is one of several hymns by Wesley that is still widely sung in the present day. Although we do not know exactly when “And Can It Be” was written, it is usually associated with a very early period linked with the Charles Wesley’s own conversion. Regardless of when it was written, the hymn clearly describes the experience of conversion and the wonder of one who is still amazed “That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”.

Fanny Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1805-1847) was a German pianist and composer, the elder sister of the composer Felix Mendelssohn and granddaughter of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. She composed more than 450 pieces, mostly songs and music for piano. Felix had arranged with Fanny for some of her songs to be published under his name, resulting in an embarrassing moment when Queen Victoria, receiving Felix at Buckingham Palace, expressed her intention of singing the composer her favourite of his songs, "Italien", which Mendelssohn had to confess was by Fanny.

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    Sunday, January 12, 2014

    Epiphany 2 - January 19 2014

    • Organ: Fugue III on B-A-C-H – Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
    • Opening Hymn 319 “Come, let us join our cheerful songs” (Nativity)
    • Service Music: John Merbecke (found beginning on page 9 of the Service Music booklet)
    • Psalm 40: 1-11 (said responsively)
    • Gospel Alleluia
    Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    Cantor: In the Word was life: and the life was the light of all people
    All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    • Offertory Hymn 156 “The people that in darkness sat”
    • Communion Hymn 430 “Will you come and follow me”
    • Communion Motet: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day – English Traditional Carol
    Tomorrow shall be my dancing day;
     I would my true love did so chance
    To see the legend of my play,
    To call my true love to my dance;
    Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
    This have I done for my true love.

    Then was I born of a virgin pure,
    Of her I took fleshly substance
    Thus was I knit to man's nature
    To call my true love to my dance.

    In a manger laid, and wrapped I was
    So very poor, this was my chance
    Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass
    To call my true love to my dance.

    Then afterwards baptized I was;
    The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
    My Father’s voice heard I from above,
    To call my true love to my dance.
    • Concluding Hymn 577 “God of grace and God of glory” (Cwm Rhondda)
    • Organ: Prelude and Fugue in G major BWV 557– J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

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    Sunday, January 5, 2014

    Epiphany Readings and Carols - 12 January 2014

    Choir
    • The Lamb – John Tavener 
    • When to the temple Mary went – Johannes Eccard 
    • Nunc dimittis (from Evening Service in G) – Sir Charles Stanford 
    • The Journey – Simon Lole
    Readings
    • Advent Calendar – Rowan Williams 
    • Matthew 2: 1-6 
    • Matthew 2: 7-12 
    • Luke 2: 22-33 
    • A Song for Simeon – T.S. Eliot
    Carols & Hymns
    • Of the Father’s love begotten (Divinum mysterium) 
    • From east to west (Puer nobis nascitur) 
    • What child is this (Greensleeves) 
    • O come, all ye faithful (Adeste fidelis) 
    • Away in a manger (Cradle Song) 
    • In the darkness shines the splendour (Irby)

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    Friday, January 3, 2014

    Feast of the Epiphany - January 5 2014

    • Opening Hymn 158 “Earth has many a noble city
    • Service Music: Holy Trinity Service – Christopher Tambling
    • Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14 (said responsively)
    • Gospel Alleluia
    Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    Cantor: A voice from heaven said:
    "This is my Son the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.
    All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
    • Offertory Hymn 159 “Brightest and best”
    • Communion Hymn 152 “Let folly praise that fancy loves”
    • Concluding Hymn 160 “As with gladness men of old”

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