Hymn of the Day: "When Jesus Came to Jordan" ELW 305
Text: Fred Pratt Green, 1903-2000
Tune: KING’S LYNN, English folk tune

The name of the Rev. F. Pratt Green is one of the best-known of the contemporary school of hymnwriters in the British Isles. His name and writings appear in practically every new hymnal and "hymn supplement" wherever English is spoken and sung. And now they are appearing in American hymnals, poetry magazines, and anthologies.

Mr. Green was ordained in the British Methodist ministry, and was pastor and district superintendent in Brighton and York, and then served in Norwich. There he continued to write new hymns "that fill the gap between the hymns of the first part of this century and the 'far-out' compositions that have crowded into some churches in the last decade or more."

Offertory: “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” Richard Shephard (1949-2021)

This is a wonderful arrangement of the traditional English carol usually attributed as "traditional.” Its first written appearance is in William B. Sandys' Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern of 1833. However, it is almost certainly of a much earlier date; Studwell places it in the 16th century. Cahill based on the phrase "to see the legend of my play" speculates that the text may be based on an earlier version associated with a mystery play of the late medieval period. Numerous composers have made original settings of it or arranged the traditional tune, including Gustav Holst, John Gardner, Igor Stravinsky, David Willcocks, John Rutter, Philip Lawson, James Burton, Ronald Corp, Philip Stopford, Andrew Carter, Jamie W. Hall and Jack Gibbons. The verses of the hymn progress through the story of Jesus told in his own voice. An innovative feature of the telling is that Jesus' life is repeatedly characterized as a dance. This device was later used in the modern hymn "Lord of the Dance".

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;

Chorus
Sing O 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 the 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 from above,
to call my true love to my dance.

Opening and Closing Voluntaries: “Prelude and Postlude from Sixty Short Pieces” Flor Peeters (1903-1986)

The Sixty Short Pieces for Organ were composed in 1957 using Flor Peeters recognizable style of Renaissance polyphony combined with 20th century influences.

A renowned Flemish organist, composer, and music pedagogue, he was known for his exceptional skills as an organist and performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States, showcasing his virtuosity and musicality and promoting the organ as a solo instrument through his concerts and recordings.

Peeters’ compositions encompass a wide range of styles and genres, from solo pieces to large-scale symphonic works, showcasing his mastery of counterpoint, harmonic language, and innovative use of registration on the organ. Many of his organ pieces have become staples in the repertoire.

As a teacher at the Lemmens Institute in Belgium for over four decades, Peeters's impact extended beyond his performance career and compositions, influencing generations of young musicians who went on to become accomplished performers.

And here are some brief notes to catch up on last week’s organ pieces.

Opening Voluntary for 31 December: “With Peace and Joy I Now Depart” JS Bach

This is a chorale prelude from Bach’s Orgelbûchlein - German for “Little Organ Book.” “With Peace and Joy I Now Depart” is the chorale whose text is associated with the feast of the Presentation in the Temple, part of the Gospel reading.

As Johann Gotthielf Ziegler reported, "When playing chorales, my teacher, Kapellmeister Bach, who was still alive, taught me to never play chorales as is, but with the sentiment conveyed by the words." Since the congregation would have known the words of the chorale by heart (and not just the first verse), Bach was able to use this music in a highly suggestive manner. He would thus masterfully employ those hymns most likely to capture the congregation's imagination and move them. Every word, every interval, every interpretive choice was linked to key words, to a specific relationship between biblical and musical writing. In this way, the chorales became both the instrument used to convey the message and the means by which listeners, by actively participating in it, made that message their own.

Closing Voluntary: Prelude and Fugue on Tempus Adest Floridum” Richard Shephard

We don’t sing this carol much anymore, but the tune, better known as “Good King Wenceslas” is well known and easily recognizable.