Musical Notes
Prelude Rendez à Dieu Richard M. Peek
Richard Maurice Peek (1927-2005), organist-director of Charlotte’s Covenant Presbyterian Church, created his piece on the 1543 tune (located at #195 in The Hymnal 1940) by Louis Bourgeois (composer of the tune Old Hundredth, sung to the Doxology). Bourgeois (1510-1559), a French disciple of the Swiss reformer John Calvin, composed tunes for the Genevan Psalter in 1551.
Introit
(Psalm 68:5c-6a, 35b) God in His holy habitation. He is God who setteth the solitary in families. The God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. (Psalm 68:1) Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let them also that hate Him flee before Him.
Offertory
(Psalm 30:1-2) I will extol Thee, O Lord; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me.
Anthem Sometimes a Light Surprises Richard Shephard
Richard Shephard (b.1949), choral/opera/orchestral composer and Chamberlain of York Minster, set this poem (found at #443 in The Hymnal 1940) from 1779 by William Cowper (pronounced “Cooper”), a popular English poet who, though suffering from periodic mental illness, was a devout Christian.
The tune of the first communion hymn was composed in 1942 by David McKinley Williams (1887-1978) for the 1934 poem by the British author/poet Rudyard Kipling. (The first phrase in Latin is translated “not to us, Lord.”) Born in Wales, Williams spent most of his career in New York as organist-choirmaster for 27 years at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, and as teacher at the Juilliard School and Union Theological Seminary.
Postlude Psalm of Praise Charles Callahan
This toccata on the Old Hundredth Psalm tune (#139 in The Hymnal 1940) is by Charles Callahan (b.1951), Vermont organ/choral composer. Amid cascading descending passages, the 1551 tune by Louis Bourgeois is heard in the pedals.
