Musical Notes for April 28th First Sunday after Easter
Musical Notes:
Our music is historically and scriptural based upon the church season and scripture readings for the day. See notes below on the music history and their composers as we show reverence to the Lord through our music.
Prelude Christ lag in Todesbanden J. S. Bach
Martin Luther wrote his Easter hymn “Christ lay in the bonds of death,”
published in 1524, stating in a direct manner what our reaction should
be to what Christ did for all of us by his death and resurrection. About
200 years later, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) expressed the joy of
this hymn with the movement of the hands and feet under the melody.
Introit
(I Peter 2:2a) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word.
(Psalm 81:8) Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel,
if thou wilt hearken unto Me. (Psalm 81:1) Sing aloud unto God our
strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Offertory
(Matthew 28:2b) The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, (Matthew
28:5b) and said unto the women, (Matthew 28:6a) He is not here: for He
is risen, as He said. Hallelujah.
Now the Green Blade Riseth Edward W. Beals
The tune is originally a French carol, Noel Nouvelet. John Macleod
Campbell, an English Anglican priest, published his poem in 1928 that
compared the resurrection of Christ to wheat and grain that sprouts
after lying dormant in the ground. The organ variations was composed by
Wisconsin church musician Edward Wesley Beals (b.1933).
Postlude O filii et filiae J. F. Dandrieu
Jean-Francois Dandrieu (c.1682-1739), an organist of the Chapelle Royale
and harpsichordist during the time of King Louis XIV in France, composed
an elaborate set of variations on Hymn 99, “O Sons and Daughters,” a
15th century French Easter hymn.
The processional and recessional hymns are 1860’s translations by John
Mason Neale of Greek poetry (c.750) by St. John of Damascus, one of the
Church Fathers in the Eastern and Western churches.
