- Organ Prelude: 24 Pièces en style libre: 15. Arabesque - Louis Vierne, 1870-1937
- Opening Hymn 478 “Almighty God, thy word is cast” (Albano)
- Offertory Hymn 577 “God of grace and God of glory” (Cwm Rhondda)
- Final Hymn 379 “Rejoice, the Lord is King” (Darwall)
- Organ Postlude: Fugue in G minor ("The Little"), BWV 578 - J. S. Bach, 1685-1750
- Organ Prelude: Three Liturgical Preludes – George Oldroyd
- Processional Hymn “The son of Consolation!” (Ewing)
- Psalm 112 – Beatus vir – Antonio Vivaldi
- Anthem: Happy and blest are they (from ‘St. Paul’) – Felix Mendelssohn
- Offertory Hymn: 281 “Who are these like stars appearing” (All Saints)
- Communion Hymn 286 “Give me the wings of faith” (Westminster)
- Communion Motet: O Taste and See – Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Concluding Hymn 525 “The church’s one foundation” (Aurelia)
- Organ Postlude: Sortie in E flat - Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wely
Dr. George Oldroyd (1887-1956) was an English organist and composer of Anglican church music. He was organist of St. Alban's Church, Holborn in London from 1919 to 1920, and then of St Michael's Church, Croydon from 1920 until his death in 1956. Both churches are firmly rooted within the Anglo-Catholic branch of the Anglican church, and Oldroyd composed both choral and organ music with its rich ritualistic traditions in mind.
“Beatus Vir” is the Latin translation of Psalm 112 (page 860 of the BAS) which is the proper psalm for St. Barnabas’ Day. Today the choir will sing Antonio Vivaldi’s setting of these words between the first and second readings. The exuberance of the music is a perfect match for the text, “Happy are they who fear the Lord and have great delight in his commandments!” with soprano and alto solos alternating with the chorus. Vivaldi (1678-1741), also known as ‘The Red Priest’ (not for his political bent but because of his flaming red hair) was a composer, violinist and priest whose musical influence spread all across Europe during his lifetime. His best-known composition is ‘The Four Seasons’.
Felix Mendelssohn began writing his oratorio “St. Paul” in 1832 and completed it early in 1836, with its first performance in Dusseldorf in May of that year. The first British performance was ten years later in Birmingham with Mendelssohn conducting and the world-famous Jenny Lind in the soprano role. The oratorio is in two parts. Part 1 recounts the preaching, persecution and martyrdom of St. Stephen (the first Christian martyr), the miracle of St. Paul’s conversion to Christianity, and concluding with Ananias commissioning Paul as a minister of Christ. Part 2 relates to Paul and Barnabas becoming ambassadors and evangelists of the Christian church, celebrated by the perhaps familiar “How lovely are the messengers”. Mendelssohn himself was a Jew who converted to Christianity but it’s not known if his oratorio has any relation to his personal experiences. “Happy and blest are they”, today’s anthem, is from Part 1 of “St. Paul” and is a soothing consolation on the death of St. Stephen with a musical elegance not often matched.
“O Taste and See” (communion motet) was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) to be sung during the communion service at the coronation of Elizabeth II. The text is from Psalm 34:8.
Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély (1817-1869) was a French organist and composer who played a major role in the development of the French symphonic organ style and was a close friend of the organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, inaugurating many new Cavaillé-Coll organs. He was organist at the Parisian churches of Saint-Roch (1841-1846), the Église de la Madeleine (1847-1857), and Saint-Sulpice (1863-1869). Lefébure-Wély is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. His most celebrated compositions are probably the Sorties in E-flat and B-flat major for organ. The Sortie in E-flat ends the service this morning.
The choir will be on holiday from June 17 to September 2 (inclusive), returning on Sunday 9 September 2012.
- Organ Prelude: Benedictus – Alec Rowley
- Processional Hymn 1 “Holy, holy, holy” (Nicaea)
- Psalm 29
- Solo: TBA (Ed Wiens, tenor)
- Offertory Hymn 445 “God the creator” (Bunessan)
- Communion Hymn 6 “This day at thy creating word” (Rushton)
- Motet: Hymn to the Trinity - Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Concluding Hymn 326 “Bright the vision that delighted” (Redhead)
- Organ Postlude: Fugue in E flat (St. Anne) – J.S. Bach
- Organ Prelude: Komm Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (Come, Holy Spirit) – J.S. Bach
- Processional Hymn 653 “Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost” (Capetown)
- Psalm 104: 25-35
- Offertory Hymn 645 “Come down, O love divine” (Down Ampney)
- Communion Hymns
- 637 “Come, Holy Ghost” (Veni Creator Spiritus)
- 649 “Breathe on me, breath of God” (Trentham)
- Motet: O Lord, give thy holy spirit – Thomas Tallis
- Concluding Hymn 655 “Holy Spirit, ever dwelling” (In Babilone)
- Organ Postlude: Prelude on ‘Old 104th’ – C.H.H. Parry
- Organ Prelude: How fair and how pleasant art Thou – Marcel Dupré
- Processional Hymn 491 “The head that once was crowned with thorns” (St. Magnus)
- Psalm 1
- Anthem: Alleluia – Dietrich Buxtehude
- Offertory Hymn 322 “All hail the power of Jesus’ name” (Miles Lane)
- Communion Hymn 439 “Blest are the pure in heart” (Franconia)
- Concluding Hymn 372 “Alleluia sing to Jesus” (Hyfrydol)
- Organ Postlude: Chaconne in E minor – Dietrich Buxtehude
- Organ Prelude: Music for Flute and Organ by Michel Blavet (1700-1768)
- Processional Hymn 70 “Jesus, the joy of loving hearts” (Maryton)
- Psalm 98
- Anthem: Cantique de Jean Racine – Gabriel Fauré
- Offertory Hymn 372 “Praise to the holiest in the height” (Gerontius)
- Communion Hymn 481 “May the grace of Christ our Saviour” (Halton Holgate)
- Concluding Hymn 412 “O God, beyond all face and form” (Melita)
- Organ Postlude: Music for Flute and Organ by Michel Blavet (1700-1768)
- Organ Prelude: Two Dutch Folksongs – arranged by Jan Zwart
- Processional Hymn 40 “O Spirit of the living God” (Wareham)
- Offertory Hymn 451 “King of love, O Christ, we crown you” (Hermon)
- Communion Hymns
- 52 “O God unseen yet ever near” (St. Flavian)
- 487 “Where charity and love prevail” (Primrose)
- Motet: If ye love me, keep my commandments – Thomas Tallis
- Concluding Hymn 343 “When all thy mercies” (St. Stephen)
- Organ Postlude: Impetuoso – Albert de Klerk
On May 4 each year the Dutch honour all members of the military and civilians who have died in war situations or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War 2; and on May 5 there is a celebration of the 1945 capitulation of German forces in the Second World War. In acknowledgement of these special days and of our country’s friendship with The Netherlands, today’s organ music is by Dutch composers – Jan Zwart (1877-1937) and Albert de Klerk (1917-1998).
