Pentecost - May 27, 2012

• 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

Easter 7 - Sunday after Ascension - May 20, 2012

• 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

Easter 6 - May 13, 2012

• 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)

Easter 5 - May 6, 2012

• 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 

• Music Notes: 

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).

Easter 4 (Mattins) - Sunday 29 April, 2012

• Organ Prelude: Prelude founded on an Old Irish Church Melody" - Charles Villiers Stanford 
• Processional Hymn 224 “Awake, arise, lift up your voice” (Richmond) 
• Psalm 23 (Hymn 519 – Crimond) 
• Solo: Sheep may safely graze – J.S. Bach (Fiona Strachan, soprano) 
• Offertory Hymn 375 “At the Name of Jesus” (King’s Weston) 
• Concluding Hymn 325 “Angel voices, ever singing” (Angel Voices) 
• Organ Postlude: Prelude on Saint Columba - Healey Willan

Easter 3 - Earth Day - Sunday, April 22, 2012

• Organ Prelude: In Springtime – Alfred Hollins 
• Processional Hymn 427 “All beautiful the march of days” (Forest Green) 
• Psalm 4 (Tone II.1) 
• Anthem: For the beauty of the earth – Andrew Carter 
• Offertory Hymn 428 “God who gives to life its goodness” (Abbot’s Leigh) 
• Communion Hymn 409 “Before the earth had yet begun” (Craigleith) 
• Concluding Hymn 387 “All praise to thee” (Sine nomine) 
• Organ Postlude: Forest Music – G.F. Handel

Music Notes
Alfred Hollins (1865-1942) was a blind-from-birth Yorkshire organist and composer, although he lived in Scotland for most of his life. Late in the nineteenth century he became organist of Free St. George’s Church in Edinburgh, whose founding minister had virulently opposed the installation of the ‘kist of whistles’ into his church. He regarded it definitely as the thin edge of the wedge – to the sacramental system of popery and the work of the very devil himself! Fortunately, a more enlightened assistant minister persuaded the elders to move with the times and install an organ and appoint Alfred Hollins as organist. Hollins was a prolific composer. He wrote much for the organ – there are some fifty-five pieces, one of which is the very pastoral and evocative “In Springtime”, today’s organ prelude.

Recognized as the best known and one of the most highly regarded preachers in the Anglican Church, Herbert O'Driscoll (born 1928) is a former Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver, and former Warden of the College of Preachers at Washington National Cathedral. He is the author of 30 books, including A Doorway in Time, a reflection of his own Celtic spirituality, and Emmanuel, written during a visit to the Holy Land. O'Driscoll is at once a brilliant scholar and mesmerizing Irish storyteller. He has also written several hymns, one of which is our communion hymn this morning – “Before the earth had yet begun”.

In November 1741 Georg Frederic Handel (1685-1758) visited Dublin, Ireland where he had been asked by the Governors of Mercer's Hospital, and of the Charitable Infirmary, to compose something “special” in aid of the Dublin sick. That ‘something special’ was Messiah, which Handel composed in England in just three weeks and completed on September 14, 1741. Between November 1741 and April of 1742 when Messiah received its first performance, he participated in concerts of several of his other works, and his Irish visit ended in June with a second Messiah performance. Handel was very taken with Ireland and its folk music, and this influence can be heard in Forest Music, composed in Ireland in 1742 for a German lady friend – it is this morning’s organ postlude.

Easter 2 - Sunday April 15, 2012

• Organ Prelude: Dolcezza – Percy Whitlock 
• Opening Hymn 205 “The day of resurrection”
• Offertory Hymn 378 “Crown him with many crowns” 
• Organ Music During Communion: 
• Air (from Orchestral Suite in D) – J.S. Bach 
• Bist du bei mir (Be Thou with me) – J.S. Bach 
• Concluding Hymn 619 “Fairest Lord Jesus” 
• Organ Postlude: “Heute triumphieret Gottes Sohn” (Today the Son of God triumphs) – J.S. Bach 
•  (no choir)