Lent 4 - March 30 2014

• Organ: Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’ – Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Opening Hymn 345 “King of glory, king of peace” (Gwalchmai)
• Psalm 23 – chant by C. Hylton Stewart (sung by the choir)
• Gospel Acclamation

Choir: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Choir: I am the light of the world;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life, says the Lord.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.

• Offertory 397 “Praise the one who breaks the darkness” (Nettleton)
• Communion Hymn 85 “Shepherd of souls” (St. Agnes)
• Communion Motet: The Crown of Roses – Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

When Jesus Christ was yet a child He had a garden small and wild,
Wherein He cherished roses fair, And wove them into garlands there. 

Now once, as summer time drew nigh, There came a troop of children by,
And seeing roses on the tree, With shouts they plucked them merrily. 

Do you bind roses in your hair? They cried, in scorn, to Jesus there,
The Boy said humbly: "Take, I pray, All but the naked thorns away." 

Then of the thorns they made a crown, And with rough fingers pressed it down,
Till on His forehead fair and young, Red drops of blood like roses sprung.  

Chorale:  “Erhalt uns Herr” 

Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word; Curb those who fain by craft and sword Would wrest the kingdom from Thy Son And set at naught all He hath done.

Organ: Chorale Prelude on ‘Erhalt uns Herr’ – Dietrich Buxtehude

Music Notes

At each of the five Lenten Sundays our service will end in a slightly different way. Following the blessing and in place of a concluding hymn, the choir will sing one verse of a chorale (a Lutheran hymn) taken from either the St. Matthew Passion or St. John Passion by J.S. Bach. This will be followed by a short piece of organ music that is based on that chorale by a different composer each week; after that, the dismissal and a quiet procession of clergy and choir from the sanctuary. It is hoped that these few minutes of music will provide you with an opportunity for reflection in keeping with the more sombre mood of Lent.

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Lent 3 - March 23, 2014

• Organ: Adagio (from Choral No. 3 in A minor) – César Franck
• Opening Hymn 361 “Surely it is God who saves me” (Ecce, Deus)
• Service Music: New Plainsong – David Hurd
• Psalm 95 (sung to Anglican chant)
• Gospel Acclamation

Choir: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Choir: Lord, you indeed are the Saviour of the world.
Give me the living water, that I may thirst no more.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.

• Offertory Hymn 508 “I heard the voice of Jesus say” (Kingsfold) 
• Anthem: The Ways of Zion do Mourn – Michael Wise (1648–1687) 




 The ways of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts, all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness. For these things I weep, mine eyes runneth down with water. Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper, for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. See, O Lord, and consider, for I am become vile. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow. The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me. He hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men. The Lord hath trodden under foot the virgin, the daughter of Judah. For these things I weep, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me. See, O Lord, and consider, for I am become vile. 

• Communion Hymn 49 “Draw nigh and take” (Song 46)
• Chorale: O haupt voll Blut und Wunden

O sacred head, surrounded by crown of piercing thorn! O royal head, so wounded, reviled and put to scorn! Death’s shadows rise before you, the glow of life decays, yet angel hosts adore thee and tremble as they gaze.

• Organ: Chorale Prelude on ‘O haupt voll Blut’ – Max Reger (1873-1916)

Music Notes

Michael Wise (1648–1687) was an English organist and composer. He sang as a child in the choir of the Chapel Royal and served as a countertenor in St George's Chapel, Windsor, from 1666 until, in 1668, he was appointed organist and choirmaster at Salisbury Cathedral. In 1676 he became a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and in the last year of his life was Master of the Children at St Paul's Cathedral. During a violent struggle with a Salisbury night watchman following a domestic dispute, he sustained a blow to the head "which broke his skull, of the consequence whereof he died." Wise’s anthem The ways of Zion do mourn is considered to be his masterpiece. The text is from Lamentations 1: 4, 5, 11, 12, 15, 16.


At each of the five Lenten Sundays our service will end in a slightly different way. Following the blessing and in place of a concluding hymn, the choir will sing one verse of a chorale (a Lutheran hymn) taken from either the St. Matthew Passion or St. John Passion by J.S. Bach. This will be followed by a short piece of organ music that is based on that chorale by a different composer each week; after that, the dismissal and a quiet procession of clergy and choir from the sanctuary. It is hoped that these few minutes of music will provide you with an opportunity for reflection in keeping with the more sombre mood of Lent.

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Lent 2 - March 16 2014

• Organ: Andante sostenuto (from Organ Sonata 6) – Felix Mendelssohn
• Opening Hymn 372 “Praise to the holiest in the height” (Gerontius)
• Service Music: Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei from “Communion Service in C” – John Ireland
• Psalm 121
• Gospel Acclamation

Choir: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Choir: From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.

• Offertory Hymn 524 “O Christ the great foundation” (Aurelia)
• Communion Hymn 543 “Unto the hills around do I lift up” (Sandon)
• Communion Motet: God so loved the world – Sir John Stainer

God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

• Chorale: Unser Vater im Himmelreich (Our Father in heaven)

Our Father, thou in heav’n above, Who biddest us to dwell in love As brethren of one family, And cry for all we need to thee. Teach us to mean the words we say, And from the inmost heart to pray.

• Organ: Chorale Prelude on ‘Unser Vater’ – Johann Pachelbel

Music Notes

“The Crucifixion” (A Meditation on the Sacred Passion of the Holy Redeemer) by Sir John Stainer (1840-1901) has been one of the staples of the church choir repertoire since it was composed in 1887. In fact, it is highly probable that, in years past, it has been sung here at St. Barnabas’. It’s a cantata that consists of several choruses, solos for tenor and bass and five congregational hymns. Although Stainer himself dismissed ‘The Crucifixion’ as “rubbish”, it continues to be performed and recorded regularly today. “God so loved the world” is perhaps the most often performed excerpt.

Both the organ prelude and postlude this morning are linked thematically – although very different in style, both are based on the chorale “Our Father in Heaven” as sung by the choir at the end of today’s service

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Lent I - March 9, 2014

• Organ: Erhalt uns Herr bei deinem Wort (Uphold us, Lord, within thy word) – Dietrich Buxtehude (c1637-1707)
• Opening Hymn 170 “The glory of these forty days” (Erhalt uns, Herr)
• Introit: Adam lay ybounden – Howard Skempton (born 1947)

Adam lay ybounden, Bounden in a bond; 
Four thousand winter Thought he not too long.
And all was for an apple, An apple that he took,
As clerkës finden written In their book.
Nor had one apple taken been, The apple taken been,
Then had never Our Lady A-been heaven's queen.
Blessed be the time That apple taken was.
Therefore we may singen Deo gratias!

• Service Music: New Plainsong Mass – David Hurd
• Trisagion
• Psalm 32 (Tone VI)
• Gospel Alleluia

Choir: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Choir: We do not live on bread alone but on ev’ry word that comes from the mouth of God.
All: Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you O Christ, King of eternal glory.

• Offertory Hymn 628 “O love, how deep, how broad, how high” (Puer nobis nascitur)
• Communion Hymn 176 “By the Holy Spirit sent” (Lew Trenchard)
• Communion Motet: “Hide not thou thy face” – Richard Farrant (1525-1580)

Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord, and cast not off thy servants in thy displeasure; for we confess our sins unto thee, and hide not our unrighteousness. For thy mercy’s sake deliver us from all our sins. (from Psalm 27)

• Chorale: Herzliebster Jesu (Ah, Holy Jesus, how hast thou offended) - Bach

Ah, Holy Jesus, how has thou offended, that we to judge thee have in hate pretended? By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted.

• Organ: Chorale Prelude on ‘Herzliebster Jesu’ – Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Music Notes

One might think it unusual to sing “Adam lay ybounden’ outside of the Advent season when it’s usually heard, but the Middle English text ties in with today’s Old Testament reading (Genesis 2: 15-17 and 3:1-7).

Here’s a paraphrase of the original text:

Adam's (Man's) sin enchained him for four thousand years (the accepted time from creation to Jesus' birth.) He did not think it was too long to wait. And all this was because of the apple Adam took, as scribes have recorded in Holy Scripture. If the apple had never been taken, then Mary would never have become Heaven's Queen. Blessed then be that apple's theft (because it ultimately brought salvation.) Therefore we must sing, thanks be to God!

“Adam lay ybounden” is a macaronic (meaning it has a mix of Latin and English words) poem by an unknown author, dating from around 1400. Several composers have set this text to music, one of the more recent being Englishman Howard Skempton (born 1947). His is a simple setting of this medieval carol which has great impact in its originality; the style is controlled, almost austere, and the effect is hypnotic. It is a perhaps unsettling but poignant piece of music.

Richard Farrant (1525-1580) was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, later becoming Master of the Choristers at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where he organized the choristers into an acting company that presented musical plays for the entertainment of the court. Not many other details about his life are known and very little of his music survives, but Hide not thou thy face and the rather similar Call to remembrance were among the most popular anthems of their day and have lost none of their appeal. Farrant’s interest in acting is reflected in his word-setting, which is specially direct, declamatory and expressive; the composer seems to shake a fist at heaven.

At each of the five Lenten Sundays our service will end in a slightly different way. Following the blessing and in place of a concluding hymn, the choir will sing one verse of a chorale (a Lutheran hymn) taken from either the St. Matthew Passion or St. John Passion by J.S. Bach. This will be followed by a short piece of organ music that is based on that chorale by a different composer each week; after that, the dismissal and a quiet procession of clergy and choir from the sanctuary. It is hoped that these few minutes of music will provide you with an opportunity for reflection in keeping with the more sombre mood of Lent.

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The Last Sunday after The Epiphany - 2 March, 2014

• Organ Prelude on “Praise, my soul” – Eugene Hill 
• Service Music: Holy Trinity Service – Christopher Tambling 
• Opening Hymn 381 “Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven” (Praise my soul) 
• Psalm 2 
• Gospel Alleluia

Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Cantor: This is my Son, my Chosen: listen to him!
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

• Offertory Hymn 374 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” (Hyfrydol) 
• Anthem: Jubilate Deo in C – Benjamin Britten 

O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song. Be ye sure that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name. For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

• Communion Hymn 84 “Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour” (St. Osmond) 
• Concluding Hymn 344 “From all that dwell below the skies” (Lasst uns erfreuen) 
• Organ: Paean – Kenneth Leighton 

Music Notes

As befitting the Sunday before Lent, all of today’s music is joyous. Usually, the organ prelude is relatively quiet and contemplative, helping you to prepare for worship (we hope!); unusually, today it’s an uplifting piece (based on our opening hymn) by the Canadian Eugene Hill, born in Toronto in 1909. Hill was an organ student of the legendary Dr. Charles Peaker (long-time organist of St. Paul’s, Bloor St.) and later of the even more legendary G.D. Cunningham in England. He spent most of his career teaching in the USA where he died in 1976. 

Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988) was a British composer and pianist. His compositions include church and choral music, pieces for piano, organ, cello, oboe and other instruments, chamber music, concertos, symphonies, and an opera. He had various University appointments, most notably as Reid Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh. “Paean” is a celebratory piece, in which many familiar Leighton traits are used - striding rhythms, dissonant chords, melody, et al. Leighton’s work always maintained the importance of melody at the forefront. This is a longer-than-normal postlude, but you’re encouraged to remain seated and have a listen with ears open to something different. 

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was a unique force in British music. Of the brilliant composers among his contemporaries, none wrote such a wide variety of music across such a broad spectrum of genres and for such a range of ages and abilities. A sizeable proportion of his choral music is easily within the reach of a good ordinary choir, another part is well within the grasp of a reasonable church choir, and there is, of course, all the music he wrote specifically for children. The exuberant Jubilate in C was composed in 1961 for St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle at the request of the Duke of Edinburgh. 

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Epiphany 7 - February 23 2014

• Organ Prelude  - Liturgical Prelude No. 2 - George Oldroyd (1887-1956)(played by Peter Dunphy)
• Opening Hymn 7 “New every morning is the love” (Melcombe)
• Service Music: Holy Trinity Service – Christopher Tambling
• Psalm 119: 33-40
• Gospel Alleluia

Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Cantor: In those who obey the word of Christ:
the love of God has reached perfection.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

• Anthem: “My eyes for beauty pine” – Herbert Howells

  My eyes for beauty pine, My soul for Goddes grace :
  No other care nor hope is mine, To heaven I turn my face.
  One splendour thence is shed From all the stars above :
  'Tis named when God's name is said, 'Tis Love, 'tis heavenly Love.
  And every gentle heart, That burns with true desire,
  Is lit from eyes that mirror part Of that celestial fire.

• Communion Hymn 77 “The Son of God proclaim” (Sunderland)
• Concluding Hymn 330 “O praise ye the Lord” (Laudate dominum)
• Organ: Liturgical Prelude No. 3 - George Oldroyd (1887-1956)

Music Notes

George Oldroyd (1887–1956) was an English organist and composer of Anglican church music. He was organist of St. Alban's Church, Holborn from 1919 to 1920, and then of St. Michael's Church, Croydon from 1920 until his death in 1956. Both are churches firmly rooted within the Anglo-Catholic tradition. During the 1930s the first British organ works appeared that quoted plainsong or plainsong-like themes. Among the more memorable are the Three Liturgical Preludes (1938) by George Oldroyd. This set of preludes is dedicated to the plainsong enthusiast Dykes Bower, organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and inspired by the vast reverberant qualities of St. Paul’s and Dykes Bower’s soft, deliberate improvisations, pervaded with rubato. They appear to be unique in British organ music of the period with respect to combining plainchant and a metrically loose style.

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Epiphany 6 - February 16 2014

• Organ:  “Benedictus” – Alec Rowley 
• Service Music: John Merbecke (page 9 of the Service Music booklet) 
• Opening Hymn 619 “Fairest Lord Jesus” (Crusaders’ Hymn) 
• Psalm 119: 1-8 
• Gospel Alleluia

Choir: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Cantor: You are the light of the world: A city set upon a hill cannot be hid.
All: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

• Offertory Hymn Hymn 10 “We, the Lord’s People” (Christe sanctorum) 
• Communion Hymn 256 “Yours the hand that made creation” (Quem pastores) 
• Concluding Hymn 306 “O for a thousand tongues” (Richmond) 
• Organ: “Sabbath Joy” – Norman Warren 

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