December 11, 2011 - Advent 3

This is the Record of John - Orlando Gibbons
O Nata Lux - Morten Lauridsen
Valet will ich der geben - Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Emma Lou Diemer


Hymns- #74 Valet will ich dir geben, #782 Abbot's Leigh, #444 Thornbury

This week has us mixing the ancient and modern in our music which is something that we do in church all the time. Much of the beauty of our liturgy comes from the way that it has stood the test of time. We can see ourselves joining the Church of history and of the future and all worshipping in the same fashion.

The anthem This is the Record of John by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) is an example of the way that the music of the past is still relevant to us today. The text for this anthem comes directly from scripture. Gibbons was among the first composers that wrote strictly in the Protestant tradition. His predecessors wrote for the Catholic church and had to "relearn" the way that they composed sacred music. This anthem is an example of a verse anthem in which a soloist (in this instance, a tenor) alternates with the full choir. The tenor solo reminds me of a balladeer, or minstrel figure whose words are then echoed by the choir. This type of anthem is unique to the Anglican choral tradition and this is one of the best known examples.

The communion anthem, O Nata Lux, comes from Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna for chorus and orchestra or organ. This five movement work is based on the idea of light and its different incarnations. O Nata Lux is the central movement and features the choir a cappella. The text for this piece is by the well known composer "anonymous" and is the office hymn at Lauds of the Feast of the Transfiguration. Here is a translation of the text taken from cpdl.org. It is easy to see how it applies to the season of Advent equally well. The lush rich harmonies help to create a mood of awe while the final chord which the altos never resolve leaves the listener with a sense of expectation that is not yet fulfilled. In fact, the last line that the choir sings is actually the first line of text: "O Light born of Light, Jesus, redeemer of the world"

O Light born of Light,
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
with loving-kindness deign to receive
supplicant praise and prayer.

Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh
for the sake of the lost,
grant us to be members
of thy blessed body.

The organ music this week is by two composers that are quite different. The first, Sigfrid Karg-Elert died at a young age and had only a moderately successful career as teacher and composer during his lifetime and a disastrous career as a performer. The second, Emma Lou Diemer continues to enjoy a long life and has found a great deal of success as composer, performer and teacher. The link between the two this week is the tune of our opening hymn. VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN. This hymn was first published in 1614 and is written by the cantor and pastor Melchior Teschner. Of the 23 texts associated with this tune that I could find probably the most common one that we would associate with it is the Palm Sunday hymn All Glory, Laud and Honor. We are singing the hymn Blessed be the King whose Coming is in the Name of God on Sunday to VALET WILL so the organ settings fit nicely.

The setting by the German born, French and Swedish influenced Karg-Elert comes from his Op. 65 66 Chorale Improvisations (1909). These are his first original pieces for the organ. His organ works prior to this were transcriptions of pieces that he wrote for the harmonium (a type of expressive reed organ). The setting by Karg-Elert is gentle and soothing. The hymn tune can be heard in the pedal with the exception of a two measure passage played by a solo flute.

The setting by Emma Lou Diemer highlights the playful side as well as the powerful spirit of the chorale tune. Large chords on a full registration alternate with sparkling passages filled with rhythmic energy played on quiet combinations that make use of some of the higher pitched stops of the organ.

The two interpretations could not be more different. Karg-Elert's setting is filled with flowing counterpoint and lush harmony on the softest stops of the organ while Diemer's romps around the instrument exploiting its different ensemble colors. It's very interesting to me the way that these two composers have taken this ancient tune and made it their own, and that the results were so strikingly different.