January 13, 2013 - First Sunday after the Epiphany

Improvisation on I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
                                                                         - Paul O. Manz
Wade in the Water - arr. Edwin Fissinger
This is My Beloved Son - Dan Uhl
How Firm a Foundation - Jean Langlais

Hymns: MHSO#95 Restoration, #490 Houston,
              #636 Foundation

Continuing with the theme of American music this Epiphany season, all of this week’s selections have some connection to the United States despite the fact that not all of them were written by American composers. In addition to our theme of American music, this week also includes a Spiritual which is a genre that we will be taking a look at over the next several weeks.

The prelude was written by the American composer Paul O. Manz (1919-2009). [For biographical information see the post from 11/25/12.] Manz was known for his “hymn improvisations” which he wrote in all styles. These settings of well-known hymn tunes are loved by organists and listeners for their accessibility. The pieces are highly original and of excellent quality while still being easy to learn. Improvisation on I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light is a setting of Kathleen Thomerson’s (b. 1934) hymn tune, Houston. Thomerson is Organist and Music Director at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. This hymn (#490) in the Hymnal 1982 is an excellent combination of a statement of faith and a prayer. It is well suited to the season of Epiphany which reminds us that Christ came as the light of the world. This improvisation starts softly and builds to full organ before suddenly dropping down to the original registration. In addition to Houston Manz also includes quotes of Oh Come, Little Children played on a solo 8’ flute. Houston is the hymn at the offertory and is well suited to this week’s service with both a baptism and first communion.

Wade in the Water is a traditional Negro Spiritual which has been sung and recorded by countless artists since its publication in 1901 by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. As with many traditional Spirituals this draws on the Old Testament story of the Israelites and their journey out of Egypt (a common theme for us this season). This song also served as an instruction to escaping slaves to stay by the water so that they could use the waterways to throw off the dogs. This setting by Edwin Fissinger (1920-1990) forgoes the simple triadic harmonies of many spirituals for spicier jazz influenced harmonies, including the final f#m9 chord. The setting opens with a soprano solo which then transitions to the rhythmic refrain. A bass soloist sings the first verse in a call and response fashion with the choir responding “God’s gonna trouble the water.” The second verse follows in similar fashion with the sopranos and altos singing the verse and answered by full choir. The text of this response is taken from John 5:4 “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” (KJV). It is interesting to combine this text with the “instructive message” of the song. Slavery could be viewed as the disease that the water cleansed them of.

The communion anthem also deals with the topic of water in celebration of the Baptism of Jesus. Dan Uhl’s (b. 1948) This is My Beloved Son is a setting of Jesus’ baptism in ABA form. The A section is a dance like unison line accompanied by organ. The opening A section is set to a simple sustained accompaniment while the closing A section is a bit more active. The organ part in the final section features a solo 4’ flute which could be viewed as a depiction of the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ at his baptism. The B section is a beautiful invitation for the Holy Spirit to come upon us and “lead us to salvation.”

The postlude is a setting of How Firm a Foundation (also the closing hymn) by the French Composer Jean Langlais (1907-1991). Despite being blind from age 2 Langlais had an incredible career as a concert organist and toured throughout the US and Europe. This is setting of the American folk hymn showcases the influence of jazz harmonies on Langlais’s compositional style. He took an American folk tune and arranged it using the uniquely American language of jazz. The setting opens with a simple statement of the theme which is then varied. The first variation places the tune in the tenor register with accompanying fourths and fifths in the right hand. The next further obscures the tune and stretches the harmonies before cutting the tempo in half and changing from the loud full ensemble of the organ to the soft 8’ foundation stops of the Swell. The piece returns to the opening theme before moving to full organ with the theme in the pedals accompanied by loud chromatic chords in the hands. It is an interesting insight into hymn playing and Langlais’s treatment of preexisting themes.