June 2, 2013 - Proper 4

Slow Air for the Organ - Samuel Wesley
Zion's Walls - Aaron Copland
O Lord My God - Samuel Sebastian Wesley
Variaitions on "Holy Manna" - Charles Callahan

Hymns: #522 Austria, #321 Rockingham,
              #538 Lucerna Laudoniae

The music this week and next as the choir season ends looks ahead to summer and things to come. This week two of the selections are in the vein of Early American Folk hymns which is what the service music for summer is. The other two pieces are from a father and son, the son and grandson of one of the most prominent Methodist ministers ever.

Zion's Walls is a traditional Shaker tune that was arranged by Aaron Copland (1900-1990) (perhaps the quintessential American composer.) Copland wrote two sets of these folk songs for solo voice and piano. They were reworked for soloist and orchestra and then arranged for choir and piano or orchestra and have become standards of the choral and solo repertoire. The piece is essentially a call to worship. An invitation to the people of God to "join us in singing the praises of Zion." The lilting rhythms do not diminish the drive that this piece has throughout with its strong downbeats and interesting two against three cross-rhythms. There are also moments of sweet gentility. The second verse drops the lilting rhythms in favor of a more sustained line. One of my favorite parts of the piece is the unexpected modulation to distant keys that happens at phrase endings. The piece finishes with a big lush chord.

The postlude is Charles Callahan’s (b. 1951) setting of Holy Manna which is the fraction anthem for the next several weeks. This tune has been set to a myriad of texts. It is an old pentatonic hymn tune attributed to William Moore. This set of six variations allows for different ensemble colors to shine through. The piece opens with a simple statement of the theme while the second movement is a more subdued setting with the melody in the left hand on a buzzy reed stop. The third variation is a musette which is followed by a variation for the pedals. The fifth variation is a “meditation” with the melody in the pedal which leads into the closing finale on solo trumpet.

The prelude and the postlude are by father and son, Samuel Wesley (1766-1837) and Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876). Samuel Wesley is the son of the Methodist minister and hymn writer Charles Wesley. He is credited with introducing the works of J.S. Bach to English audiences. His son, Sebastian Samuel Wesley held positions as organist at many prominent cathedrals in England and held the chair of music position at Edinburgh University. S. S. Wesley is best known for his anthems and organ music but during his lifetime was known as one of the best living organists. He had also developed a reputation for being difficult to work with. His anthem O Lord my God is a very simple prayer with colorful harmonies. It is the kind of anthem that is enjoyable for the singer and the listener. The Slow Air for the Organ is a simple piece that would have worked well on the English organs that the Wesleys knew. I have tried to imitate those sounds on the organ at St. David’s. This piece is quiet and contemplative with hints of the style of the younger Wesley. It is easy to see the progression from the writing of the father to the style of the son.