March 15, 2015 - Lent 4

Blessed Jesu, Fount of Mercy - Antonin Dvorak

God So Loved the World - John Stainer

Aus tiefer not - Martin Luther

Hymns: #686 Nettleton, #448 Deus Tuorum Militum,

              #671 New Britain

The music this week combines the more solemn side of Lent with a message of hope and love. Dvorak’s Stabat Mater and the Lutheran chorale tune Aus tiefer not capture some of the sadness of the impending crucifixion while; ironically God So Loved the World from The Crucifixion gives a message of hope and love.

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) wrote his Op. 58 Stabat Mater in response to the death of his daughter, Josefa. The piece was written in 1877 and premiered in Prague in 1880. The gradual anthem is a translation of the third movement Eja, Mater, fons amoris (Blessed Jesu, Fount of Mercy.) The text of the Stabat Mater originated in the 13^th century and is considered one of the seven greatest Latin hymns. The piece opens with the basses singing a rising dotted figure that is echoed by the other three voices. This leads into a chorale section. This is then repeated. The actual text of this is not about Christ but about his mother: O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord. This hymn is often included in the Stations of the Cross.

God So Loved the World is probably Sir John Stainer’s (1840-1901) best known work. It is taken from the Lenten work The Crucifixion and is the piece’s central movement. Stainer was an English organist and composer who was very popular during his own lifetime, but whose works have largely fallen out of favor today. They are frequently criticized as being too overtly emotional and romantic and lacking in real substance. Stainer began his career as a choir boy at St. Paul’s Cathedral and at age 16 was appointed organist of St. Michael’s college. He went on to hold similar posts at Magdalen College and St. Paul’s Cathedral. He was also made a professor at Oxford. In addition to his compositions, Stainer made contributions to music by writing treatises on harmony, composition and the organ. He was also a notable musicologist who rediscovered the works fifteenth century composers including Guillaume Dufay. God So Loved the World remains a staple in most church libraries because of its simple beauty and flexibility. Despite being quite simple a good degree of musicality is necessary on the part of the singers to realize the piece’s potential.

Aus tiefer not is a German chorale tune written by the theologian Martin Luther (1483-1546) usually associated with the text of Psalm 130 (Out of the depths I cry to thee.) This translation of the Latin hymn De Profundis is one of eight hymns contained in the first Lutheran hymnal published in 1523. This piece has inspired choral composers and composers of organ music for centuries including Bach, Pachelbel, Reger, and Mendelssohn.