9:00am Eucharist, II

      Treble Choir / Canterbury Choir

      John Linker, Organist/Choirmaster

            Widor / Pastorale (Symphony No. 2)

            Shaker Melody / 'Tis the gift to be simple (Training Choir)

            Weaver / Epiphany Alleluias

            Bach / Fuga A-Moll, BWV 543

            Hymns

            137*                   O wondrous type!                                                Wareham

            593* (st. 1)         Lord, make us servants of your peace  Dickinson College

            LEVAS 75*         Jesu, joy of our desiring                                        Cooper

            618*                   Ye watchers and ye holy ones                   Lasst uns erfreuen

11:15am Eucharist, II

      Treble Choir / Parish Choir

      John Linker, Organist/Choirmaster

            Widor / Pastorale (Symphony No. 2)

            Day / Psalm 99

            Weaver / Epiphany Alleluias

            Bach / Fuga A-Moll, BWV 543

            Hymns

            137*                   O wondrous type!                                                Wareham

            593* (st. 1)         Lord, make us servants of your peace  Dickinson College

            307                     Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendor         Bryn Calfaria

            618*                   Ye watchers and ye holy ones               Lasst uns erfreuen

4:15pm Concert

      University of Kentucky Bluegrass Ensemble

      Tanner Jones, Director

5:00pm Eucharist, II

      University of Kentucky Bluegrass Ensemble

      Tanner Jones, Director

      John Linker, Organist

      Joshua Bracken, Music Intern

            Hymns

            137*                   O wondrous type!                                                Wareham

            593* (st. 1)         Lord, make us servants of your peace  Dickinson College

            WLP 750            So the day dawn for me                                                       

                                              Wildridge and St Charles, Queensborough Terrace

[* = Hymns chosen from the 2009 Hymn Survey]

With the Last Sunday after the Epiphany this is the last day the word "alleluia" may be uttered until its return as the Great Alleluia at the Easter Vigil. Therefore, much of today's music includes this word of exuberance, which has its roots in Judaism. The Hebrew expression "hallelujah" is the merging of the two Hebrew words hellel (to praise) and yah (the Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah) to form the meaning "praise we the Lord." "Alleluia" is simply the Latin spelling of this word with the same meaning.

Hymn 618 is one of our most beloved hymns containing an alleluia refrain. The text was written for use with this tune in The Hymnal 1916. The popularity of the tune is attributed to Ralph Vaughan Williams, editor of the English Hymnal, though its origins date from around 1525.

The Anthem also features the word "alleluia," which features irregular meters, plentiful parallel motion in the organ part. John Weaver, one of the America's finest concert organists, was Director of Music at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City from 1970 to 2005. He was Head of the Organ Department at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1972 to 2003, and also Chair of the Organ Department at The Juilliard School from 1987 to 2004. He currently lives in Vermont and continues to concertize and lead workshops and master classes around the world.

Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937), who was "provisional organist" at St. Sulpice in Paris for a remarkable 64 years, wrote ten symphonies with the symphonic nature of Cavaill�-Coll organs in mind. It's easy to imagine the sound of a Cavaill�-Coll organ when hearing our instrument in Good Shepherd with its rich fonds sounds and colorful reed stops. The opening voluntary is his Pastorale from Symphony No. 2, a lilting movement in 12/8 reminiscent of a Romantic pastoral scene. Even in this seemingly simple movement, Widor's contrapuntal genius emerges, particularly in a brief trio section using canon between the right hand, the left hand, and the pedal.

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) was the humble but towering composer of the Baroque - arguably the greatest composer of all time - whose prolific output and influence continues to astound modern man. The Fugue in A Minor, played for the closing voluntary, is among his most celebrated and divinely inspired works, characterized by a jaunty and driving rhythm. Each of the four voices of the Fugue are carefully crafted to sing as though each were a voice in a choir. 

University of Kentucky Bluegrass Ensemble to Perform in Good Shepherd this Sunday