Music Notes: When we have a change of liturgical season questions sometime arise about our service music, such as when we sing a Gloria and when we do not. At Christmas and on most Sundays of the church year, we sing a Gloria or other ‘Hymn of Praise’ and in Advent & Lent, the Gloria is set aside to emphasize the more penitential/reflective nature of those seasons. During the Easter season, the major highlight of exclaiming God’s redemption through the resurrection of Jesus is to sing a Festive Easter Canticle and one of these is Hymn 417 by Richard Hillert. Dr. Hillert, a Lutheran composer in Chicago, wrote the hymn in the mid 70’s as many denominations were embarking on renewing their liturgical practices and updating their hymnals. This hymn, called ‘Festival Canticle,’ proclaims the saving grace and victory of our God over death as written in the Book of Revelation and its music has been so well received, the canticle has become a staple of hymnals virtually across all denominational lines, (in short, not only is its text significantly profound to our spiritual lives: it is just uplifting and fun to sing!). In October 2003, Dr. Hillert was honored for his service to the church through his music during a weekend celebration at Concordia College, River Forest, Il. I was very privileged and delighted to be able to attend that weekend as I had wanted to meet Dr. Hillert. He had just completed composing 6 choral motets commissioned by and for the 50^th anniversary Faith Lutheran Church, East Hartford, CT where I served at the time.

As time goes by, I hope to share more of his music in these motets with you, but for now just want to put the face of this very humble servant of God on the gift of his Festival Canticle hymn when we sing it. We thank God for Dr. Hillert’s music and his work of faith among us.

Peace and see you at worship – AJH

The Chorister Creed

'I will sing with the spirit and with understanding also.’

The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 14:15

The Chorister Prayer

Bless, O Lord, us your servants who minister in your temple;

Grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts,

And what we believe in our hearts we may show forth in our lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Music Notes - April 18, 2010

Psalm 30 S-421 Frederick A.G. Ouseley Choir