Music Notes: The Sunday of the Passion presents Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem with Hosannas and waving palms. To quote the RSCM journal; ’Even the stones recognize that the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is of universal significance.’ It points to witness; ‘…while the crowd shouted…the very stones witnessed the loving purposes of God…’ Part of our outward witness reenacts the humble procession and then, we are asked, ‘what will we witness…and proclaim…’ this coming week? Our hymns, 154, 164, 472, 474, 313 & 458 and anthems start with that processional and quickly turn to thoughts of the Passion and ‘…God’s willingness to enter fully into the complex…human world, in order to that it might be redeemed…’ through Christ Jesus. Looking closely at the hymns, one can see they are full of witness by the writers God inspired to witness through them. Ever thought of writing a hymn? Some have written prayers such as the one on the back of our Sunday bulletin – witnessing to God’s presence in the community of Emmanuel and at his seminar Reggie McNeal spoke of asking those you meet, ‘How can I ask God to bless you today?’ With that in mind, ask God’s help to bless the witness of Emmanuel and continue to pray for the witness and support of our choir and choristers who sing and learn together, week by week, as another branch of witnessing to ‘…the loving purposes of God.’ Bartholomeaeus Gesius (1560–1613) was a German composer born in Müncheberg, in the Brandenburg Marches. He attended the University at Frankfurt an der Oder from 1575–1580, and served briefly as Kantor at Müncheberg. He was offered the post of Kantor at the Marienkirche in Frankfurt in 1592, which he held for the rest of his life. Gesius represents a tradition of humanist Lutheran theology that flourished during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His compositions are exclusively for church and school, and comprise settings of pre-Reformation Latin songs and Protestant hymns. Gesius’s works show a preoccupation with cantus-firmus techniques and an interest in alternatim methods of word-setting. He took no part in the change of styles around 1600, particularly in the move towards the Baroque style. Gesius is important for his role in the history of the Protestant Passion. Also of note are his Magnificat settings, in which there are a number of Christmas songs; these reveal Gesius’s contribution to a particularly popular Christmas tradition extending from the late Middle Ages to the time of J.S. Bach. For more information about our anthems’ composers please look at these links: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholom%C3%A4us_Gesius, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Pierluigi_da_Palestrina and http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/giovanni_pierluigi_da_palestrina/25625.htm.

A closing prayer for Lent

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name. (Psalm 86:11 NRSV)

Peace and see you at worship – AJH

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Music Notes - Sunday of the Passion

Psalm 31:9-16 Page 623, BCP Plainsong Tone II.1