July 9, 2023
In keeping with the Fourth of July celebrations, there will be two Dale Wood settings of traditional American hymn melodies as prelude music: "God, who stretched the spangled Heavens" and "The gift to be simple". I have written about Mr. Wood (1934-2003) before. You might be interested that at the age of 13 he won a national award for hymn writing! He was a very prolific composer, and, although he was always closely associated with the Lutheran Church, his music is widely used.
Our opening hymn is a favorite-- "Christ is made the sure foundation" (518). As you may note, the music is "very English", the melody having been written by Henry Purcell; the text dates back to the 7th century!
Our Gospel hymn is equally loved, I think: "Where cross the crowded ways of life" (609). We will sing the first 3 verses. Note the text is slightly more recent than the 19th c. melody.
The 18th c. text by William Cowper, for our anthem is quite wonderful, and so do ponder it! The music is by the late 20th c. and early 21st c. English composer, Richard Shephard, whose music we use often.
During communion we will hear harp arrangements of both "America, the beautiful", and "Eternal Father, strong to save". The settings are by Rhett Barnwell. You may remember that the poem for "America, the beautiful" was inspired by Katherine Lee Bates' trip to Colorado Springs in 1893 and her view of Pikes Peak, and was set to music by Samuel A. Ward.
"Eternal Father, strong to save" (which we will sing as a closing hymn), is actually an English hymn, text by William Whiting (1860) and music by an English clergyman, Rev. John Baacchus Dykes. The poem was written for a student who was about to set sail for the United States.
Note above for the closing hymn (608)!
The postlude will be a Lynn L. Peterson setting of "America: ("My country, 'tis of Thee"). Miss Peterson is contemporary American, living in Montana! Now if you ask ME, I'd say living near and being able to visit Glacier National Park would inspire any of us to write American music!