September 1, 2024

Sunday's prelude will be "Cantilena" by Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901), very prolific and prominent Bavarian organist and composer who, after Mendelssohn had begun the revival, made it a mission to revive the popularity of the organ.  He was an internationally known teacher and composer.  A "cantilena", used in both sacred and secular music for centuries, is simply a piece with a very lyrical melody.

Our processional hymn will be the well known Hebrew melody, "Praise to the living God", 372, which we sing a few times every year.

The Gospel hymn, 656, "Blest are the pure in heart", is another familiar tune from the 18th century.  You may note that there are 2 authors of the text, alternating in verses.

During the offertory we will sing hymn 414 (verses 1-3 only), a tune you know from both Advent and Epiphany (66 & 127).  This text is "God, my King, Thy might confessing, ever will I bless Thy Name", a paraphrase of Psalm 145: 1-12.

The communion hymn will be the ever popular "Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee" (707).

Closing, we will sing the first 5 verses (yes, there are 7) of "Rejoice, ye pure in heart", hymn 556, another very popular hymn from the late 19th century.

For the postlude we will jump to a contemporary composer — young and American — Jacob B. Weber's organ setting of the hymn "All creatures of our God and King", although you might note that the tune ("Lasst uns Erfreuen") is used for at least 4 different texts; in our hymnal it is 2-- both 400 and 618.  Jacob's day job is with Concordia Publishing Co.