March 16, 2025

The prelude is a simple sort of wandering and quiet meditation on the well known and loved hymn. "Fairest Lord Jesus" (383 in our hymnal), by Franklin D. Ashdown (1942-2023), the American composer whose music I play from time to time.  You might remember that he was both a prolific composer of church music and a physician.

Our opening hymn is 448, "O love, how deep, how broad, how high", the also well known hymn written in the 17th century but with a timeless 15th century text.

Another favorite, I think, is the 19th century Gospel hymn, "And now, O Father, mindful of the love that bought us" (337).  We will sing verses 1, 2, and 4.

Though not in our hymnal, everyone will recognize the hymn tune on which the anthem is based-- "It is well with my soul".  The arrangement is by the American, John Ness Beck (1930-1987), who wrote many arrangements of sacred choral works.

Communion hymns are the Calvin Hampton (1938-1984) "O love of God, how strong and true" (455), and the Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) "Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord" (328).

Though in a minor key, our closing hymn has some pep; it is "Take up your cross, the Savior said" (675), another 19th century hymn that endured a few centuries-- so far!

The postlude is one of many settings of "If thou but suffer God to guide thee", this one by the avant-guarde German composer of his day (1873-1916), Max Reger, whose music is filled with accidentals.  Some organists have complained that "there is nothing to hold on to" in playing his music!