April 13, 2025

The congregation will be processing from the Parish Hall as is traditional at Calvary on Palm Sunday, and when entering the church will sing "All glory, laud, and honor" (154), which is also traditional.  

The Gospel hymn, "O sacred head, sore wounded" (168) is probably most people's favorite in this season of the Passion, and, as you may note, is known as the "Passion Chorale", and is by the famous (to musicians) Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612) and harmonized by one other than J.S. Bach.

I wrote last week about the contemporary, Raymond H. Haan, and, along with another of his arrangements for cello and organ, which will be played during communion, he also wrote the day's beautiful arrangement of "Were You There", which will be the anthem for this Palm  Sunday.  It includes a wonderful cello part and a part for a soprano soloist.

During communion will be the Haan arrangement of "O sacred head now wounded" for cello and organ, afterwich Audy Walker will sing the famous "Ave verum corpus" (Hail true body) of Mozart.

The closing hymn will be 158, "Ah, Holy Jesus", another traditional hymn sung during Holy Week, and by another name you might recognize-- Johann Cruger (1598-1662).

The somber postlude will be a Johann Pachelbel setting of "Lamb of God Without Blemish", a 4 voice fugue like setting of the hymn.  First I will play the choral itself, harmonized again by  J.S. Bach.