Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/1186954
Performance Notes LOVE DIVINE, as the title states, takes its theme from John 3:16, the Bible verse which is the central pillar of Christianity: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son; that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The love behind Christ's sacrifice, as Charles Wesley's timeless lyrics tell us, is pure and unbounded and ex- cels all others. This 35-minute musical is an emotional examination of the Passion of Christ, taking listeners from Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to the Last Supper, to his prayers in the garden, his arrest, trial, crucifixion and his miraculous resurrection. Those who would like to stage a tenebrae serv- ice can use movements 1 through 7, extinguishing candles at the conclusion of each song. While most of the music is original, there are substantial quotes from well- known hymns throughout the work. Rowland Prichard's tune, HYFRY- DOL, which is the basis for Charles Wesley's "Love Divine" text, is featured in the first piece, "God So Loved." "O Woship the King" is featured in the song depicting Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, "Blessed Is He." The haunting folk hymn "What Wondrous Love Is This" is the background for the dark hours of condemnation and the last walk to Calvary. Finally, "In the Gar- den" is incorporated into the resurrection anthem "He Is Alive." Music directors are pulled in all directions during the Lenten season. Easter music expectations are high, and volunteer choirs have limited time to pre- pare. I kept that in mind as I wrote the choral parts for this work, keeping it easily accessible for SATB voices. It can be performed with piano only, or for an enhanced experience, a chamber orchestration by Ed Hogan using Flute, Clarinet, Horn and Cello is available. – Joel Raney 00_PerformanceNotes_Contents_HopeChoralTemplate 10/17/19 10:54 AM Page 1