Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: http://read.jwpepper.com/i/1399477
Foster was a chronological contemporary of German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), and this arrangement pays tribute to that fact and melodic comparison by quoting the "Brahms' Lullaby" motive (Wiegenlied, 1869). Foster's original text references "Angels" guarding an infant child. The shape-note hymn tune MORNING TRUMPET enthusiastically announces "the reign of David's greater Son", referring to King David, Jesus's earthly ancestor as prophesied in Hebrew scripture. The text Hail, to the Lord's Anointed by 19 th century Moravian-educated poet James Montgomery heralds the destined ministry of the Messiah and his saving purpose "…to break oppression, to set the captive free, to take away transgression, to rule in equity." The Glory song of the angels forms a harmonic ostinato above the text, with an urgent instrumentation supporting the message. Londonderry Air is a universally beloved tune originating in County Londonderry, Ireland. Although best known through the pairing with the words Oh Danny Boy, that set of lyrics was written rather recently. Using a new poem by Stephen Bock, The Night that Love was Born adds all that are assembled to the other characters of the gospel story, the three wise men that came to worship the newborn King. This Irish ballad brings the story into full awareness of the power of the Angel's song by inviting everyone to "fall on your knees and worship Him the newborn King", singing their song Gloria in excelsis. Angels we have heard on high and the tune GLORIA is perhaps the best-known English language carol offering the Angel's song Gloria in excelsis Deo. The lyrics and tune are inspired from French sources, and the chorus is loved by singers for its cascading melodic sequence on Gloria, spreading the "O" of "Gloria" over sixteen notes. This setting of the carol allows all the choral parts to join in the falling melisma, and gives another bluegrass inspired styling to the verses. The closing of Angel Band is a recessional, using the opening ANGEL BAND tune, but now set to another traditional song of the service of Evening Prayer or Evensong, the Nunc Dimittis. Nunc Dimittis is the song of the elder Simeon who had been promised that he would not depart this life until he had laid eyes on the promised Messiah. It is also known as the Song of Simeon. The text and placement gives homage to the reference in Luke 2:12 of the wise men from the East who had come to Bethlehem to witness the birth. The account records that after they had seen the child, "they departed for their own country another way." This text is by Jefferson Hascall (1860), with an opening quote of the liturgical Nunc Dimittis: Now Master we depart in piece according to your Word. The words of Hascall continue: Our eyes have seen our Savior's face, Our ears, the Angels, heard! O, come, Angel Band, come and around me stand O bear me away on your snowy wings to my eternal home.