Music at All Saints Parish Sunday, January 7, 2007
Epiphany I
From All Saints Music Director Donald Teeters
When the new Book of Common Prayer was published in 1979, the theme for the First Sunday after the Epiphany was clearly redirected to baptisms, focusing specifically on the Baptism of our Lord. This redirection, which makes great theological sense, seemed to discourage a lingering reflection on the significance of the arrival of the Wise Men at Bethlehem. Their star-led travels, of course, signified the importance of Christ's birth to the larger, non-Jewish world - "The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles." To be sure, the theme for Epiphany I in earlier Prayer Books was also a non-Magi one, rather it recounted the incident of the twelve-year-old Jesus remaining behind in the Temple, learning and teaching (to his parents' dismay!). But the tradition of continuing to reflect on the Three Kings on this Sunday was a strong one, and the music composed in that tradition is vast and wonderful. So, the twin themes of baptisms and the royal arrival continue to live in compatible harmony year by year here at All Saints. Now, how Episcopalian is that?
Hymns:
#117 - Brightest and best are the stars of the morning has maintained its popularity steadily since finding its way into the 1892 Hymnal. Reginald Heber's text dates from around 1811, James P. Harding's tune from the last decade of that century. The last verse will have a descant which I composed to be sung by the sopranos of our choir.
#121 - Christ, when for us you were baptized is a fine hymn to accompany the congregation to the Font for today's baptism. In the years following WWII, the liturgical thrust, which would eventually lead to new forms and texts for worship, laid much greater emphasis on public baptism than had previously been the case. This hymn is a direct response to the need for additional hymnody in support of that thrust. There were only two hymns in the 1940 Hymnal with a direct baptismal theme. Dr. F. Bland Tucker, the perhaps unfortunately named writer of this excellent text, was responsible for over twenty of the hymns, all far from "bland," in the Hymnal 1982.
#127 - Earth has many a noble city has been matched with this tune since the 1860s. The hymn text, by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, c. 400 A.D., is extracted from a poem of more than fifty verses called Hymnus Epifaniae. The text of the fourth verse contains the most powerful imagery of the hymn: incense and gold are said to represent Christ's divinity and kingship, and myrrh foreshadows the spices in his tomb.
#135 - Songs of thankfulness and praise. Text and music are in perfect harmony in this great Epiphany hymn. The text dates from the late 19 th century, but the fourth verse is another offering by the previously mentioned Dr. F. Bland Tucker. Bach's harmonization of this great 16th century tune adds sturdy support.
Three works of choral music will adorn our Epiphany I celebration.
The Introit, We have seen his star in the East, is one of a set Introits for various seasons of the year composed by Boston's own Everett Titcomb. He was organist at St. John the Evangelist Church on Bowdoin Street for many years mid-20 th century, and a prolific composer of works for chorus and for organ.
At the Offertory, the choir will offer a small scene from a rarely performed oratorio by Mendelssohn, Christus, in which the wise men, represented by three male soloists, make inquiries as to where they might find the young Child. The chorus responds, "Behold a star from Jacob shining ... and a scepter from Israel rising."
At the Communion, a motet by the early 16th century composer Clemens non Papa again celebrates the journey of the three kings.