Music at All Saints Parish Sunday, April 15, 2007
Second Sunday after Easter
From All Saints Music Director Donald Teeters
This is the Sunday that is sometimes called "Thomas Sunday" because the Gospel relates the story of the disciple who would not be persuaded of Christ's Resurrection: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
It is also, less formally, called "Low Sunday," reflecting the customary shortage of worshippers after the well-populated services of Holy Week and Easter. Because of this, the All Saints choir and schola are usually excused, as is the case this time.
However, we will sing some great hymns appropriate to the Thomas theme and Jessica Cooper will sing an aria from Handel's Joshua that catches the spirit, if not the specific themes of the season, in brilliant musical terms: "O had I Jubal's lyre, or Miriam's tuneful voice," one of Handel's most joyous creations.
The hymns today are:
#206 - O sons and daughters, let us sing. Both text and tune are ancient in origin. The words date from the late Middle Ages and likely derive from French sources. The tune, also French, began as a folk song and probably dates from the 15th century. This is probably the most well loved and well known hymn specific to this liturgical day.
#188 - Love's redeeming work is done. The words comprise the first three stanzas of a ten-stanza "Hymn for Easter Day" by Charles Wesley dating from 1739. The tune is by another well-known Wesley -- John.
#193 - That Easter day with joy was bright. This hymn has been in use in the Church longer than either of its companions today. Both tune and text date from the 5th or 6th century. The lively tune has a rollicking likeability to it and is a splendid companion to the joyous text.