Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday, and is also known as Whitsun. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles while they were in Jerusalem celebrating Shavout, or the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.
Wikipedia says:-"The term Pentecost comes from the Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē) meaning "fiftieth". It refers to the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, also known as the "Feast of Weeks" and the "Feast of 50 days" in rabbinic tradition." Pentecost thus falls ten days after Ascension, which is forty days after Easter.
Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to the world. The symbols associated with the festival are those of the Holy Spirit and include flames which represent the change brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit, wind which represents the breath of God and a dove to represent God's presence, as in the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1 : 10). The second chapter of the Book of Acts describes a "mighty rushing wind" (a common symbol for the Holy Spirit) and "tongues as of fire". The gathered disciples were "filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance". This represents the fulfilment of the promise that Christ will baptise his followers with the Holy Spirit, mentioned in Matthew and Luke, and differentiated from John's baptism by water.
The Jewish festival of Shavout or "Feast of Weeks" is the Jewish Festival of First Fruits, or their Harvest Festival. It is prophetic therefore that the followers of Jesus should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at this time, a time which celebrated the culmination of hard work and labour, and the gift of a reward with an eye on the future. Indeed, the verb used in Acts 2:1 to indicate the arrival of the day of Pentecost carries a connotation of fulfilment.
A brief discussion on the impact of religious change in sixteenth century England on church music and liturgy, from a layman's 21st Century perspective!
The Reformation is a hugely misunderstood and underestimated period of flux in Europe and beyond over the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. I have long been intrigued by the way religion not only underpinned society at every level during the Early Modern period, but how those influences are still relevant today. Having studied this period of history in depth at university I believe there are two significant themes of the English Reformation and its impact on liturgy and music:-
1) The Reformation was not an event which occurred at a single point in time.
The Reformation was not an event, it was more an evolutionary phase which spread out from Henry's break with Rome in 1530 like a mycelium which infiltrated every aspect of English life - and then re-wove itself through again and again creating a vast web of differing experiences, opinions and outcomes. It was the all and everything for the English people for almost 200 years, whether they participated religiously or not. In religious life it encompassed "English Catholics" with their highly latinised services, and Quakers who worshipped in words and silences only.
Henry VIII lived and died a Catholic, his break with Rome was a matter of convenience only. Whilst the establishment of the Church of England was hugely significant nationally and internationally, the average parishioner would have noticed very little difference in daily worship during Henry's reign. For the common people, the dissolution of the monasteries would have had a far greater impact on their lives, since these institutions helped the poor and sick and were paid to sing masses for the souls of the dead. (i-see below)
Henry VIII
Whilst Henry VIII did indeed break with Rome in 1530 and become Head of the Church of England via the Act of Supremacy in 1534; Henry he remained a Catholic, taking the last rites on his deathbed. Indeed, on 11 October 1521 Pope Leo X granted Henry and his descendants the title "Defender of the Faith" in recognition of Henry's book "Assertio Septem Sacramentorum" (Defense of the Seven Sacraments), which defended the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the pope in defence of the ideas of Martin Luther. (ii)
Music and Liturgy after the dissolution
Most parish churches had been endowed with chantries, each maintaining a stipended priest to say Mass for the souls of their donors, and these continued unaffected under Henry. In addition there remained over a hundred collegiate churches in England, whose endowments maintained regular choral worship through a body of canons, prebends or priests. All these survived the reign of Henry VIII largely intact, only to be dissolved under the Chantries Act 1547, by Henry's son Edward VI.
Edward, Mary and Elizabeth
After the death of Henry VIII in 1547, the new king Edward VI advanced the Reformation in England, introducing major changes to the liturgy of the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer had significantly greater freedom under Edward and in 1549, Cranmer's new Book of Common Prayer swept away the old Latin liturgy and replaced it with prayers in English. Church choirs began singing some songs in English, eg Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s. This brand new liturgy suddenly demanded that new music should be written for the church in English, and musicians of the Chapel Royal such as Thomas Tallis, John Sheppard, and Robert Parsons were called upon to demonstrate that the new Protestantism was no less splendid than the old Catholic religion. Some composers also began writing in a more chordal style because it was argued that the words were easier to hear and understand that way.
As a Renaissance composer in England during the sixteenth century William Byrd achieved what few other of a similarly high profile did, namely to remain in favour no matter which way the religious wind prevailed in England. Like Thomas Tallis (who is believed to have been his teacher at the Chapel Royal) Byrd managed to navigate the fall out of the Reformation in Elizabethan England and remained popular and published. More than that, sometime during the 1570s he became a Roman Catholic and wrote Catholic sacred music later in his life, whilst keeping his job, and his head!
Byrd's early years
In his will of 15 November 1622, Byrd described himself as "in the 80th year of [his] age", suggesting a birthdate of 1542 or 1543. However a document dated 2 October 1598 written in his own hand states that he is "58 yeares or ther abouts", indicating an earlier birthdate of 1539 or 1540.
There is no documentary evidence on his early musical training. His two brothers were choristers at St. Paul's Cathedral, although evidence suggests William was a chorister with the Chapel Royal where he was a pupil of Thomas Tallis. His first known professional employment was his appointment in 1563 as organist and master of the choristers at Lincoln Cathedral. Lincoln had a strong Puritan influence and in both 1569 Byrd was in trouble for both over-elaborate choral polyphony and organ playing during the liturgy. Perhaps then he realised there was a fine line to tread within the bounds of acceptability?
The Chapel Royal
Byrd obtained the prestigious post of Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572 following the death of Robert Parsons. Byrd was listed as "organist" but this was not a specific role in the Chapel at that time, he was merely most capable of playing it.
Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) was no Puritan, and retained a fondness for elaborate ritual. Many still presume Elizabeth held a "laissez faire" attitude to religious practise in her country but this was far from the truth. Whatever her personal preferences, she expected compliance and insisted upon it.
In 1559, Queen Elizabeth I of England issued a set of solemn Injunctions to strengthen the nation's Oath of Supremacy and its worship by the Book of Common Prayer. They specified that services should contain a hymn or song of praise to God, "in the best sort of music that may be conveniently devised." This phrase firmly ensconced choral music within the English church service and it helped establish the genre that would later be known as the anthem.
Ascension
The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, also called Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. In Christian belief Ascension is on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day), this year falling on Thursday 21st May. Jesus' final moments with his disciples focus on the commission that will shape their lives as apostles, as they spread the gospel beyond those who encountered Christ in the flesh to those who believe based on testimony. This culminates in St. Paul using the term "the body of Christ" to describe the Church.
There are many well known anthems composed for Ascension, Stanford's "Coelos ascended hodie" is another favourite of mine, and our choir have recorded Byrd's "Non von relinquam orphanos" remotely this week. See bottom of this post.)
Finzi's "God is Gone Up" Op. 27b was written in 1951, the same year in which he learned he was suffering from Hodgkin's Disease, from which he eventually died in 1956. The text is taken from a longer poem by Edward Taylor (c1642-1729) and is the second of his three opus 27 anthems. It was written in 1951 for a St Cecilia's Day Service at St Sepulchre's Church in Holborn. This anthem has rightly become an integral part of the choral repertoire, and is probably Finzi’s most well-known piece of sacred music.
Twitter users may be aware of the recent hugely popular "World Cup" of Evensong Canticles, run by @TheEvensongCup account. The canticles cup was won by Howells' Gloucester Service (no, I didn't vote multiple times, nor bribe anyone!) but most importantly the process introduced many choral music lovers to canticles they had not heard previously, new composers, and of course gave us all a wonderful opportunity to enjoy and discuss old favourites at a time when most of us would cut off our right arm to be back in church singing them with our choirs....
The account is now hosting a "World Cup" of evensong anthems, and after much discussion and preliminary voting, the two page list below has been put together. Voting has (only just) begun, and there is a pinned thread to explain the process here.
Because I obviously don't have anything better to do (what could be better than listening to hours of evensong anthems?!) I have put together a Spotify playlist of all but the most recent compositions which are yet to make it to Spotify. You can click the image below and it should take you to my playlist, which is public. I found most of the missing anthems on Youtube with little effort - I highly recommend Sarah MacDonald's "Crux Fidelis" which is on Soundcloud and Anna Thorvaldsdottir's "Heyr þú oss himnum á".
Franz Joseph Haydn (born 31/03/1732 in Rohrau, Austria - died 31/05/1809 Vienna) was an Austrian composer who was one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style in music during the 18th century. Haydn helped establish the forms and styles for both the string quartet and the symphony and is often referred to as the "Father" of both. He was also instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the piano trio. He was the principal engineer of the classical style.
Biography
Having exhibited an unusual talent for music at an early age, Haydn left home at 5 years old to live with his cousin who was principal of a school in Hainburg and a choirmaster there. He was never to return to his home except for rare brief visits.
Haydn's life changed decisively when he was eight years old and the musical director of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna invited him to serve as chorister in 1740, an offer which his parents accepted. He stayed at the choir school for nine years, acquiring an enormous practical knowledge of music by constant performances but to his disappointment he received little instruction in music theory. When his voice changed, he was expelled from both the cathedral choir and the choir school.
George Friderick Handel was born on 23 February 1685 in Halle, in Brandenburg-Prussia. He was a German (later naturalised British in 1727) Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London. Handel is well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi and organ concertos.
"Handel received important training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712. Born the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and Domenico Scarlatti, Handel is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era, with works such as Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks remaining steadfastly popular. " Wikipedia
Handel's "Water Music" is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three suites, which premiered on 17 July 1717, in response to King George I's request for a concert on the River Thames. It is frequently played at garden parties in "high society" to this day, and would in my view by a wonderful accompaniment to any "Stay at Home" garden parties planned for this Friday as we celebrate VE day. VE Day is not, as the jingoistic press would have us believe, "Victory OVER Europe", but Victory IN Europe, by a massive combined effort from the Allies against the tyranny of Nazism. VE Day should celebrate - and represent - the success of partnership and working together for the common good, something not only worth celebrating from an historical perspective but extremely relevant today as we battle together to fight COVID-19. Born a German and naturalised as an Englishman, Handel epitomises the fluidity of nationality, the need to adapt and the focus on end results rather than isolation and protectionism.
Messiah - originally written to be performed at Easter
On Easter Sunday our choir would have sung the "Hallelujah Chorus" as our eucharist anthem.
The Hallelujah Chorus appears in the baroque oratorio “Messiah” composed in 1741.
Yesterday was 1st May and I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual "May Morning" recorded by Magdalen College, Oxford's choir. It was featured on the BBC here.
I had been aware of the tradition but had little knowledge of it's background. The event starts early at 6 a.m. with bells ringing, followed by the Choir singing the Hymnus Eucharisticus from the top of Magdalen Tower. It's a tradition which stretches back over 500 years and is extremely popular within the city with bars and restaurants often staying open all night to provide refreshments for those choosing to stay up until 6am. Morris dancing and folk singing has also featured in Radcliffe Square as the choir "sing in" the Spring in this unique Oxford tradition.
The choir traditionally also sings a madrigal, "Now Is the Month of Maying" following prayers for the city led by the Dean of Divinity. Large crowds of both students and Oxford residents normally gather under the tower, along the High Street, and on Magdalen Bridge. Students and fellows of Magdalen College gather in the college cloisters and on top of the other towers within the college grounds. According to Wikipedia in 2017 the event took place during the Bank Holiday weekend, and a record 27,000 people gathered to hear the choir.
Yesterday the college celebrated virtually, releasing the video below:-
The origins of the May morning celebration date from around 1505 when the Great Tower at Magdalen College was completed.
The event has taken place each year in its current form since the 17th Century when "Hymnus Eucharisticus" was written by Benjamin Rogers, 17th Century Magdalen Choirmaster, musician and composer with an interesting biography.
The last section of the climb to the top of the tower is reportedly only a ladder, and not for the faint-hearted! For this reason choristers only wear short surplices over uniform rather than cassocks...
There is more on Magdalen College's own website about their virtual May morning.
Following on from my previous post on Bach Cantatas for Easter this post focusses on the fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday". The name derives from the gospel reading for the day, which is taken from the tenth chapter of John's Gospel. In this reading Christ is described as the "Good Shepherd" who lays down his life for his sheep.
From what I can ascertain, the fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Jubilate Sunday, although there seems to be some contradiction on the Wikipedia page . In the first paragraph says Jubilate Sunday is indeed the fourth Sunday of Easter, then in the table below on the same page says it is the third Sunday of Easter! There are online dates for both 26th April 2020 and 3rd May 2020 for Jubilate Sunday. I would love to hear from anyone who can offer clarification!
Cantatas for Good Shepherd Sunday
Bach was able to compose three Good Shepherd cantatas, all alluding to Psalm 23;
Cantata 104, “Du Hirte Israel, höre" (You Shepherd of Israel, Give Ear), in 1724;
Cantata BWV 85, “Ich bin ein gutter Hirt” (I am a Good Shepherd), composed in 1725,
Chorale Cantata BWV 112, “Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt” (The Lord is my faithful Shepherd), completed in 1731 for a special Easter presentation of otherwise previously-composed church-cycle cantatas, the only time of Bach documented repeat performances following the Good Friday premiere of the St. Mark Passion, BWV 247.
Cantata 104 offers contrasts of hope and joy with doubt, reflecting the mood of the apostles when Christ appeared to them after his resurrection. Cantata 112 in Wolfgang Meuslin's alternate setting of the melody "Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr" (To God alone on high be glory) and offers a pastoral mood of calm to meet the increasing anxiety of the disciples. Cantata 112 is the only complete chorale setting for Easter that Bach composed, although he composed chorale choruses and internal settings in other cantatas.
In BWV 85 “Ich bin ein gutter Hirt” The poet opens the cantata with the beginning from the Gospel, verse 11. The second movement explains that being a Good Shepherd was realised in the Passion and is a paraphrase of Psalm 23. The only recitative is a miniature sermon, accompanied by the strings which accent phrases of the text. Movement 5 is the only movement in the cantata which has a pastorale rhythm. The tenor part frequently appears as the highest part, beginning with three times "Seht" (look). This is reminiscent of an alto aria (movement 60) of the St Matthew Passion, Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand, The similarities in both the theme "pastoral love emanating from the cross", and the music, described as "rich, flowing melody and gently rocking rhythm" were described by Sir John Eliot Gardiner CBE. The closing chorale is a four-part setting.
There is a recording of BWV 85 directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt below:-
For Good Shepherd Sunday our choir have this week recorded "The Lord is my Shepherd" by Howard Goodall (with permission), a beautiful arrangement of Psalm 23.
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
I won't lie, this is an incredibly emotional piece for me this week. Amidst a pandemic bringing premature death to hundreds of thousands of people this Spring, it's going to be emotional listening for anyone. A beautiful arrangement and one of my favourites.
Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.
John MacLeod Campbell Crum (1872-1958) wrote this text to be paired with the popular French carol melody "Noël Nouvelet", sometimes referred to as "French Carol".
During his life, Crum was highly active in the Church of England. After his education at Eton and New College in Oxford, he took Holy Orders becoming Deacon in 1897. He held various positions including chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, Francis Paget (1901-1910), assistant curate at Windsor, vicar of Mentmore at Ledburn (1910-1921), and finally canon at Canterbury (1928-1943).
While serving the church, Crum worked in a variety of theological areas and wrote on biblical and architectural topics, as well as studying historical works, and writing children's books. He wrote many hymns which ranged from translation of Latin hymns by the fourth-century poet Aurelius Clemens Prudentius to children's hymns. He published a "Songs of Praise for Boys and Girls" in 1929 and a play (The Play of St. George in 1911), and a pageant, (Children's Missionary Pageant in 1910) with musical score.
This hymn text first appeared in the 1928 edition of the Oxford Book of Carols. For those in the northern hemisphere who live in areas where springtime usually coincides with Easter, the image of growing plants and vegetation speaks clearly as a metaphor for Jesus' resurrection.
The vivid imagery of the hymn is biblically based on selected verses. 1 Corinthians 15:37-38 connects the image with the resurrection: "And that which sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." (KJV)
Notably, in the fourth verse, Crum emphasises that no matter what we are going through, "Jesus' touch can call us back to life again."
Our choir have recorded a multi-tracked version of "Now the Green Blade Riseth" arranged by Terry.
Johann Sebastian Bach (March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and for vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
Below is a whistle-stop-tour of Bach Cantatas, of which I'm no expert! I've thoroughly enjoyed my research for this post however and have listened to some beautiful music in the process.
Cantatas
Cantata means "sung" or "to sing". It is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of the term changed over time, from the simple single voice madrigal of the early 17th century. Cantatas for use in the liturgy of church services are called church cantata or sacred cantata; other cantatas can be indicated as secular cantata. Several cantatas were, and still are, written for special occasions, such as Christmas cantatas.
The Bach Cantatas are a body of work consisting of over 200 surviving independent works, and at least several dozen that are considered lost. J. S. Bach composed cantatas for both secular and sacred use, his church cantatas composed for use in the Lutheran church, mainly intended for the occasions of the liturgical year.
Bach started composing cantatas around 1707, when he was still an organist in Arnstadt. Bach's early cantatas are "Choralkonzerte" (chorale concertos) in the style of the 17th century, different from the recitative and aria cantata format that he began to use for church cantatas in 1714 when in Weimar.
The texts for the early cantatas were drawn mostly from biblical passages and hymns. These early cantatas include 17th-century elements such as motets and chorale concertos. Recitatives and arias on contemporary poetry were not yet present, although Bach may have heard them in oratorios by Buxtehude who was his teacher, or even earlier. His early cantatas often begin with an instrumental sinfonia or sonata. Bach worked at the ducal court in Weimar from 1708 to 1717 and from 1714-1717 he was commissioned to compose one church cantata a month. In the course of almost four years there he thus covered most occasions of the liturgical year. These cantatas have become known as the "Weimar Cycle".
Bach was appointed Thomaskantor, (director of music) in Leipzig 1723, and was responsible for the Thomasschule and the church music at these main churches. A cantata was required for the service on Sundays and additional church holidays of the liturgical year, and Bach composed many, preserved in five annual cycles. The Lutheran church of Bach's time prescribed the same readings every year, a Gospel passage and, recited before this, a corresponding section from an Epistle. A connection between the cantata text and the readings (or at least one of the prescribed hymns for the occasion) was the aim, facilitated by repetition and prescription with readings and hymns linked to the church cantata for each occasion.
A typical Bach cantata from his time in Leipzig follows the pattern below:
Opening chorus
Recitative
Aria
Recitative (or Arioso)
Aria
Chorale
The opening chorus is usually a polyphonic setting, with the orchestra presenting the themes or contrasting material first. Most arias follow the form of a da capo aria, repeating the first part after a middle section. The final chorale is typically a homophonic setting of a traditional melody.
Eastertide
Eastertide is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday, celebrated as one great event. Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter. Following the Sunday of the Resurrection, they are named Second Sunday of Easter, Third Sunday of Easter, etc. up to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, concluding with Pentecost Sunday. Bach wrote cantatas each year for each of these Sundays whilst in Leipzig. Our girl choristers recorded "Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt" (BWV 4) for the first Sunday after Easter, embedded below:-
Misericordias Domini
This Sunday (26th April) is the Third Sunday of Easter, known as Misericordias Domini Sunday.
The gospel readings for Misericordias Domini is Luke 24:13-35 (Walk to Emmaus) and a suggested Bach Cantata for this reading is Cantata 66, "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, you hearts)
Bach composed this cantata for the Second Day of Easter in Leipzig and first performed it on 10 April 1724. The cantata was Bach's first composition for Easter as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, first performed in Köthen on 10 December 1718. You can read more about it here and listen below! A translation is available here.
My inbox has been flooded with opportunities to sing at home during the lockdown. Granted, it's absolutely not the same singing alone in front of your computer, and my heart yearns to sing with my choir here in church again, but in the current situation I have found them a reasonably good alternative!
Most of these options are linked from the home page of this blog, but to update you all on some exciting new opportunities I have included the following update:-
Apologies for the radio silence, I took a few days off!! Another favourite today - John Ireland. Pupil of Stanford, teacher of Benjamin Britten and with a significant compositional repertoire, his music ranges through choral, orchestral, chamber, song, organ and piano genres, with over 200 published pieces and around 400 CDs already made representing his work.
Biography
John Ireland was born August 13, 1879, in Bowdon, Cheshire. His father, Alexander Ireland, was a publisher and newspaper proprietor, John was the youngest of five children from Alexander's second marriage, and Alexander was already aged 69 at John's birth. John's mother died when he was 14, and his father a year later, leaving the young John with sufficient means to study music at the Royal College of Music.
