October 9, 2022

The organ prelude Sunday is "Air for Organ", by Gerre Hancock, an "air" being a song like vocal or instrumental piece. The rather meditative "air" is stated first, then developed a bit, and then returns in a

particularly quiet form. Gerre Hancock (1934-2012) was one of our foremost organists, composer and improvisor, probably most well known for his long held position at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan, which many hold as the "epitome" of Episcopal Church music.

Our processional hymn is 410, "Praise my soul, the King of Heaven", a favorite 19th century hymn relating to the day's Gospel reading from Luke. The Gospel hymn, 411, "O bless the Lord, my soul", is equally well known and loved I think, but as you may note is even older, and with a text that is a paraphrase of Psalm 103, 1-5.

The anthem is "With a Voice of Singing", by the Englishman Martin Shaw (1875-1958), who studied with Charles Villiers Stanford, and was life long friends with Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, and John Ireland.

The wonderful first communion hymn, 628, "Help us, O Lord, to learn", is actually a 20th century text set to a 19th century tune. The second hymn, 655, "O Jesus, I have promised", you will note is a Finnish folk melody with a 19th century text.

Our closing hymn, 493, "O for a thousand tongues", one of the most popular of all time, is, as you will note, an 18th century text by Charles Wesley, set to a 19th century melody.

The postlude is the "Trumpet Tune in D Major", by the 20th century American, David Johnson (1922-87), who taught, played, and composed, most of his life in Arizona.