April 28, 2023

You might check out the notes for last week, as Henry G. Ley (important to get the "G" in there as there are other musicians in his family), who wrote the arrangement -- but not the melody -- for last week's anthem, also composed the arrangement of this Sunday's prelude, which is based on the hymn tune, "St. Columba", 645 in our hymnal. You know the tune well, and the words are a paraphrase of Psalm 23. At the Gospel, we will sing this text to another tune (663), which is harmonized in 4 parts.

Our processional hymn is 205, "Good Christians all, rejoice and sing". It is interesting to note that the composer of this hymn -- Melchior Vulpius -- composed the melody of last week's anthem. Keep checking out the information underneath the hymns, and you will start recognizing at least some names!

The day's anthem is the popular Gordon Jacob setting of the familiar "Brother James's Air". In our hymnal this tune is 517, the text being a paraphrase of Psalm 84. What the choir will be singing is another paraphrase of Psalm 23 (note the Gospel hymn).

Communion hymns are 708, "Saviour, like a shepherd lead us", and 487, "Come, my way, my truth, my life", a great Ralph Vaughan Williams tune for a great George Herbert text.

Closing we will sing hymn 478, "Jesus, our mighty Lord, our strength in sadness", the tune known as "Monk's Gate", which you will note is a Sussex folk melody adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Note in the hymnal the ancient text by Clement of Alexandria.

The postlude is an Albert Travis (b. 1940, American) setting of "Let us with gladsome mind, praise the Lord, for he is kind", 389 in our hymnal. The tune is 18th-19th century