Download Program Notes Sing to the Lord a New Song

Program Notes
Sing to the Lord a New Song
Lutheran A Cappella Choir
Friday, April 28 and Sunday, April 30, 2017
The Book of Psalms has served as inspiration for countless composers through the ages. Thought of as the
ancient hymnal of God’s people, the poetry was often set to music, but not always. Psalms were written to
communicate different feelings – praise, lament, and thanksgiving – but all illuminate the greatness of God,
and affirm His constant faithfulness to us. We hope our music will convey that message to you today.
We begin the concert with you, our audience, joining us in singing a verse of “All People That on Earth Do
Dwell”, a paraphrase of Psalm 100 and sung to the familiar “Old Hundredth Psalm Tune”, a melody that
made its first appearance in the Genevan Psalter in 1551. Of course, the melody is well known by Christians
as the “Doxology” (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow”). It is interesting that with all of the
connections to Psalm 100, the first text associated with this melody was that of Psalm 134. And it is that text
and melody that provides the basis for our next selection, “Arise, O Ye Servants of God”, by Jan Pieterszoon
Sweelinck, a Dutch composer and organist. In this energetic, rhythmic piece, the composer takes the melody
apart phrase by phrase, and gives each of the six voice parts an opportunity to sing that phrase in various,
sometimes imitative manners. This is most notable in his extended playful treatment of the words “O praise
ye”.
Heinrich Schütz is considered by many to be the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian
Bach. His “Cantate Domino canticum novum” is a setting of the first three verses of Psalm 149 and like the
Sweelinck, utilizes rhythmic imitative phrases traded from one voice part to another in rapid succession.
J.S. Bach wrote a total of six motets; “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” is one of two that he wrote for
double choir. Written in three distinct movements, the first movement, like the preceding work, takes its text
from Psalm 149, v.1-3, this time in German, of course, instead of Latin. This lively movement features each
choir trading similar musical ideas back and forth. Halfway through the movement, Bach introduces an
intricate fugal motive, sung first by the Choir 1 sopranos and followed soon after by each of the other
sections in each Choir. The second movement, by contrast in a much slower tempo, features the full choir
singing a chorale based on a paraphrase of Psalm 103, alternating with a solo quartet in somewhat longer,
more florid passages. The third and final movement again features both choirs starting in alternation singing
text from Psalm 150 v.2, 6. The work then concludes with the full choir singing as one in a lively section in
triple time - “Alles was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn” (“Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord”).
Our next three selections provide an interesting contrast to the Bach, although one can make a case for some
Baroque-like features in each one. German composer Heinz Werner Zimmermann, while receiving his
musical instruction in both his hometown of Freiburg as well as Heidelberg, later became interested in the
American jazz style. A number of his most significant choral works feature his trademark – the use of a
plucked string bass, which gives his works a distinctive jazz sound. Prominent in his energetic setting of
“Psalm 100” and a quiet, more contemplative setting of “Psalm 23”, besides the bass, the works are also
accompanied by organ. In true Baroque style, the organ plays longer, sustained phrases from well-known
hymn tunes, similar to the cantus firmus technique found in many works of this period. We’ll leave it to our
audience to try to recognize the hymn tunes used in each. William Braun, composer, organist, choir director
and Professor of Music at Wisconsin Lutheran College, wrote his “Psalm 150” in the style of Zimmermann.
One can hear similarities between his work and the earlier Psalm 100 of Zimmermann. Unique to this work
is his inclusion of both the more familiar version of “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (Lobe den Herren) in
the organ, as well as an earlier version, which the choir sings in unison toward the end of the piece.
We conclude the first half of our concert with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ setting of Psalm 90, “Lord, Thou
Hast Been Our Refuge.” Scored for choir and solo quartet, the choir almost immediately quietly sings the
familiar hymn “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”, while the quartet continues with the Psalm 90 text. After an
organ interlude, the full choir enters in full voice similar to the beginning, this time with organ and trumpet
playing the familiar hymn tune, and all forces end the work in triumphant fashion.
Following a short, rhythmic setting of Psalm 68, “Sing Unto God” by Paul Fetler, we are pleased to present
three works by Paul Bouman, who first sang with the LAC back in 1940, and later directed what was known
as the “B” choir of LAC. Still going strong at the age of 98, we are pleased that he will be attending our
Sunday afternoon concert. The first of these, “The Lord is My Light”, a setting of Psalm 27, was dedicated to
Harold Albers on the occasion of his 60th anniversary as a church musician. Harold was also a former
director of the LAC and music minister at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. This is a sturdy anthem, which
features changes in both tempo and mood. The second is a lovely setting of Psalm 23, “The Lord’s My
Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” using the tune BELMONT and featuring a bass soloist in the third verse. The last of
the three pieces, while not a Psalm setting, nonetheless has the feeling of a Psalm with its message of hope
and faith in God. It was commissioned by the Lutheran Choir of Chicago, in memory of Gerhard Schroth, the
first director of the LAC. “If You But Trust in God to Guide You” is set in four very distinct verses. The first
verse, sung in a brisk chorale tempo, is set in a homophonic style (all voices singing the same words at the
same time). The second verse, slower and reflective of the questioning text, starts with voices entering
individually, and finally brings all the voices together at the end. The third verse in 6/8 time is more lilting
and serene and includes both alto and soprano sections singing the familiar melody in cantus firmus style.
The final verse brings the work to a strong close in a style similar to verse one.
“Die mit Tränen säen” by Johann Hermann Schein is a beautiful setting of Psalm 126. Beginning slowly with
each of the five voices entering independently, the work utilizes the Baroque technique of “word painting”,
in this case setting the darker words and phrases in minor key and slower tempo, and the brighter, uplifting
words and phrases in major key and faster tempo. For our 60th anniversary, we commissioned Kenneth
Kosche, former LAC director and Professor of Music Emeritus at Concordia University in Mequon, to write
a setting of Psalm 23. “The Lord’s My Shepherd” uses a third well-known hymn tune, CRIMOND as its
melody. We invite you to join us on the first and last verse of this hymn.
We conclude our concert today with an exciting new work from beloved British composer John Rutter, “O
All Ye Works of the Lord”. The first of a new collection of six works by Rutter, “The Gift of Life – Six
Canticles of Creation”, here is one more non-Psalm text, this one taken from the 1662 Book of Common
Prayer. An exciting work, praising God for His many marvelous works of creation, the work concludes with
the words from the Gloria Patri (“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son…”), followed by what will now be a
familiar hymn to all of you.
Thank you for attending today’s concert. And may our singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs fill
your hearts with the peace of Christ and thankfulness to God.
David Mohr
Artistic Director