An extract from the Sunday Cantata episode for Trinity 24, first aired on 3 November 2013 on Lutheran Radio UK. In my life so far, I have been fortunate enough to have lived in a number of different countries. In fact, I have moved around enough to consider myself a bit of a home-grown expert…
Strike soon, blessed hour
In next week's Sunday Cantata, you will be treated to an extraordinary musical experience: a pair of oboes accompanied by a symphony of bells (as rendered by pizzicato strings). The lower strings, cellos and basses, play slow funeral bells, while the upper strings, violins and violas, play faster, more celestial bells. One set to ring…
The purpose of music in the church
Here's an extract from the episode of Sunday Cantata on 25 August 2013 on Lutheran Radio UK. You can listen to the whole programme here. The first part of the programme demonstrates how these words apply to the cantata of the day, BWV 33. One of the important questions for all church musicians—and indeed for…
Contented Peace
This beautiful aria was our Communion anthem today at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, from Bach's Cantata BWV 170, Vergnügte Ruh, to words by Georg Christian Lehms (1684–1717). [podloveaudio src="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/546760/Blog/audio/BWV170%20-%201%20Vergnugte%20Ruh%2C%20beliebte%20Seelenlust.mp3"] Contented peace, beloved delight of the soul, You cannot be found among the sins of hell, But only where there is heavenly harmony; You alone strengthen…
Sorrow to joy in one simple step
How do you go from this, [podloveaudio src="http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/546760/Blog/audio/11%20-%20Ich%20hatte%20viel%20Bekummernis%2C%20BWV%2021.mp3"] and this, [podloveaudio src="http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/546760/Blog/audio/13%20-%20Ich%20hatte%20viel%20Bekummernis%2C%20BWV%2021.mp3"] to this, [podloveaudio src="http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/546760/Blog/audio/20%20-%20Ich%20hatte%20viel%20Bekummernis%2C%20BWV%2021.mp3"] and this? [podloveaudio src="http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/546760/Blog/audio/21%20-%20Ich%20hatte%20viel%20Bekummernis%2C%20BWV%2021.mp3"] Simple: by being found by the Good Shepherd! The full story, via Bach's cantata BWV 21, in Sunday Cantata on Lutheran Radio UK this Sunday (16 June), and thereafter on demand on the website. Don't…
Anti-heresy anthem
Some months ago, and at the end of a longer article, Pr. David Petersen quoted a hymn by Luther that was still included in The Lutheran Hymnal (no. 260) but was left out of the Lutheran Service Book. Like a lot of TLH hymns that didn't make it into LSB, this one's a time-tested treasure…
How to grieve without words
Coming up on Sunday Cantata next week: BWV 12, Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen. I have often said—and in this I am far from alone—that no one does joy quite as well as Bach does. When it comes to melancholy, Mozart gives J.S. a run for his money. But then there is music like the opening…
The Right Response to a Great Tragedy
There's a good post over on Steadfast Lutherans by Pr. Nathan Higgins on how to respond to a national tragedy. The substance of the post is summarised in the opening sentence: Perhaps the best way to respond to a national tragedy – or any kind of tragedy, is with mourning, repentance, and faith. In case…
War and Peace
In the next episode of Sunday Cantata, we will hear BWV 126, Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort, a chorale cantata on the hymn by Luther, known in English as 'Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word'. I won't say much here—listen to the episode on Lutheran Radio UK!—except this: The peculiar combination, usual in…
Jesus lost and found
Another preview of Sunday Cantata. Bach didn't write any cantatas for the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, so this Sunday's offering is for the First Sunday after the Epiphany. The libretto meditates on the Gospel selection from Luke 2:41–52, where Mary and Joseph lose the 12-year-old Jesus—and then find Him in the Temple,…
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