Praying Twice

The Fourth Sunday of Easter May 3, 2020 Known as "Good Shepherd Sunday," the Fourth Sunday of Easter is a day when we read or sing Psalm 23. Can you recall a musical setting of this psalm that you have sung? The most familiar setting in The Hymnal 1982 is "The King of Love my shepherd is," a metrical paraphrase of the psalm ( St. Columba , Hymn 645). Try singing along with this recording, using the lyrics posted in the comments The King of Love .  If you are a choir member, the choral setting by Thomas Matthews is a favorite: The Lord Is My Shepherd (Matthews) . Are you a BBC fan? Howard Goodall's setting of Psalm 23 is also known as the theme from The Vicar of Dibley : The Lord Is My Shepherd . Try listening to several settings of Psalm 23 this week and reflect on how each composer  interprets and expresses the familiar text through music. In today's livestream, we'll hear two organ settings of familiar Easter hymns. "The day of resurr...

The Third Sunday of Easter April 26, 2020 Even though we can't gather to sing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we're sharing the great hymns of the Easter season during our weekly Facebook Live broadcasts. Worship with us at Trinity Cathedral Omaha on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. CDT.  "Welcome, happy morning" is a favorite hymn among many Episcopalians. Its references to springtime, blooming flowers, and "days of lengthening light" draw parallels between earth's seasons - at least in the northern hemisphere - and Christ's resurrection. Hear a recording: Welcome, happy morning! Vintage Victorian Easter card The original Latin text dates from the sixth century and is drawn from a 114-line poem by Venantius Fortunatus. A popular hymn in the Middle Ages, it was translated into German in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is mentioned in correspondence between Archbishop Cranmer and King Henry VIII, and it was the first Latin hymn translated ...

The Second Sunday of Easter April 19, 2020 On this Sunday's live stream, you'll hear my arrangements of two Easter hymns. "He is risen, he is risen!" ( Unser Herrscher ) is found in The Hymnal 1982 #180. The hymn was written by Cecil Frances Alexander, a 19th century Irish poet. Some of her best known hymns include "All things bright and beautiful," "Once in royal David's city," and her version of St. Patrick's Breastplate , "I bind unto myself today." The tune first appeared in a German collection in 1680 and was later revised into its present form.  He is risen, he is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice: he has burst his three days' prison; let the whole wide earth rejoice: death is conquered, we are free, Christ has won the victory. "At the Lamb's high feast we sing" ( Salzburg ) is found in The Hymnal 1982 #174. This is a translation of 17th century Latin hymn which, in turn, was drawn ...

The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day April 12, 2020 "The Resurrection," Donald Jackson, The St. John's Bible Easter comes again,  not with trumpet fanfares , sparkling organ or soaring voices, but much like that first Easter morning: a quiet garden, Mary, weeping, the loving words of the Teacher, the longing to embrace, kept at a distance. Easter comes again in love stronger than death, in hope of resurrection, new growth springing green, children's laughter, the warmth of sunlight, the clearing air, a world reborn.                                                A blessed Easter to all our readers. Alleluia! Marty Wheeler Burnett Music for Easter Day April 12, 2020 Enjoy the great music of Easter on our YouTube playlist:  Holy Week/Easter Playlist View our Facebook Live Stream here:  Facebook Live Organ Voluntari...

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday April 5, 2020 Holy Week begins with The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we won't be able to reenact Jesus' triumphal procession into Jerusalem. However, we created this virtual Palm Sunday procession with photos from years past and the traditional hymn, "All glory, laud, and honor." Feel free to sing along!  All glory, laud, and honor The liturgy then turns to the Passion Gospel. We hear the ancient account of Jesus' final days - his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.  The organ postlude is a setting of the classic Holy Week hymn, Vexilla regis proderunt , "The royal banners forward go." ( The Hymnal 1982 , #162) This ancient plainsong is paired with a 6th century Latin text extolling the glory of the cross: The royal banners forward go, the cross shines forth in mystic glow where he through whom our flesh was made, in that same flesh our ransom paid. The hym...