All Hail the Power

The Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 24, 2020
"Power," Tim Coleman, artist
This Sunday, we'll hear organ arrangements of two classic hymns for the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

 "Crown him with many crowns" is a combination of hymns by two 19th century poets, Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring. The tune was composed by Sir George J. Elvey specifically for Bridges' text. The tune name, Diademata, comes from the Greek word for crowns. Watch a video of this hymn, sung at Westminster Abbey: Crown him with many crowns

 "All hail the power of Jesus' Name!" combines a text and tune from the 18th century. It is regularly ranked as one of the most popular hymns among Episcopalians and at one point was nicknamed the "national anthem of Christendom." The text is full of scripture references. The tune, Coronation by Oliver Holden, is described in The Hymnal 1982 Companion as "the most often printed and most frequently used of the eighteenth-century American hymn tunes." This hymn is found in most denominational hymnals. Watch a video: All hail the power of Jesus' Name!

 Having celebrated the Feast of the Ascension on Thursday, the Easter season draws to its triumphant close next Sunday, the Day of Pentecost. These two hymns reflect the themes of today's readings, expressed beautifully in the Collect of the Day: 

 O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Music for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 24, 2020

 Organ Voluntaries
Diademata and Coronation, settings by Marty Wheeler Burnett

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