Hymn of the Day: “The Word of God is Source and Seed” ELW 506
Text: Delores Dufner (1939)
Tune: GAUDEAMUS DOMINO, David Hurd (1950)
Delores Dufner wrote this hymn in 1983. Her descriptions of its themes plot the progression: "God's Word is like seed; God's Word is powerful and life-giving; God's Word was made flesh in Jesus”. She says that for her "one of the greatest gifts of Vatican II was the 'opening up' of scripture. Hearing chapter 37 of Ezekiel powerfully proclaimed shortly after Vatican II, I understood that the Word of God could bring new life even in apparently hopeless situations."
This hymn was first published in Benedictine Book of Song II (1992), with a musical setting by Jay Hunstiger. He added the refrain, which "seemed to complete both text and tune nicely." It was retained in With One Voice (1995) and Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
The name of the tune, GAUDEAMUS DOMINO, comes from the refrain. Augsburg Fortress commissioned David Hurd to compose it for With One Voice. He had not previously seen the text and "very much enjoyed creating a musical setting for it.”
Offertory Anthem: “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me” Stephan Casurella (1973)
An original and utterly charming setting of this late 19th century hymn text written by Edward Hopper. Incidentally, the nautical theme reflects Hopper’s ministry at the Church of the Sea and Land in New York City.
Stephan Casurella was born in England, where he began studying piano, organ and music composition at an early age. After moving to the United States, he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in both piano performance and music composition and in 2009 was awarded a doctor of musical arts degree in church music (organ emphasis) from the University of Kansas. Stephan is a published composer who has written for a wide range of media. His works have been performed by soloists and ensembles such as the choir of Chester Cathedral, England, the Thalia Symphony Orchestra, the Xavier University Concert Choir, and flutist James Hall.
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boisterous waves obey Thy will,
When Thou sayest to them, "Be still!"
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
Fear not, I will pilot thee.
Opening Voluntary: Prelude on the Hymn Tune “Rhosemedre”, Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958)
Although best known in this original version for solo organ, “Rhosymedre” is also well known as an orchestral arrangement by Arnold Foster. Ralph Vaughan Williams used the hymn tune as the basis of the second movement of his organ composition Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes. “Rhosymedre” is the name of a hymn tune written by the 19th-century Welsh Anglican priest John David Edwards. Edwards named the tune after the village of Rhosymedre in the County Borough of Wrexham, Wales, where he was the vicar from 1843 until his death in 1885. The hymn tune is seven lines long, appears in a number of hymnals and is sung to a variety of texts.
Closing Voluntary: “Processional” William Mathias (1934 - 1992)
Welsh composer William Matthias was a child prodigy who began playing the piano at the age of three and composing at five. His formal musical studies took place first at Aberystwyth University and later the Royal School of Music where he was a composition student of Lennox Berkeley. He received his doctorate from the University of Wales, where he was appointed Professor of Music in 1970 and remained in the position until 1988. He was an in-house composer for Oxford University Press and founded the North Wales Music Festival at Asaph Cathedral, where he served as Artistic Director until his death.
In addition to a number of symphonies, concertos, and operas written for the secular music world, Matthias produced a large number of solo organ works and Anglican-style choral anthems for use in the church. His “Let the People Praise Thee, O God” was commissioned for the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981 and brought him international fame.
“Processional” dates from 1964 and is written in neo-classical style. Its jaunty, fanfare-like main theme hearkens back to the trumpet voluntaries of the English baroque but with a modern twist. Its ternary form features modal, quartal, and added-note harmonies.