Music Notes
Hymn of the Day: ELW #401 "Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading"
Tune and Text: NJOO KWETU, ROHO MWEMA, Wilson Niwajila (1940), Howard S. Olsen (1922- 2010) tr., Egil Hovland (1924) arr.
Wilson Niwagila was born in Bukoba, Tanzania, and later studied theology in Tanzania, the United States, and Germany. He became a Lutheran parish pastor in several congregations in Tanzania and Germany. In Tanzania, he was the Lutheran secretary for Christian Education, the director of the Evangelical Academy, and provost of Makumira University College. He resided in Germany for a period as the Executive Secretary for Evangelism of the United Evangelical Mission for Germany, Asia, and Africa. Upon his return to Tanzania, he served as a member of the Task-Force for the establishment of the Bishop Josiah Kibira University College of the Tumaini University in the Kagera Region-Tanzania.
Howard Olson, longtime missionary/teacher in Africa, compiled a number of African songs in Set Free (Augsburg Fortress, 1993). Many were folk tunes to which Christian Swahili texts were later added. He wrote in the introduction: “In their original form these tunes were sung with uninhibited improvisation. Consequently the form in which these songs appear in this book represents only one of several possibilities.”
Egil Hovland (1924 – 2013) was a Norwegian composer. He studied at the Oslo Conservatory with Arild Sandvold and Bjarne Brustad, in Copenhagen with Vagn Holmboe, at Tanglewood with Aaron Copland, and in Florence with Luigi Dallapiccola. He was the organist and choir leader in Fredristad from 1949 until his death. He was one of the most noted church composers of Norway.
Musical Reflection: Pentecost: “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” Aaron David Miller (1974)
Aaron David Miller is noted for his highly imaginative and creative style, found in his performances, improvisations and compositions. He is noted for his fine performances of repertoire spanning all periods and has also received rave reviews when accompanying silent films.
Every Time I Feel the Spirit is an Afro-American Spiritual written before 1861.