Music Box
March 5, 2023
Jubal Joslyn, tenor
Cathryn Wilkinson, organ
Prelude
What Wondrous Love Is This……Samuel Barber
Prelude on a Solemn Tune of Thomas Tallis……Gerald Near
I Want Jesus to Walk With Me……Raymond Henry
Offertory
Oh Jesus, I Have Promised……arr. Marianne Kim
Communion
Give to My Eyes, Lord, the Blessing……Ronald Corp
Jubal Joslyn, Tenor
Postlude
The God of Abraham Praise……arr. Richard Proulx
A Page From the Music History Books
Lenten themes are featured in the organ prelude for today. While American composer Samuel Barber is better known for operas and vocal solos, he composed a small number of works for organ, including “Wondrous Love: Variations on A Shape-Note Hymn.” Shape-note refers to music notation that was common in early American collections of folk hymns. The text for this hymn was first published in A General Selection of the Newest and Most Admired Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1811).
“What wondrous love is this, oh my soul!
That caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the heavy cross
for my soul!”
Gerald Near, formerly organist/choirmaster of St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas, pays homage to Thomas Tallis in his solemn prelude. Tallis was employed in the Chapel Royal of Queen Elizabeth and contributed this tune to a Psalter for the Archbishop of Canterbury. When Tallis composed the tune, the text was based on Psalm 2, but in recent hymnals this tune is paired with the text “I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Come unto me and rest’.”
