Our first prelude this week will feature the Bell Choir. I hope you enjoy the novelty of the Sundays when they play. I hope that the variety of instruments available to us - piano, harpsichord, organ, choir, and bells - helps keep your ears awake to the different sounds of the prelude. For me, the chance to listen rather than play the prelude always makes for a calmer worship experience simply because I've taken that extra moment to meditate and pray before the service begins.
The second prelude will be a setting of the hymn "Now the Green Blade Rises" by Marcel Dupre. It's a simple one-verse chorale, but it clearly incorporates a more modern chord structure so that you can hear the hymn in a new way.
Dupre (1886 - 1971) was a French organist and a famous organ virtuoso. Some of his compositions are considered among the most difficult pieces ever written for the organ. He was an academic and a performer, however, and not primarily a church organist. Those are some of the reasons his work is not often performed. However, the modern sound can provide a welcome change of pace from the Bach I've been playing through Lent up to this point.
I hope you enjoy the music on this 5th Sunday of Lent. Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter will be a big change musically from the past weeks!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Both Preludes were very good: the Bells and the Organ. "Now the Green Blade Rises" and "What Wondrous Love Is This" are two of my favorite hymns. Even though it is in the Easter section, I've always considered "Green Blade" to be more appropriate for Lent. Good job Tom, Cassie, and Bell choir.
ReplyDelete