This morning’s organ prelude, “Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele” (“Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness” literally: Adorn yourself, O dear soul) is a chorale prelude attributed to J. S. Bach based on a Lutheran hymn by Johann Franck with a melody by Johann Crüger. The hymn is a song for Abendmahl, the Lutheran Communion . The hymn lyrics were written in nine stanzas by Johann Franck , who was not a minister but a politician and mayor, between 1646 and 1653. Franck compared the unity between Jesus and a Christian receiving communion to the closeness of bridegroom and bride.
The melody by Johann Crüger has been described as joyful and dance-like: “… the joyful intimacy and wonder expressed by the text. “Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness”; in other words, avoid the funereal tone that sometimes characterizes Reformed observances of the Lord’s Supper–this is dance music for a feast!”
A hymn titled “God’s Work, Our Hands,” written by Wayne Wold, was selected as the winning entry in the ELCA’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday hymn contest in 2019. More than 120 entries were submitted to be considered as a hymn for the ELCA’s annual dedicated day of service. The selected hymn represents the official tagline of the ELCA and expresses how the people of this church live in service for the life of the world. The large number of entries in this contest gives witness to the enthusiasm that “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday has inspired throughout this church and in our communities. The hymn is sung to the tune EARTH AND ALL STARS by David Johnson.
Wold is a professor and chair of the music department at Hood College in Frederick, Md., where he also serves as concert manager and college organist. He is also the director of music ministry at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ellicott City, Md. Our postlude is a setting of “Lead on, O King eternal”. The tune, LANCASHIRE, was written by Henry Smart (1813-1879), a capable composer of church music who wrote some very fine hymn tunes (REGENT SQUARE is the best-known).
Smart gave up a career in the legal profession for one in music. Although largely self taught, he became proficient in organ playing and composition, and he was a music teacher and critic. Organist in a number of London churches, including St. Luke’s, Old Street (1844-1864), and St. Pancras (1864-1869), Smart was famous for his extemporizations and for his accompaniment of congregational singing. He became completely blind at the age of fifty-two, but his remarkable memory enabled him to continue playing the organ. Fascinated by organs as a youth, Smart designed organs for important places such as St. Andrew Hall in Glasgow and the Town Hall in Leeds. He composed an opera, oratorios, part-songs, some instrumental music, and many hymn tunes, as well as a large number of works for organ and choir.
