Over the last few days I’ve been getting caught up on some of the Issue Etc programs that have been diligently downloaded to my iPod. In particular, I have especially appreciated the 5-part series on the Top 5 hymns voted by Issues Etc listeners. I anticipated that “Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart” would make it, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the top hymn was “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It.”
These are all well worth listening to. And if you haven’t decided to have “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It” sung at your funeral service, I think you’ll be convinced that you might want to add it.
Here are the links to each part of the Issues Etc series.
Each year on July 28, the church commemorates Kantor J.S. Bach. It was on this date in 1750 that Bach — musician, composer, and servant of the church — entered into eternal rest.
When I think of Bach and his death, the first thing that comes to mind is the closing chorale to his St. John Passion. He closes this Passion with the final stanza of Martin Schalling’s hymn text “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart.” (Starts at 8:58 in the YouTube video).
Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abr’hams bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing;
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in peaceful sleep
Until Thy reappearing.
And then from death awaken me,
That these mine eyes with joy may see,
O Son of God, Thy glorious face,
My Savior and my fount of grace.
Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend,
my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end. (LSB 708, st. 3)
Bach’s setting has endeared me more and more to this hymn. It is a hymn of trust, of hope, of comfort, and of joy for the Christian who looks to the gracious face and work of Christ in the midst of their own death and eventual resurrection. For good reason, this hymn has accompanied many on the journey to their Savior. At nearly every funeral I’m the organist for, I’ll play either the Walther or Krebs (usually both) organ settings of this hymn as pre-service music (along with pieces by Bach).
So today I thank God for the work and faith of Bach and the treasures he left behind that have enriched us (for me particularly the organ chorales and sacred choral music). Here are several posts from the archive vault on Bach and a few of my favorite musical pieces. Soli Deo Gloria.
Imagine watching Star Wars or some other favorite movie with one big change: no music. The plot and characters would still be there, but we would miss that familiar music that moves the story forward.
And yet, do Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader even know that there is a soundtrack backing up their lives? In the case of Darth Vader, it was a soundtrack that accompanied his entire life from birth to death. What is your soundtrack?
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Of making many books there is no end . . . Ecclesiastes 12:12
And so goes the publishing industry. Now don’t get me wrong: I love books. I’m eagerly anticipating the FedEx delivery truck dropping off a box from CPH on Friday with the new edition of Walther’s Law and Gospel, a volume of Sasse, and two volumes of essays by Robert Preus.
As a church musician I get excited (or at least a bit interested) when music publishers, primarily CPH and MorningStar Music, release their new music (which CPH has been doing over the last few weeks). Is there a new treasure waiting to be found? A new (or old) text just waiting to burst in song? Did any of the composers on my short list compose anything new?
Read more »Put a group of church musicians in a room and you’ll probably see this: camaraderie. Whether it be old friends or new faces, a fellowship develops from a common musical bond and shared experiences.
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