If you missed the Jules and Joe concert, it is available on demand by clicking HERE. Be sure to tune in for a Flute Extravaganza with our Artist in Residence Dr. Christie Beard and students from her Flute studio at UNO, this Friday, July 17th, at 7pm on our YouTube channel or www.countrysideuccc.org/concerts
The first three songs are the prelude for today’s service, two of which feature Dr. Christie Beard. If you are watching on KMTV and would like to view the prelude, you can do so on our YouTube page by viewing today’s service video. The prelude will take place live on YouTube at 10:50 each Sunday.
Air de Cour from Court Dances by Amanda Harberg
Court Dances commissioned by a consortium of flutists from around the world who wanted to commission a piece to bring hope to the world in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris bombings. Cobus DuToit, who led the #WeBringFlowers consortium wrote: “After the Paris attacks in November 2015 I felt a strong calling to bring socially conscious art into the world. The #WeBringFlowers project is a journey commissioning six composers to write works for flute and piano that either revolt against, or courageously confront the violence that is prevalent in modern society.”
“I was inspired after hearing a conversation between a father and his son following the Paris attacks. The toddler was understandably scared of what happened close to his home and was telling the reporter that his whole family would have to leave Paris. As people were putting down flowers for the victims, the father explained that flowers were more powerful than guns and that the flowers were there to protect them. The poise and courage that the father displayed will stay with me forever. I named the project after the concept of taking something beautiful and non-threatening and turning it into something that holds a tremendous amount of power.”
Amanda Harberg embraced physical activity as a means to clear her head from troubling events and used racket ball as her inspiration for Court Dances. The suite uses traditional 16th and 17th century dance movements that are often found in Baroque suites. The second movement is Air de Cour, based on the Baroque “Air,” the instrumental equivalent of an “Aria” from the opera world – a lyrical format for a solo instrument/voice. Air de Cour is a play on two very similar sounding words, as “Cour,” which means “Court” in French, and “Cœur,” which means “heart.”
Pastorale from Sonata for Flute by Keith Gates
O Day of Peace that Dimly Shines
From hymnologist C. Michael Hawn:
“Hymnist Dr. Carl Daw describes his thinking about the hymn: “This hymn deals with two aspects of peace: pax, an understanding of peace based on the cessation of conflict, and shalom, the condition of living abundantly in harmony and mutual goodwill. . . . Although this hymn affirms that peace is always God’s gift, it also recognizes the importance of human responsibility in preparing an environment in which peace can flourish.”
The tune JERUSALEM plays prominently in the interpretation and success of this text. For British singers, this tune has a long history having been paired with a William Blake poem on social justice, the first line of which was drawn form the author’s Preface to his book Milton:
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
. . .
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?
The second stanza begins:
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
. . .
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918), music scholar and professor of composition and music history at the Royal College of Music, wrote a setting for Blake’s text that became that was so popular that the hymn became an unofficial British national anthem. The tune came to prominence in the U.S. as the theme song for the film Chariots of Fire (1981). [Alex’s note: some listeners will recognize the tune as a frequent musical backgroung for cultural parodies in Monty Python’s Flying Circus]
Dr. Daw succeeds admirably in composing a text with a majesty that matches Parry’s music. The most important words of each stanza—“grace” in stanza one and “peace” in stanza two—coincide powerfully with the apex of the melody. In doing so, he provides English-speaking Christians worldwide with perhaps the finest hymn on peace in the closing decades of the 20th century.”
O day of peace that dimly shines through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
guide us to justice, truth, and love, delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands, our hearts from envy find release,
till by God’s grace our warring world shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace.
Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, nor shall the fierce devour the small;
as beasts and cattle calmly graze, a little child shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love, all creatures find their true accord;
the hope of peace shall be fulfilled, for all the earth shall know the Lord.
All Creatures of our God and King
More from hymnologist C. Michael Hawn:
“Francis of Assisi (ca. 1182-1226) was a man close to nature, traveling long miles from village to village, living in the elements, sleeping in caves and preaching to anyone who would listen—even birds. Only someone so attuned to the natural world could have penned the “Canticle of the Sun.”
“Cantico di frate sole” (“Song of Brother Sun and of All Creatures”) was one of several laude—popular Italian spiritual songs for religious gatherings outside of the liturgy—composed by Francis. It is generally considered to be the earliest truly religious poem in Italian. Written near the end of his life around 1225 when his physical suffering was immense, this hymn expresses, long before the modern ecological movement, the oneness and interdependence of humanity with all of God’s creation.
British hymnologist J.R. Watson notes: “In the original the saint gives each element, such as fire and water, a human gender, so that they become ‘brother’ and ‘sister.’ This remains in the appellation of ‘Dear mother earth.’ These elements in the hymn make it seem tender as well as grand. It is based in part upon Psalm 148.”
All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O brother sun with golden beam, O sister moon with silver gleam,
sing praises! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
O brother wind with clouds and rain, you nurture gifts of fruit and grain.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O sister water, flowing clear, make music for your Lord to hear.
Sing praises! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
O brother fire, so warm and bright, chase off the shadows of the night.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Dear mother earth, who day by day unfolds such blessings on our way,
sing praises! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
O sisters, brothers, take your part, and worship God with humble heart.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
All creatures, bless the Father, Son, and Mother Spirit, Three in One!
Sing praises! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
A Prayer for Creation
This hymn was written as a plea for God’s people to understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is not simply at hand, but that it is here with us, and that we have a duty of care to God’s Creation as stewards of the Kingdom of Heaven. The hymn begins at the cosmic level, but quickly shifts focus to planet Earth, acknowledging the ways that human life has impacted the environment, while resolving to be hopeful and compassionate for creation.
O Creator of the cosmos, we present our hearts in prayer.
We are awestruck by your glory, which surrounds us everywhere.
From the birdsong of the morning to a stormy sky at night,
You reveal yourself in Nature, in its gentleness and might.
Through each rainbow that you send us you renew your covenant
With the earth and all life on it, telling us of your intent
That each living thing should flourish, in its own way, in its place.
You call us to new awareness of our neighbors and their space.
In our eagerness to prosper, we have ravaged what was good.
Using more than what was needed, taking everything we could.
We have changed the gentle order you intended for the earth.
Now we humbly ask the wisdom to be part of its re-birth.
We seek mercy, we seek vision, and the courage we will need
As we work to help the victims of the sins of human greed.
By our choices, in our actions, may we be part of your plans.
Help us gently till the Garden you’ve entrusted to our hands.
Finding strength in common purpose, may your faithful people be
Voices for a new perspective, leaders in simplicity.
Give us guidance, O, Creator. Give us power to achieve
True compassion for Creation as the legacy we leave.