Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654 • J.S. Bach
“Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness” – Hymnal #339
Our prelude on Sunday is based on Johannes Crüger's chorale Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, which is also our hymn during the administration of Communion. Crüger’s hymn was first published in 1644; about 70 years later, J.S. Bach took the melody and shaped it into one of his most beloved chorale preludes for organ.
Composed sometime during Bach's years in Weimar (1708-1717), the chorale prelude comes from Bach’s “Leipzig” chorales, a collection of 18 or so chorales that These compositions encapsulate the very essence of his compositional style.
In this chorale prelude, Bach uses compositional devices applied to the chorale melody to ‘paint the text’ of the chorale. A way to musically illuminate its text. The melody is found in the uppermost voice, intricately ornamented. While the ear is often drawn to the beautiful melody and its ornamentation, the other voices provide an equally, if not more beautiful counterpoint underneath. Bach introduces each phrase of the melody with three plain dotted half notes. This simple and beautiful technique, while leading the ear to think the chorale melody will be heard in a straightforward presentation, serves to magnify the effect of the blossoming ornamentation of the melody – “Soul, adore thyself with gladness.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
The Saint George's Hymn
The Saint George's Hymn
1/21/2018
The Saint George’s Hymn • All-embracing God
I hope you have found the past year of regularly singing our hymn, All-embracing God, to be as wonderful and life-giving as me. What began as a project to commemorate and give thanks for our renovated Nave and the ministry and people of this place, has become an incredible gift to the larger church and an important and poignant prayer for our times. It is one I pray daily.
I am happy to report that this hymn has been published by Augsburg Fortress in a collection of new hymns entitled, Peace, Be Still: Hymns of Susan Palo Cherwien, Volume 3. You can purchase a copy on their website and for more background on how our hymn came to be, visit our music website.
As I look at some of your favorite hymn submissions and the stories that go with them, I am ever thankful that we collectively choose to invest in music and the beauty and riches it brings to our lives. I look forward to sharing these with you soon. For me there is nothing more thrilling and sacred than when we all gather and raise our voices together in song. In doing so we bridge the gap between a world torn by trouble and heaven’s most yearned-for promises. This is an incredible thing for which I am grateful, and I hope you are too.
St. George’s Favorite Hymn Project:
We are collecting YOUR favorite hymns. There is still time to submit yours.
Tell us what it is here and why.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
Together we Sing
Together, We Sing!
America’s beloved children’s choir expert, Helen Kemp (1918-2015), had a wonderful chant she used regularly with her children’s choirs and in her workshops with adults:
“Body, mind, spirit, voice, it takes the whole person to sing and rejoice!”
This wonderful chant became Helen’s guiding principle throughout her long and influential ministry. I like it because it reminds us that singing is not just something we do, but a physical act of the vocal chords and the breath, an act that involves the whole body, our minds, and our spirit. When we sing, our whole being is in engaged in proclaiming our faith. Each time we sing together we engage in an activity that builds community; a form of meditation and prayer, and a form of praise and proclamation. Singing together helps us share in the joys and the sorrows of those in our community. When we sing together we give and receive a wonderful gift.
I love this poem by the hymn writer Thomas Troeger. It is one I’ve shared before. The beautiful imagery in the poem captures this communal aspect of the songs we sing together both in worship and in fellowship.
We need each other’s voice to sing,
each other’s strength to love,
each other’s views to help us bring our hearts to God above.
Our lives like coals placed side by side
to feed each other’s flame,
shall with the Spirit’s breath provide a blaze of faith to claim.
We give our alleluias
To the church’s common chord:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise, O Praise, O Praise the Lord!
- Thomas Troeger
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
St. George’s Favorite Hymn Project:
Remember we are collecting YOUR favorite hymns. Tell us what it is here and why.
We need each other’s voice © 1994, Oxford University Press. Reprinted with permission. OneLicense.net # A717214
A New Hymn for Saint Georges - Part III
Frank Boles, composer
The tune for Susan Palo Cherwien's exquisite text, All-embracing God,was written by Frank Boles, former Director of Music at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis. Over his 37 year tenure at St. Paul's, Frank not only cultivated one of the top music ministries in the country, but crafted many beautiful compositions for choir, congregation, and festival occasions, He is a well-respected composer in the American Anglican music tradition, and one that has a gift for facilitating through music that holy dialogue which allows all to respond in worship to their creator.
The tune of our new hymn is most wonderful. I love many things about our new tune, which we have aptly named VIRGINIA SQUARE, to celebrate the place that is the center of our ministry, the home where we are renewed and nurtured for God's service in this world.
I love:
- That this tune can be sung in different settings to capture different elements and interpretations of the text.
- That it works to sing it quietly and reverently in a prayerful manner.
- That it can also be sung in a celebratory and festive manner that truly celebrates the amazing, All-embracing love of God and the work we do for justice and peace.
- That the festival version is incredible - wait for its debut Jan. 22.
(and that it will make a certain organist practice his B-flat major scale!)
- That the first two phrases of the melody ascends and draws our eyes upward to the glories of the heavens, and outward in praise of God.
- That the melody moves downward (inward) when we sing "signed and marked and sealed" as if we are bowing our heads in prayer as we make the sign of the cross upon our selves.
- that in fact, the phrases of the tune generally ascend when talking about God images, and descend when the text is about those things in this world.
(A subtle form of text painting!)
- That this tune has beautifully shaped phrases that allow all of us to sing well with good breath, as evidenced by its first use this past Sunday.
- That it has a descant written especially for our choristers in mind.
(Let the who-can-sing-the-high-notes-the-most-artistically competition begin)
- That there is now a hymn tune named VIRGINIA SQUARE!
- That this tune is memorable, and sticks in my ears all week long, helping me to again and again pray and recall this wonderful text that reminds me of God's love for all, and a guide for my actions in this world.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
A new hymn for Saint George's - Part II
Susan Palo Cherwien, Poet
For a wonderful article on Susan and her creative process and bio, please view this article:
Master of the artfully-turned phrase, Susan Cherwien, Poet. Michael L. Sherer. Metro Lutheran.
I love this text!
I love SO many things about this text.
I love:
- that it was created for our parish, based on our ministries and life together
- that it was created for the world-wide church and its ministry to all people.
- that it is based on so many wonderful and beautiful images.
- the idea that our church (nave) be as beautiful as that within us
- that it juxtaposes this idea of the church as God's house, but also our hearts.
- the word - All-embracing - yes - this is what we are called to be and do!
- that it celebrates what we strive to do in this place
- that it challenges us - "prodding us to evolve" & "May we in fair lives God's grace proclaim"
- that it motivates us to action in many ways- to serve as Jesus did
- that it continually reminds us that we are "signed and marked and sealed" in the waters of baptism, claimed as Christ's own.
- that it is a prayer - of praise - of thanksgiving - of hope - of action
- that it reminds us we are created in the image of God.
- that it is Trinitarian - God, Christ, Fire (spirit)
- the last phrase of stanza 5 - "in the now that does not pass away" - referring to God's time, not ours, and that God has, is and always will be with us, loving, serving, and prodding us.
- that it reminds me why I'm a follower of Christ, and why I'm thankful to be a part of this community.
This Sunday we sing our new hymn for the first time together. I hope for you it is a most meaningful experience, and that these words become words on your heart and inspire you to love and serve God.
Dr. Ben Keseley
Minister of Music
*** (11/23/2016) - We have learned this hymn will be published in a collection of new hymns due out in 2017 by Augsburg Fortress. We couldn't be happier that this hymn will no be more easily accessible to the greater church.
All-embracing God,
Builder of all worlds,
In your house your people rise to praise;
By your Holy Name
Signed and marked and sealed,
May our hearts become your dwelling place.
All-embracing Christ,
Servant of all worlds,
Humbly seeking out the last and least,
By your Holy Love
Signed and marked and sealed,
May we strive for justice and for peace.
All-embracing Fire,
Spirit of all worlds,
Prodding all God's people to evolve,
By your Holy Gifts
Signed and marked and sealed,
May we seek and serve all that you love.
All-embracing Church,
Gathered from all worlds,
Temple of the Fire, the Love, the Name,
By the font and meal
Signed and marked and sealed,
May we in fair lives God's grace proclaim.
All-embracing God,
Trinity of Love,
Dwell within us now, do not delay;
Make your church alive
With your very Life
In the Now that does not pass away.
Susan Palo Cherwien
March 3, 2016
5.5.9.5.5.9. trochaic
Copyright©2016 Susan Palo Cherwien
Commissioned by St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia
for the rededication of the church sanctuary 2016
Sources/Imagery for the creation of
All-Embracing God
•2 Corinthians 5
•Ezra 3
•The Baptismal Covenant in the Book of Common Prayer
•The 5th century prayer of Balai, Chorepiscopose of Aleppo:
May the temples built within ourselves be as beautiful as the temple built of stone. May your kindness impel you to live in both kinds of temple, for our hearts, no less than these stones, bear the mark of your Name.
•The word katholikos meaning "all-embracing"
•Augustine's unc stans "the Now that does not pass away"