By Mark Heiskanen
Songs of God’s Presence, Light and Love in the everyday this Sunday morning.
Worship opens with the cheerful and lively “Fugue No. 5 in F Major” by Robert Schumann. Composed in 1845, the work is one of six fugues based on the literal surname of Johann Sebastian Bach. Utilizing the pitches B flat, A, C and B natural (the latter translated as ‘H’ from the German nomenclature), a playful motif is formed in a compositional technique Bach himself also utilized as a way to musically sign his name within a work.
The Chancel Choir offers the gospel-influenced anthem “Child of God” by Mark Miller. The text, also written by the composer, expresses the love of God for all irrespective of how one is perceived by the world. He writes, “And there is no thing, or no one who can separate, they can’t separate you from the truth that you’re someone, you are family, you are meant to be a child of God!” Mr. Miller is also a prominent contributor to the Convergence Music Project, a progressive music consortium of composers and worship leaders based in Madison.
During the Offertory, the 17th century German hymn “Dearest Jesus, We Are Here” is presented as an answer to God’s call in an ornamental setting by J.S. Bach. As we offer our gifts, may the words of hymn writer Tobias Clausnitzer (1663) resonate within: “Blessed Jesus, at your word we are gathered all to hear you. Let our hearts and souls be stirred…by your gospel pure and holy, teach us, Lord, to love you solely.”
A joyful Baroque flourish concludes worship with the “Toccata in G Major” by Wilhelm Hieronymus Pachelbel. The eldest son of composer Johann Pachelbel, the toccata is one of only seven surviving works and is reminiscent of his father’s style. Later works up until his death in 1764 demonstrated the influence of the emerging Classical era with simpler harmonies and contrapuntal writing.