By Mark Heiskanen
Songs of the Spirit and Blessed Community this Sunday morning.
From the organ, two Baroque settings of the ancient 9th century invocation to the Holy Spirit “Veni Creator, Spiritus” (Come, Creator Spirit) will be offered. French composer Nicolas de Grigny only left one collection of organ works, the “Premier Livre d’Orgue” of 1699, of which the first movement of “Veni Creator” is taken from. His works are considered the apex of French Classique organ works and were admired and studied by his contemporary J.S. Bach in neighboring Germany. Bach employed the same Gregorian chant tune as de Grigny in the chorale prelude “Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist” (Come, God Creator, Holy Ghost) from the Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes completed in the last decade of Bach’s life.
During the Offertory, a tango-influenced piece for organ based on the hymn tune “Down Ampney” will be presented. The original tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams (so named after the town of his birth, Down Ampney, England) is typically associated with the Pentecost text “Come Down, O Love Divine.” The tango character provided in this arrangement by Mark Sedio brings about a dignified yet sultry character and is subtitled, “The Spirit Blows Where It Wills.
The Summer Choir returns for the last outing of the season with the traditional spiritual “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” in a bluesy energetic arrangement by Larry Shackley. Consider joining us for this fun and easy rendition of a classic spiritual. We rehearse prior to the service at 8:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. All are indeed welcome!