Typically our church begins our Holy Saturday Easter vigil with this song. Since we could not all be together this year, one of our congregants and my friend Adam Wirdzek produced this incredible video of our musician team and singers performing this beautiful piece. I was so honored to be able to play a tiny part in this alongside so many incredibly talented friends and am excited to share it as a special Easter Sunday edition of Hymns From Home.
Shine On Us Words and Music by Michael W. Smith and Deborah D. Smith © 1996 Deer Valley Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), Sony/ATV Milene Music. CCLI# 1754646. Used by permission. Performed by members of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Nashville, TN. Video produced by Adam Wirdzek. Sound engineering assistance by David Madeira and Meg Settle.
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PRAY Lord, on this Holy Saturday as your absence is so pronounced and we anticipate your return and the hope that it brings, may we not forget this feeling of longing and trembling and use it to help us choose you each and every morning until we finally meet you face to face. LYRICS
Give Me Jesus and the hymn-tune by the same name, is a beautiful spiritual that began to make its way into hymnals in around 1860. Likewise, "Were You There" also grew out of the African American spiritual tradition although it's first inclusion in a hymnal wasn't until 1899. Additional stanzas ask the questions "Were you there when they pierced him in the side?" and one of the most poignant - "Were you there when the sun refused to shine?" which struck me immensely as I consider this Easter weekend. Tonight's guest pianist is Dr. David Madeira, director of music at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, a professor of music theory and theology/worship studies at Belmont University, and a prolific composer, percussionist, pianist and arranger. An expert in the field of congregational psalmody, Dr. Madeira is best known for the creation of the twelve-point chant, a new format that makes chanting the Psalms accessible for modern congregations. His "The Twelve Point Chant Psalter" includes all 150 Psalms for congregational use and is available for purchase HERE. David and his wife Elizabeth, a teacher and community organizer, live near Nashville, TN with their three kids. I'm grateful to Michelle Margiotta for her work editing this video. PERSONAL Of all the events that I've had cancelled due to this pandemic, nothing has hit me harder than the loss of celebrating this Easter weekend with the congregations with which I was scheduled to worship is the loss that has weighed heaviest on me. The services that lead up to Easter Sunday are raw and weighty and I almost don't know how to move through this season without the guide of playing through music prayerfully curated to follow the liturgy and Scriptures that follow a series of events so crucial to our Faith. Although I often "work" on Easter Sunday worshipping with my violin alongside another church that I don't regularly attend, being with my St. B's community on Maundy Thursday through Saturday Vigil has become sacred to me.
Even tonight as I write this I'm grieving that we aren't in the sanctuary that has become such a safe space for me, playing notes that accompany our parish family down the path from the cross to the tomb to the garden. When I was first planning for this #HymnsFromHome series I'd shot David a text asking if he had any hymns he'd particularly like to play and he instantly recalled doing an arrangement of "Were You There" a few years ago (which I'd forgotten) and because the lamenting tone of that spiritual so well fits the desperate cry of "Give Me Jesus," I asked if he'd arrange the two together for Holy Saturday. In these hours between the crucifixion and the revelation of Christ's resurrection, I can only imagine the hushed discussions that would have taken place..."were YOU there? Last night? When Jesus who calls Himself the Messiah was crucified?" and how desperate His followers would have been to have Jesus back. Or at least understand the events that were unfolding. "Give me Jesus" would certainly have been their cry as it is ours tonight and all the time. REFLECT The forced pause of this year reminds us of the first Easter when the longing and grief of Thursday and Friday and Saturday were sharp and unprecedented. Those who knew Jesus during His time on earth did not have the benefit of having already experienced a risen Christ, so they lamented and mourned without hope. I pray that although our hope feels deferred in this season that we would find a richness in the message that a resurrection is coming - not of our old way of ife, but of a new way that is better than the past for "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19) LYRIC & SCRIPTURE Because this piece is instrumental only, in lieu of lyric I am posting instead an excerpt of Psalm 22 and a link to John 19 as they are the corresponding Psalm and Gospel reading for this Good Friday. I encourage you to open these passages up and read and consider them as you listen. Psalm 22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; by night as well, but I find no rest. Yet you are the Holy One, enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Our forefathers put their trust in you; they trusted, and you delivered them. I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. John 19 BACKGROUND Arvo Pärt is a contemporary Estonian composer who has had a huge impact on the musical compositions of the past century. His personal history was deeply affected by the rise and fall of the USSR. His greatest contribution perhaps is the development of a new musical language called tintinnabuli (from the Latin for ’little bell’) that plays on melody and triad. His Spiegel im Spiegel piece was composed in this style in 1978. The title is German and can mean both "mirror in the mirror" as well as "mirrors in the mirror" certainly appropriate for a piece used as a setting for reflection. Pärt is married with two sons and continues to contribute to the landscape of modern music. Tonight's guest pianist is Dr. David Madeira, director of music at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, a professor of music theory and theology/worship studies at Belmont University, and a prolific composer, percussionist, pianist and arranger. An expert in the field of congregational psalmody, Dr. Madeira is best known for the creation of the twelve-point chant, a new format that makes chanting the Psalms accessible for modern congregations. His "The Twelve Point Chant Psalter" includes all 150 Psalms for congregational use and is available for purchase HERE. David and his wife Elizabeth, a teacher and community organizer, live near Nashville, TN with their three kids. This video was edited by Dr. Michelle Margiotta. PERSONAL Although not a hymn, I'm including this piece in the "Hymns From Home" project anyway as it was originally recorded as part of a socially distanced Good Friday liturgy for St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Nashville, TN. I first heard this piece back in 2017 when David sent it to me to consider playing for the Maundy Thursday foot-washing service that our church holds. I actually found the email the other day where I wrote back to him and said, "sounds great - doesn't look complicated." Of course this was before I'd played it. The bow control necessary in the violin part is delicate and precise and I'm still on the journey to doing it justice. (To be honest, there are moments even in this particular video that I cringe a bit because I know it *could* have been more precise.) But the melody and the sensitivity are so beautiful and they turn over in my mind and fingers whenever I need to breathe and pray you find the same in them tonight.
We have titled this particular performance "Spiegel im Spiegel {A.Pärt/Together}" as a play off the composer's name but also to pay homage to the season and form in which it was performed. Because this piece already exists in a delicately balanced space of rhythm and scale, not being able to be together to record made it especially challenging. David and I both had the opportunity to be in the music loft space at our church, but obviously not at the same time due to this season as is reflected in the videos you see above. The juxtaposition of the same setting at different times; the light streaming through the stained glass and the dark chapel with only the light of the cross was honestly an unintentional necessity, dictated by our personal schedules, but it is a reminder of the strange and disjointedness of this present day as well as a tribute to the beauty of hope that transcends all darkness. PRAY Lord, these days of suffering and uncertainty seem unending. We cling to you and know that you will redeem these days, the days that came before and the days that are yet to come. Restore the brokeness and may we see you face to face. LYRIC Now the days and hours and moments Of our suff’ring seem so long; And the toilsome wait and wond’ring Threaten silence to our song. Now our pain is real and pressing Where our faith is thin and weak, But our hope is set on Jesus; And we cling to him, our strength. Oh eternal weight of glory! Oh inheritance divine! We will see our Lord redeeming Every past and future time. All our pains will be transfigured, Like the scars of Christ our Lord. We will see the weight of glory, And our broken years restored. For behold! I tell a myst’ry: At the trumpet sound we’ll wake “Death is swallowed up in vict’ry!” When we meet our King of Grace Every year we thought was wasted Every night we cried “How long?” All will be a passing moment In our Savior’s vict’ry song We will see our wounded Savior. We’ll behold him face to face; And we’ll hear our anguished stories Sung as vict’ry songs of grace. SCRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 15 & 2 Corinthians 4 BACKGROUND Wendell Kimbrough is a contemporary songwriter reimagining the Psalms for emotionally honest modern worship. His songs are marked by strong singable melodies, steeped in the sounds of folk, gospel, and soul music. Wendell serves as artist-in-residence and worship leader at Church of the Apostles in Fairhope, Alabama where he lives with his wife and daughter. Eternal Weight Of Glory was originally recorded on his "Psalms We Sing Together" album which can be found on bandcamp HERE. His most recent release "Come To Me" is also excellent. In fact, I recommend his entire discography particularly in times like these where we need encouragement. PERSONAL I first met Wendell Kimbrough in August of 2018 when the Rector of my church invited him to do a concert at St. B's. Wendell brought with him a pianist and then asked if our church would supply the rest of the band so I had the pleasure of filling in on strings. That concert led to a mini-tour in the fall of 2019 and since we rode in a van together to 5 states in 5 days and still liked each other by the end of it, I'd say we are officially friends for the long haul. Wendell's perspective on life and Scripture is refreshingly honest, deep and poetic. His actions are bold and confident as they are the result of careful consideration of all elements of a situation. He also embraces the joy of the moment be it making music with good people, or an impromptu photo shoot with larger-than-life cement animal statues at a tacky road-side tourist trap. (If you feel this is an oddly specific example...pic here to prove it happened) Much of Wendell's musical body of work has been focused on hymn arrangements and writing Psalm settings for congregational use. The fact that this COVID-19 crisis has come in conjunction with the Lenten season seems almost...ordained. And although the "shelter in place" order has not yet lifted for Tennessee, today is not only the last day of the original 14 day order, but also Palm Sunday on the church calendar. As I was choosing a song for tonight I wanted something hopeful as Christ's entry into the city was triumphant. But the original Palm Sunday signaled the beginning of a chain of events that seem deteriorate in fast-forward...Peter's denial of Christ, a betrayal, an arrest, the unjust release of a murderer via crowd mentality and then ultimately Christ's execution on the cross. Certainly these events are different from the current global climate, but similar in the pace at which circumstances can change. I wanted to somehow communicate this joy-turned-lament via tonight's song...the 14th hymn in 14 days...and so I couldn't think of a better way to do that than inviting my friend Wendell to share one of his contemporary hymns. The tune might be jovial and comfortably sing-able, but the lyrics taken directly from the passages scripture listed above are weighty and timely for this season. This tune might not be familiar to you, but I pray that you'll take the time to listen and pray through the lyric in its entirety. No matter the circumstance in the world today, there is coming a day that we will see our Savior face to face and these anguished stories will be sung as victory anthems for sure. PRAY Lord, you are fairer than anything this world has seen. You are Ruler of all!. Our souls long for you for you are as necessary as food and water; make yourself the desire of our hearts. LYRICS
Although the origins of the text of "Fairest Lord Jesus" are unknown, everyone seems to agree that it was original a German tune from the 17th century. The hymn-tune "Crusaders' Hymn" or "SAINT ELIZABETH." The origins of this tune are also a bit convoluted - it dates back to the 12th century crusades - but composer Franz Liszt used it as the march of the crusaders in his oratorio "The Legend of Saint Elizabeth in 1862 and so thus the hymn names were born. "As The Deer" was both written and composed by Marty Nystrom a contemporary composer, worship leader, music director and presenter. PERSONAL I'm not sure what stage of quarantine grief I'm on at this point but I feel like I've ridden all the emotions from "thankful for this pause and time with my family" to "I need to get out of this house and get a break from my family" to "the world is coming to an end" and "I trust that the Lord has this..." and everything in-between. And trust me, there are lots of things in-between.
I miss hugging my friends when I see them down the sidewalk on one of my many necessary "Sanity walks." So when I was thinking about hymns for tonight I knew I needed something peaceful, because that's what MY heart needs to hear tonight. And what is more peaceful than meditating on the beauty of the Lord? How fair and good He is. And the pastoral image of a deer silently lapping water from a stream makes me feel like I'm on some grand adventure in a National park which is quite frankly where I'd like to be right now. I hope that this tune brings your heart peace and calm and stillness tonight. That's what this whole project is about, afterall. |
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January 2022
CategoriesAbout BethanyBethany is a freelance violinist/fiddler and tour manager who works with artists & events such as Kelly Minter, Cultivate: A Gathering Around The Word and Laura Story. She and her husband Keith live in Nashville, TN with their daughter Clare, cat & 6 backyard chickens. For more info on Bethany, visit her bio page!! |