Music Spotlight! (Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022)

Come early on Easter--music will begin 10 mins before 10! 

Easter begins with J.S. Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 534." In my imagination, this prelude sets the stage for the Gospel story after Good Friday. The disciples still believe, at this point, that Christ is gone, dead and buried. Bach repeats the opening musical motive over and over in a downward spiral, "descending into hell," so to speak. 

You'll hear these descending patterns many times throughout the piece. Bach wraps up the prelude with a crunchy chord and downward propelling flourish (a compositional nod to Italian and French harpsichordists). 

Bach follows with a fugue. From my Easter-oriented perspective, the fugal theme, introduced in the tenor voice on the keyboard, fights firmly against the downward pull of the prelude. While not all sadness has been dispelled by the fugue--evidenced by the continued minor key especially--the melody wants to rise and soar. Listen in the first phrases as the theme occurs higher and higher in pitch. 

Bach nods to baroque composers, such as his mentor Dietrich Buxtehude, in the pedal flourishes, dispersed liberally throughout. Many of these pedal occurrences are opportunities for contrary motion with the keyboard--more insinuations of the struggle between life and death perhaps.

Though Bach finalizes the fugue on an f minor chord, I will be changing it to F major. Why take this liberty? Because in my "life verses death" narrative imposed on Bach's glorious composition, Christ rises from the dead in the happiest of harmonies!!!

Following the prelude and fugue, you will hear from our guest trumpeter, Kristopher Balint. 

I was born in South Bend, IN in 1998 before moving to Longview, TX where my trumpet journey began in 6th grade. I performed in all my high school’s ensembles where my passion for music grew. After graduation in 2016, I decided to pursue a career in music. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Louisiana Monroe in 2021. I am currently a graduate student at Austin Peay State University pursuing my master's degree in trumpet performance. My performance experience includes advancing in the Nation Trumpet Competition in the Ensemble Division in 2019 and 2020, freelancing for churches and other community events, and performing in ensembles in both my undergraduate and graduate programs including wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, trumpet ensemble, and brass quintet. When I’m not at school, I live back in Monroe, LA with my fiancé where I teach trumpet lessons to local kids and take on local gig opportunities.

On to the hymns! I will shine a light on the opening hymn only, so as not to make this article too lengthy. 

It has been many, many weeks since we have uttered the word "Alleluia." During Lent, we try to restrain unbridled praise so that we might feel and proclaim our ecstatic joy for the resurrection more completely on Easter. The "alleluias" will come back with a vengeance this Sunday morn! How many times do we sing "alleluia" in the opening hymn, "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today"? I won't tell you the answer...you'll just have to count for yourself! 

"Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" demonstrates an intriguing mixture of hymn-writing styles. The first two measures of each phrase are quite rigid, metrical, consistent--quite in line with 16th-century Lutheran hymnody. In total juxtaposition, the concluding two measures of each phrase launch off into florid melismatic melody--more like free-form Latin chant. The text is an English rendering of the early Lutheran chorale Erstanden ist der heil’ge Christ, published in Nuremberg in 1544, which in turn was taken from a 14th-century Latin carol, Surrexit Christus hodie. [SOURCE] So perhaps the stylistic shifts in the music are intentional! 

Last, here is the text, by Joseph Addison, of our choral anthem, "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" by Hal H. Hopson.

When all thy mercies, O my God My rising soul surveys, Shout glory, glory, hallelujah. 

Transported with the view, I'm lost in wonder, love, and praise. Shout, glory, glory, hallelujah.

I will praise God forever, I will shout aloud and sing, Shout glory, glory, hallelujah.

Unnumbered comforts to my soul Thy tender care bestowed, Shout gory, glory, hallelujah.

Before my infant heart conceived From whom those comforts flowed, Shout glory, glory hallelujah.

I will praise God forever, I will shout aloud and sing, Shout glory, glory, hallelujah.

Ten thousand, thousand precious gifts My daily thanks employ; Shout glory, glory hallelujah.

Nor is the least a cheerful heart That tastes those gifts with joy. Shout, glory, glory hallelujah.

I will praise God forever, I will shout aloud and sing, Shout glory, glory, hallelujah.

Through all eternity to thee A joyful song I'll raise. Shout, glory, glory hallelujah.

For O eternity's too short To utter all thy praise. Shout, glory, glory hallelujah.