Music Notes from Director of Music and Organist, Michael Latsko:

For the prelude, I reprise “Chant de Paix” (Song of Peace) by French organist Jean Langlais (1907-1991). I played this piece last summer, saying at the time “[the piece] has a musical calmness to serve as an antidote to our current times.” The same holds true today. Composed on a commission in 1942-43 during World War 2, the song was dedicated to “a peaceful soul, so uncomplaining, so calm in the face of life.” Shimmering strings in the Swell division accompany a melody played with the feet.

Choir member Keith Perry sings the poignant “Priez de paix” (Pray for Peace) by French composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963). The poem by Charles d’Orléans (1394-1465) was printed in Le Figaro in September 1938 when Europe was facing yet another war. The tune came immediately to Poulenc: "I have tried in this mélodie to give an impression of fervor and above all, of humility, which for me is the finest quality of prayer." Young Poulenc fought in WWI, and Charles, Duke of Orléans, at the age of 19, fought in the battle of Agincourt. D’Orléans was taken prisoner, but King Henry V considered Charles too valuable to ransom. Some 18 years after the King's death in 1440, Charles was freed. During captivity, Charles wrote most of his vast poem, including the verse we’ll here in which the poet asks the Virgin Mary for peace (the full text is found in the email with the podcast link). The stately introduction sets the pulse which continues throughout the song (and seems much slower than the metronome marking). A commentator noted “Composer and poet make time stand still in every way.” This “Prayer” is a new work for me, and I really haven’t experienced anything like it. See what you think.

The postlude, usually loud and raucous, melds this week’s themes of peace and gentleness with patriotism, appropriate for our current time. “I vow to thee my country” was written by diplomat Cecil Spring Rice (1859-1918) in 1908 or 1912 as "Urbs Dei" ("The City of God") or "The Two Fatherlands". The poem describes a Christian’s dual loyalties to earthly homeland and the heavenly kingdom. The poem circulated privately for a few years until it was set to music by English composer Gustav Holst (1874-1934) to a tune he adapted from the theme for “Jupiter” in his orchestral suite “The Planets.” The work was performed as a unison song with orchestra in the early 1920s; in 1926, Holst harmonized the tune to make it usable as a hymn, included in the hymnal Songs of Praise with the hymn tune name "Thaxted" (the name of the village where Holst lived for many years). The full text is set out below. The arrangement I will play is by my good friend Charles Thatcher, long-time church musician now based in Winter Park, FL. Pay particular attention to the final lines of the second verse (the reason I chose this piece for today) which are based on Proverbs 3:17, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." (the full text is found in the email with the podcast link).

Soloist: Keith Perry

Officiant and Homilist: The Rev. G. Miles Smith

Liturgical excerpts are from The Book of Common Prayer 1979