Program Notes. What song shall I sing to thee at thy departure, O Compassionate Savior? ~ from the ninth hymn of Passion Week

Transcription

1 Program Notes Introduction What song shall I sing to thee at thy departure, O Compassionate Savior? ~ from the ninth hymn of Passion Week If this quote from Grechaninov s magnificent Passion Week could be changed by two words, then it would be a perfect introduction. If it read, What song shall I compose for thee at thy departure?, then it would lead us directly to the musical genius of this Russian Orthodox composer. As a composer of settings for sacred texts, Grechaninov had to choose from the extensive number used in the various Orthodox services and liturgies for Holy Week. If his tradition had been that of Johann Sebastian Bach, he would have composed a Passion that consisted of the entire Gospel chapters devoted to Jesus last days, interspersed with poignant, hymn-like devotional meditations. If his tradition had been similar to that behind Handel s Messiah, he would have used no other words but Old and New Testament scripture though assembled together with imagination so that the words themselves preach. But Grechaninov s heritage is the rich one of Russian Orthodoxy. If you jump ahead now to read the thirteen songs that he set to music, you ll see how their style differs from those that characterize Bach and Handel. The thirteen Russian Orthodox hymns freely combine scripture with religious poetry. This style is of course very familiar to us here in America as it is the style of the majority of our hymns. For our hymns are simultaneously scriptural and also reflections on the scripture. As you read through the thirteen songs or hymns which Grechaninov chose for his Passion Week, you will find two which are already familiar in the Western canon, for we sing them in

2 many of our churches. These are No. 4, Gladsome Light and the concluding section, No. 13, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. But keep in mind that the words for the other eleven hymns would have been as familiar to Russian Orthodox audiences as such old favorites as The Old Rugged Cross, or Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? are to us. The impossible-to-summarize genius of Grechaninov centers around how he transformed traditional words, and ancient liturgical chants, into a personal, yet universal, New Creation. As the other worldly and resonant syllables of Old Church Slavonic flow over us in the holy space of this historic chapel, we will have plenty of time to read and re-read the sacred texts being sung. One response to them is to borrow the words which begin and end Grechaninov s Passion Week, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! 1. Behold, the Bridegroom comes Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall fi nd watching; but unworthy is the servant whom He shall fi nd in slothfulness. Beware, therefore, O my soul! Be not overcome by sleep, lest you be given over to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom. But rouse yourself, and cry aloud: Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God. Through the Theotokos, have mercy upon us! ~ from the Matins on Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday This devotional hymn begins with the ancient Hebrew word that was never translated as it has entered directly into every subsequent language. But you won t find Alleluia! in either of the two parables which provide the inspiration for this song. The

3 parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins is cited first: Behold, the bridegroom comes at midnight, (Matthew 25:6). And immediately afterwards comes a direct quote from the preceding parable of the Unworthy Servant: Blessed is the servant whom he [the Master] shall find watching, (Matthew 24:46). The hymn then changes tone. Like the masterful devotional arias in Bach s Passions, it becomes a personal cry of the heart that is not afraid to use the words I, My and Me. (It is of interest to note how often these words occur in these thirteen hymns.) This section concludes, however, with an expression of theology that is especially Russian. The final prayer is to Mary, the Mother of God, called by her uniquely Russian Orthodox name of Theotokos Bearer of God. And one more note, one that is unique for us here in this chapel: for an impressive visual commentary on the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, be sure to go and look at the big stained glass window to the left (or northeast) side of the altar. 2. Thy bridal chamber I see thy bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, but I have no wedding garment that I may enter there. Make the robe of my soul to shine, O Giver of Light, and save me. ~ from the Matins on Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday This devotional song takes its source from the strange, or mystical, parable of the Unworthy Wedding Guest, which is part of the long parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. It does much more than use the parable as its source it interprets and expands the parable. Most significantly, it gives it a happy ending (or at least the hope of a happy ending). The unfortunate person who was not wearing a wedding garment is transformed into Everyman for everyone has a soul, and everyone has the hope

4 that their soul will one day shine in the light of the savior and not be cast into the outer darkness! 3. In Thy Kingdom In Thy Kingdom remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be fi lled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven.

5 Glory to the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. Remember us, O Master, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. Remember us, O Holy One, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. ~ before the Liturgy of the Presanctifi ed Gifts This song, like so many in Handel s Messiah, weaves together two scripture texts from two different books of the Bible. Here it is Luke 23:43 and Matthew 5:2-10 the poignant cry of the wise thief on the cross and the ever-challenging Beatitudes. The refrain from Luke s thief is not quoted verbatim. It is adapted and changed from the first person singular to the first person plural, from me to us. Grechaninov is using an existing liturgical chant, so this bit of theological daring is not his. But the fact that it is done, indeed the entire concept of purposefully combining these two passages, must have something to do with the element of freedom that music itself adds to words. Music can take repetitive words which would be either boring or bothersome if spoken, and transform them so that they have the opposite effect: they give pleasure rather than cause discomfort. Note the slight variations in the refrain at the end: the adding of the doxology ( Glory to the Father ) and the different ways to say Lord ( Master and Holy One ). Are not these verbal variations also intrinsically related to the exigencies and needs of the music itself? Ask any of our La Crosse area composers who are here today 4. Gladsome Light Gladsome Light of the Holy Glory of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, and blessed, O Jesus Christ! Now that we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening, we praise God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6 For meet is it at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise, O Son of God and Giver of life: therefore all the world glorifi es Thee. ~ at Vespers and at the Liturgy of the Presanctifi ed Gifts This ancient song, known as the lamp lighting hymn, was already popular in 365 A.D. when St. Basil mentions how it was sung by many. It is an evening, or vespers hymn. Some may know it by its name in Greek, which is its first two words: Phos Hilaron. It is found in many modern hymnals in a metrical, rhyming translation that begins, O gladsome light, O grace/of God the Father s face. This hymn provides an insight into the realm of Eastern Orthodox liturgical practices the world which lies behind this Passion Week. In an effort to be dramatic (or perhaps just mystical) during the Orthodox Holy Week, liturgies for the evening are sung in the morning and vice versa. Hence the Now that we have come to the setting of the sun of Gladsome Light would have been heard at 10 o clock in the morning on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week. Doing this also emphasizes the assertion that Meet it is to at all times worship thee with voices of praise. 5. Let my prayer arise Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense: and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifi ce. Lord, I call upon Thee, hear me: receive the voice of my prayer when I call upon Thee. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth: and keep watch over the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, nor to make excuses for my sins. ~ Psalm 141: 2, 1, 3-4

7 Psalm 141 is one of the many Psalms of David. But that is not in any way highlighted here. What is emphasized is a personal appropriation of the ancient words. The text is again an evening hymn that again would be sung in the morning! It points to the Russian Orthodox tradition of standing throughout the two to three hour worship service. Though I would guess that the concert goers who heard the premiere of Grechaninov s Passion Week in Moscow on November 12, 1912 did not have to stand during the entire performance! The final part of this psalm/prayer is slightly different in Russian than in our tradition. In English, when the worshipper prays to God that his heart not make excuses for my sins, the translation is more cumbersome (and less musical) Do not turn my heart to busy myself with wicked deeds. 6. Now the powers of heaven Now the powers of heaven minister unseen with us. Lo, the King of glory enters in, Lo, the mystical sacrifi ce, fully accomplished, is borne on high. Let us draw near with faith and love, that we may become partakers of life eternal. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ~ from the Liturgy of the Presanctifi ed Gifts Grechaninov s setting of this hymn, the first of two which are liturgically related to Holy Communion, uses a double chorus. This signifies and prefigures the double chorus of the cherubim and seraphim who cry out to one another in Isaiah s vision in the temple, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! We ll hear the composer s version of this suprahuman hymn in the concluding section of Passion Week which also entails dividing the Chamber Chorale into two choirs. Note that while the imagery of this short hymn derives from the Old Testament, its subject matter is Christ s sacrifice in the Eucharist.

8 Again, it is the power of music (and of tradition!) that permit the words to say one thing, while the real meaning is somewhere else. 7. At Thy mystical supper At Thy mystical supper, O Son of God, today accept me as a partaker: for I will not speak of the mystery to Thine enemies. I will not give Thee a kiss like Judas, but as the thief I confess Thee: Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingly power. ~ from the Liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday The Last Supper is not called that in the Russian Orthodox tradition. Instead it is referred to as the Mystical Supper. The imaginative imagery of this short hymn places the famous kiss of Judas at the Supper itself rather than later, at the Mount of Olives. The main recurring theme of Passion Week is heard here. This deals with all the thoughts and emotions inherent in the good thief s plea to Jesus. We heard these words in the third hymn and they are alluded to in the following section. Note how Grechaninov employs a double chorus again here. It has the effect of creating a sense of the large space of a Russian cathedral. This hymn reminds us that Orthodox churches have a symbolic screen or partition behind which the uninitiated may not go. Here the uninitiated are referred to as enemies of Christ who are not to know His mysteries. 8. The wise thief The wise thief in a single moment Thou didst make worthy of Paradise, O Lord. By the wood of the cross enlighten me also and save me. ~ a hymn sung on Great and Holy Friday

9 For this simple and heartfelt prayer, Grechaninov uses a double choir. And again the theme is the repentant thief used as an example, almost as a hero, to follow. The prayer for enlightenment and salvation echoes the similar petition found in the second section: Make the robe of my soul to shine, O Giver of Light, and save me. The musical setting here also echoes the same ancient chants that the composer employed in the second section. It perhaps does not need to be pointed out that the Holy Cross of Jesus gave rise to the religious practice of swearing by it which is the source of our superstition of knocking on wood. 9. Thou who clothest Thyself with light Thou, who clothest Thyself with light as a garment, wast taken down from the cross by Joseph, with Nicodemus; and as he gazed upon Thee dead, naked, and unburied, he wept in tenderhearted compassion, and lamented, saying: Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus! When but a little while ago the sun saw Thee hanging on the cross, it wrapped itself in darkness. The earth quaked with fear, and the veil of the temple was rent in twain. Now I see Thee submitting of Thine own will to death for my sake. How shall I bury Thee, my God? With what linen shroud shall I wrap Thee? With what hands shall I touch Thy most pure body? What song shall I sing to Thee at thy departure, O compassionate Savior? I extol Thy Passion! In song I glorify Thy burial and Thy Resurrection, crying: O Lord, glory to Thee! ~ a hymn sung at Vespers on Great and Holy Friday

10 This song begins with a condensed version of the first and second verses of Psalm 104. Then it makes the theologically imaginative leap to the pious acts of Joseph of Arimathea, the little known disciple who buried Jesus in his own new tomb. The most imaginative part of this is the words that Joseph speaks through his tears, Woe is me, my sweetest Jesus. (This line sounds like it could be from an African-American spiritual!) The next stanza further describes the events of Good Friday. This is immediately followed by an emotional, personal response to the Passion. I am confident that the composer must have been personally touched and moved by the question and answer given here: What song shall I sing to thee at thy departure? Answer: In song I glorify thy burial and thy resurrection. 10. The Lord is God The noble Joseph The Lord is God and has revealed Himself to us, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the cross, wrapped it in clean linen, anointed it with sweet spices, and laid it in a new tomb. ~ a hymn sung at Vespers on Great and Holy Friday and at Matins on Great and Holy Saturday Here, in what the musicologists label the most straightforward presentation of chant melody, we have a short, mirror image of the preceding hymn. This too begins with a verse that combines Old and New Testament phrasing, with its declaration, The Lord is God, and its Psalm Sunday acclamation, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Then it continues the story of Joseph of Arimathea (from Matthew 27:57-60 and Luke 23:50-53) and describes what the noble Joseph did when all of the other disciples had fled.

11 But this hymn is much more somber. It contains no reference to the resurrection. One musicologist wrote that here the composer, transmuted the harmonic movement of the bass line into a solemn ostinato so as to create the effect of a funeral march. 11. Weep not for me, O Mother Weep not for me, O Mother, seeing me in the tomb, the Son whom thou didst conceive in the womb without seed; for I shall arise and be glorifi ed; and, as God, I shall unceasingly exalt all who extol thee in faith and love. ~ hymn to the Mother of God for Great and Holy Saturday Grechaninov s Passion Week tells the story of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. But it does not tell it in a systematic way. It has a subjective, hence artistic, feel to it. From the huge amount of available material, the composer had to pick and choose the liturgical songs that appealed to him the most. This is just one possible way to explain why this vivid (and, let s confess, a little foreign-sounding to our ears) Russian Orthodox hymn appears here. In it Jesus literally speaks from the tomb to Mary, his mother. On the one hand, it s logical that this scene should follow that of Jesus being laid in the tomb. But on the other hand, this kind of speculative theology is very rare in our Western tradition. This hymn then provides a prominent example of why this entire work can be so appealing to us over here in America. It offers new insights into the old, old story of Jesus and his love. 12. As many as have been baptized As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia!

12 Glory to the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Arise, O God, and judge the earth, for to thee shall belong all the nations. ~ from the Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday (Psalm 82) Here we leave the free use of theological imagination and speculation and return to the solid ground of St. Paul, the liturgy and the Psalms. The first line of this hymn is taken directly from Paul s Letter to the Galatians, chapter three, verse 27. A great deal of Pauline theology comes along with this one verse, including his mystical idea that believers are baptized into Christ s death (Romans 6:3). The second line is the very old and very familiar doxology that is a repeated part of ancient (and modern) liturgies and which came to be used as a traditional final verse for a great number of modern (and ancient) hymns. The final line is the first verse of Psalm 82. It affirms the sovereignty of God right at this moment on Holy Saturday when Jesus is absent from the earth. 13. Let all mortal flesh keep silence Let all mortal fl esh keep silence, and in fear and trembling stand, and let it take no thought for any earthly thing. For the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords draws near to be sacrifi ced and to give Himself as food to the faithful. Amen. Before Him go the choirs of Angels all the Principalities and Powers. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, who cover their faces as they sing the hymn: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! ~ from the Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday

13 Passion Week both the musical work of Grechaninov and the Gospel Story does not end on Holy Saturday. (Though Bach s St. Matthew Passion leaves us there, with Jesus in the tomb, while the women lament his death.) Passion Week ends with Easter. Passion Week begins with Easter! This Grechaninov illustrates by beginning and ending with Alleluias! Grechaninov concludes Passion Week with this hymn that in the west is an Advent and Christmas hymn whose first verse sings of Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand. It is also used as a communion hymn. As such, it emphasizes the sacrificial death of Jesus. And it is a hymn which does what so many of the songs in Passion Week do: it links the New Testament with the Old, joining the Lord Jesus with the thrice holy God who sits enthroned in the temple in Jerusalem, whose Glory the prophet Isaiah witnessed and celebrated in the famous sixth chapter of his book. I end these notes with a question that may sound like it is just for composers but it is for everyone: What hymn would you choose as the concluding one in your own choice of thirteen songs about Christ s passion? Program Notes by Rev. Donald H. Fox, Staff Chaplain at Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare and Pastor of Lower Coon Valley Lutheran Church