From the Choir Director -
Bernard Wiseman

Music for
Sunday, May 4


Introit
Ukranian Alleluia ..................................................... Craig Courtney

Anthem
Hallelujah — from the "Mount of Olives"
.................................Ludwig von Beethoven

Choral Benediction
Seven Fold Amen .................................................... Frank Bohnhorst





From the Organist -
Dr. Rudolf Zuiderveld

Music for
Sunday, May 4

Prelude:
Partita on the "Hymn to Joy".......................................... John G. Barr

Offertory:
Prelude on the Hymn-Tune "Slane"
................... Frank R. Bohnhorst

Communion:
Hymn Prelude"Rhosymedre" ("Lovely")
................................ Ralph Vaughan Williams

Postlude:
Postlude on "Hymn to Joy".......................................... Gordon Young

Music note :
Music of Beethoven is heard in today's service, including the Sanctuary Choir singing the famous "Hallelujah" from his Cantata "Christ on the Mount of Olives." Beethoven's famous tune, the "Ode to Joy," was composed when he was still in his 20's (about 1797), but became famous when it was made the main theme of the final movement of the ninth symphony of 1824. The hymn has become a celebration of universal equality and serves as a kind of "international anthem." A recent set of variations on the melody by John Barr is heard during the prelude, and the service concludes with a magnificent march-like postlude by Gordon Young, longtime organist at First Presbyterian Church of Detroit, Michigan.

Today's offertory is a hymn tune-prelude on the popular Irish tune "Slane" composed by Frank R. Bohnhorst, brother of Emilie Kuner, who was composer-in-residence at Illinois Wesleyan in the 1950's before his untimely death. The Welsh hymn-tune "Rhosymedre" is heard in a beautiful arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams during communion — a lovely, gently undulating piece, one of the most loved organ pieces at First Presbyterian Church.