05/16/21 – The Word in Music

This morning, the principal Ministry of the Word will be through music. The Quartet has prepared the festival cantata, “Rejoice in the Lamb” by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). The work is a setting of excerpts from the poem “Jubilate Agno” by Christopher Smart (1722-1771), a poet of exceptional powers whose genius was often on the far side of insanity. Smart wrote this huge poem (a book of several hundred pages) on the walls of his cell in a London insane asylum. But the glimpses of the Eternal, and deep spiritual understanding shines through even this tortured work. Britten selected some of the most poignant parts of the text to set and brought forth one of the true masterworks of the twentieth century. We hope you will join us. The music is no longer than an average sermon!

THE WORD IN MUSIC

May 16, 2021
7th Sunday of Easter

Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten, 1943
(A Festival Cantata)

The Westminster Quartet
Melissa Blain, soprano
Kate Kortemeier, alto
J. Douglas McQueen, tenor
David Kortemeier, baritone
Thomas Clark-Jones, organist-conductor

 

 

THE TEXT:
excerpts from “Jubilate Agno” by Christopher Smart (1722-1771)

Chorus
Rejoice in God, O ye Tongues; give the glory to the Lord, and the Lamb.
Nations, and languages, and every Creature in which is the breath of Life.
Let man and beast appear before him, and magnify his name together.
Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter, bind a Leopard to the altar and consecrate his spear to the Lord.
Let Ishmail dedicate a Tyger, and give praise for the liberty in which the Lord has let him at large.
Let Balaam appear with an Ass, and bless the Lord his people and his creatures for a reward eternal.
Let Daniel come forth with a Lion, and praise God with all his might through faith in Christ Jesus.
Let Ithamar minister with a Chamois, and bless the name of Him that cloatheth the naked.
Let Jakim with the Satyr bless God in the dance.
Let David bless with the Bear — The beginning of victory to the Lord — to the Lord the perfection of
excellence. Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of the artist inimitable, and from the echo
of the heavenly harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty.

Treble solo
For I will consider my cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
For God has bless’d him in the variety of his movements.
For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For I am possessed of a cat, surpassing in beauty, from whom I take occasion to bless Almighty God.

Alto solo
For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour.
For this is a true case: Cat takes female mouse; male mouse will not depart, but stands threat’ning and
daring. If you will let her go, I will engage you, as prodigious a creature as you are.
For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour.
For the Mouse is of an hospitable disposition.

Tenor solo
For the flowers are great blessings.
For the flowers have their angels even the words of God’s Creation.
For the flower glorifies God and the root parries the adversary.
For there is a language of flowers.
For the flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ.

Chorus
For I am under the same accusation with my Saviour, for they said, he is besides himself.
For the officers of the peace are at variance with me, and the watchman smites me with his staff.
For Silly fellow! Silly fellow! is against me, and belongeth neither to me nor to my family.
For I am in twelve Hardships, but he that was born of a virgin shall deliver me out of all.

Bass solo and chorus
For H is a spirit and therefore he is God.
For K is king and therefore he is God.
For L is love and therefore he is God.
For M is musick and therefore he is God.
For the instruments are by their rhimes.
For the Shawm rhimes are lawn fawn moon boon and the like.
For the harp rhimes are sing ring string and the like.
For the cymbal rhimes are bell well toll soul and the like.
For the flute rhimes are tooth youth suit mute and the like.
For the Bassoon rhimes are pass class and the like.
For the dulcimer rhimes are grace place beat heat and the like.
For the Clarinet rhimes are clean seen and the like.
For the trumpet rhimes are sound bound soar more and the like.
For the Trumpet of God is a blessed intelligence and so are all the instruments in Heaven.
For God the Father Almighty plays upon the Harp of stupendous magnitude and melody.
For at that time malignity ceases and the devils themselves are at peace.
For this time is perceptible to man by a remarkable stillness and serenity of soul.

Chorus
Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of the artist inimitable, and from the echo of the
heavenly harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty.

 

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