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First Sunday in Lent (March 1, 2009): “Lord Jesus, think on me.” This hymn appears in The Hymnal 1982 at #641, but we will be using a later arrangement provided in the hymnal supplement Wonder, Love and Praise. The text is the familiar one written by the 5th century author Synesius of Cyrene as paraphrased later by the English clergyman A. W. Chatfield (1808-1896). The newer musical setting that we will be using for our anthem this Sunday is by the 20th century composer Owen Burdick, who has borrowed the melody from the well known English organist and composer Joseph Barnby (1803-1871), and has provided a fresh and expressive harmonic setting for it. Thus, this piece of music is yet another example of a combination of both text and music which is the result of several revisions and adaptations—a procedure quite commonly found in hymnal compilations.
Second Sunday in Lent (March 8, 2009): "Take up your cross, the Savior said" (See The Hymnal 1982 #675). The words contain a direct quotation from this Sunday's Gospel reading from Mark as amplified upon by the 19th century priest, the Rev. Charles W. Everest (1814-1877) and altered for inclusion in our present hymnal. The musical setting is to a melody with the tune name Bourbon, which is also used for quite a different text at #147. The origin of this melody is obscure, but it appears in several hymn collections and with a variety of texts. The attractive modal melody is typical of many 19th century vernacular tunes and is set in the version to be sung as Sunday's anthem by the Rev. John L. Hooker, a native of Leesville, Louisiana, and a distinguished graduate of Shreveport's own Centenary College. Among Fr. Hooker's many accomplishments was that of being editor of the 1997 hymnal supplement, Wonder, Love and Praise.
Ronald E. Dean
Organist-Choirmaster
