Issue 7 - "Blest are they who have not seen..."

This Sunday's prelude and postlude are both based upon the 15th Century hymn O Filii et Filiae which is translated as "O Sons and Daughters of the King" (LBW 139). The hymn's text is a Latin poem written by Jean Tisserand, a Franciscan priest (d. 1494). We do not know who composed the tune but it dates back to 1623 --- it is incredibly popular in French Catholic churches and is used often as liturgical music (but with different words set to it).

We will sing the hymn following the sermon - it celebrates the Gospel text about Thomas' incredulous response to his encounter with Jesus after the resurrection. It is in this hymn (which recites the Gospel story) that we get to cry out with Thomas in belief, "You are my Lord and God!"

The prelude is composed by Wilbur Held, an American composer born in Chicago in 1914 who taught as Professor of Organ and Church Music at Ohio State University for over thirty years. Held composes for all nine verses of the hymn - each has a different personality and paints the text of hymn beautifully. Make sure to follow along in your LBW 139 so you can hear how Held depicts "An Easter morn, at break of day" and "An angel clad in white" -- or my favorite is how he sets Jesus' words "My pierced side, O Thomas, see".

The postlude, in its entirety, has nine verses as well. However, it lasts just a little too long, so I'm cutting a few out (organist's prerogative, I guess)! Jean-François Dandrieu (1682-1738) is a composer of the French Classical style. You can see from his dates, that he was a contemporary of J.S. Bach --- but you won't mistake this music for that of Bach's, trust me! French Classical organ music typically explores the different colors of the organ - and you will indeed hear the variety of sounds in this postlude. However, what always strikes me (literally) about organ music from this nation and time is its flamboyant and noisy nature!

(Image: Caravaggio's "Christ with the Doubting Thomas")