Issue 9 - The Shepherd and ... the Duke?

This week's prelude, Sheep May Safely Graze, was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. You may recognize this piece as something you've heard at weddings... it's widely requested by brides. I chose to play this piece because 1) it's great music and 2) the original text to the aria goes well with the lessons for the day about Jesus as the shepherd, keeping his sheep secure. The text of the Bach aria, upon which the organ prelude is based, reads:

Sheep may safely graze where a good shepherd watches.
Where rulers govern well, one senses peace and harmony
And that makes for blissful nations.

Hmm. This starts out sounding like a text related to scripture. But, "rulers governing well" and "blissful nations"? In truth, this is not one of Bach's sacred cantatas; rather, it's secular. It was composed in 1713 after being commissioned by his employer, Duke Wilhelm Hurst, in Weimar. It was a ceremonial gift to Duke Christian of Sachsen-Weissenfels. No doubt, Bach is most certainly referencing the parable of the Good Shepherd, those who heard the cantata for the Duke would have made this connection easily. However, Bach uses the parable as a reference to the earthly relationship between the Duke and his subjects. Quite an honor for the Duke to be referenced as the Good Shepherd! Well, whether secular or sacred, it's a beautiful aria - and for this Sunday, I'll choose to hear the parable in it and will leave the Duke of Sachsen-Weissenfels out of my mind!

At the 11:00 service this Sunday, the Cathedral Choir will sing John Rutter's The Lord is My Shepherd. It's one of my favorite pieces by Rutter (which the choir sings SO gorgeously). I thought it would be fun to do a postlude by John Rutter (b. 1945) to correspond. You may notice in the choir anthem, during the middle section of the piece, a mixed meter section (this happens while they sing "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."). Well, this is a signature compositional tool for Rutter. Mixed meter refers to an alternation between two different time signatures (like 3/8 to 4/8) or it can also refer to an irregular time signature like 7/8. Well, it's fitting that the postlude I chose by Rutter is named "Toccata in Seven" because, once again, Rutter is at it with mixed meters. The time signature 7/8 gives this Toccata quite the festive character!

(Image: Academy in Weissenfels, 1786)