In the last post, I listed all the music that the Lutheran Church of Honolulu will be performing at the Choral Vespers service this Sunday night at 7:30 pm. Now I would like to tell you all about the music that is being done on Sunday morning at the 10:30 service.

The organ music will be the complete Sonate III by Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), which is based on three folk songs. I will play the first movement for the prelude, the second movement for the communion, and the last movement for the postlude. It’s a piece I know very well, as I played it for my graduate recital at Westminster Choir College.

For the opening hymn, we will sing Martin Luther’s “Ein feste Burg” (A mighty fortress), with two verses in the rhythmic setting and two verses in the isometric (even) setting. We have sung this hymn this way ever since the Lutheran Book of Worship printed both versions of the hymn, which means it’s been since 1978. Back then it was a big deal to sing the syncopated version, but now it’s old hat. On the last verse the sopranos will sing a descant by Dale Wood.

The liturgical music will be the Lutheran Chorale Mass, beginning with “Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit,” followed immediately by “Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr” (the Gloria). I think that out of all the mass settings we sing, this one is my favorite — perhaps because I learned all the organ settings of these great hymns long before I knew the hymn settings.

We’ll sing Psalm 46 in a setting by Peter Hallock, and an Alleluia by Heinrich Isaac (1450-1517). Another Martin Luther hymn, “Erhalt uns Herr” (Lord, keep us steadfast) will be sung as the children’s hymn, then another great Lutheran tune, “Salvation unto us has come” will be the pulpit hymn.

After the sermon, all will stand and sing the Credo (“Wir glauben all in einen Gott”) and traditionally the second verse is sung unaccompanied, so don’t panic when the organ drops out! The offertory will be “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her” by Hugo Distler (1908-1942). The communion motet will be “Jesus Christ, our blessed savior” with each verse set by a different composer, one by Distler, and the last by Bach. We’ll close with “Dear Christians, one and all rejoice,” another great Lutheran hymn.

So, put it all together with all the pieces we’re doing in the evening, and I basically am playing a two-foot stack of music! (just kidding! but not really!) It will be a Lutheran service, through and through.

After the Credo, there will be a Godspeed ceremony to thank Allen Bauchle for his 20 years of service at LCH as assistant choirmaster. Miguel Felipe said he was only in intermediate school back then! But just think, I started as organist at LCH before Miguel was even born!