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Scarsdale Congregational Church75th Anniversary AnthemAbout the SCC, Worship and Music |
Minister of Music John F. Schuder graciously consented to tell us some of the thoughts
and process which brought us the anthem he composed for our 75th Anniversary, first performed
in public on Sunday, October 24, 1999. There are also
comments from those who experienced this
anthem as singers in the choir.
The first stage of the compositional process was a lengthy search for a text that would be particularly appropriate to the occasion and that could be satisfactorily accomodated within the length of a standard anthem.
Ps 90:1 --to recognize the foundation and continuity of faith as a gift from God that has been given form in the Scarsdale Congregational Church by those who have come before us.
Ps 16:5,6 --all the works of the past, present and future made possible and nourished by the grace of God as reflected in the history of the church at large and the SCC in particular
Ps 90:17 --A sense of blessing and hope for the future; that God may bless our continuing efforts that they may be a blessing to others
There are three distinct elements of musical material - almost every measure, including episodic material, contains one or another of the three main musical ideas. The organ participates as an equal partner to the choir in the manner of the English Cathedral anthem.
The opening, angular theme implies strength and durability. It is used again in the middle of the anthem in fugal form to underscore the words "I have a goodly heritage," and returns at the conclusion, stated first by the Trompete stops of the organ, then sung by the choir to "Amen."
The next musical theme is initially set to the same opening verse as a second, more contemplative expression of the text; this theme is again used the first time that the 17th verse from Psalm 90 is sung.
The third musical idea, like the second, is a gently undulating line here used to express the words from Psalm 16. It is repeated, reversing the choral forces. This also concludes with the phrase "I have a goodly heritage" set differently from the first and included to keep that idea foremost throughout the anthem. This melody is again used to give emphasis to the 'blessing' as it is sung in unison and accompanied by an increasingly fuller organ accompaniment that leads to the concluding prayer, "O prosper..."