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St.
Thomas Church
Choral
Eucharist
September 11th 2002
There
are those drudge minimalists who believe that grand pomp should be
reserved for Judgment Day alone and that all the big pipes and
trumpets are there only, out of faith, for use when that day
arrives. Thankfully, St. Thomas Church, under the musical
hands of the Hancocks, does not belong to that school of thought.
Au contraire, elegant thunder is their mode of expression for both
moments of reverence and joy.
During
the expanded Choral Eucharist at noon on 9/11/02, America the
Beautiful was sung with fervor by a full red hot blooded house
as the organ bellowed in glory. (ah yes, well, I believe that God
Save the Queen was sung the evening before during the service
in memory of British victims, in the presence of The Archbishop of
Canterbury). With Widor predominant, this was a two organ
and full choir of men and boys in the chancel and rear gallery
monumental memorial. Gerre Hancock conducted; Judith Hancock, with
high tech headset, played the cancel consol whilst in
communication with Brian Harlow at the new rear Gallery Organ.
A
seemingly gay elegant touch was noted, with pursed lips, in a new
dossal hanging of black and gold paisley cloth which was matched,
mind you, by the outer vestments of the clergy and also by the
pulpit fall. As if that were not all a bit much, the fall
had a red and white fringe to match the American flag standing
nearby. Veddy proper for sure. Ah well, why not.
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"September
Sun"
St.
Bartholomew's Church
September 15th 2002
As
it did in memory of Matthew Shepard, St. Bartholomew's Church
commissioned a new work to commemorate the tragedy of September
Eleventh one year ago. "September Sun" was
composed by San Franciscan, David Conte to words written by poet
John Sterling Walker, who had collaborated
in creating Elegy
for Matthew two
years ago.
With
William Trafka conducting choir and string orchestra, this anthem
is somber, quiet, and deeply reverent. It instills a
reflective stillness rather than anger or even beauty. The
promise of renewal is in the words while the music that echoes
them has a more haunting sense of profound sadness. As
stanzas progress and repeat one hears, always subtly, first the
bustle of people going to work, hints of drama regarding what is
to come that day, and then not a crescendo but rather the
incredible stillness that followed the catastrophe. One may
experience, via the score, the silence of those who survived that
day as well as that of those who perished.
A
discussion preceding the service in which the anthem was premiered
disclosed the creative process and meaning that Mr. Conte and Mr.
Walker experienced. The acrostic of the Walker poem provides
the meaning of its hope: "God dwells in joy in the midst of
sorrow." The 'sun' both bears witness and represents
Devine grace, it was explained. Hence the message and hope
in this brilliant work is that of transcendence.
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