Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Det kimer nu til julefest (see ELH #143)
v. 9 Come, Jesus, glorious heavnl'y Guest,
Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast;
Then David's harp-string, hushed so long.
Shall swell our jubilee of song.
Dejlig er den himmel bla (see ELH #120)
v. 6 As a star, God's holy Word
Leads us to our King and Lord;
Brightly from its sacred pages
Shall this light throughout the ages
Shine upon our path of life.
Christmas book - 'The Book of Genesis'
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Her Kommer Dine Arme Sma
see Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, #144. Text by H.A. Brorson, 1694-1764; translated by H.R.K. Spaeth, 1845-1925.
Observing Christmas With Bach
"Weihnachtsoratorium" Cantata No. 1 (Am ersten Weihanchtsfeiertage) BWV246 for choir, soloists, 2 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, 2 oboe d'amore, strings, and basso continuo
No 1. Coro: "Jauchzet, frohlocket!"
Performed by Concentus Musicus Wien & the Arnold Schoenberg Chor
Featuring Christine Schafer, soprano
Bernarda Fink, alto
Werner Gura, tenor
Gerald Finley, bass
Christian Gerthaher, bass
Directed by Nicholas Harnoncourt
*Recorded in 2007
**The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachtsoratorium) BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a now lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of the parody technique. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Discussion of Bach's Cantata #132
For a detailed analysis of Bach's Cantata #132, see the link:
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV132-D.htm
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV132-D.htm
#132 Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
1. Aria S
Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
Bereitet die Wege
Und machet die Stege
Im Glauben und Leben
Dem Höchsten ganz eben,
Messias kömmt an!
Make ready the pathways
And make ev'ry byway
In faith and in living
Now smooth for the Highest,
Messiah shall come!
2. Recitativo T
Continuo
Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen,
So müssen Herz und Mund den Heiland frei bekennen.
Ja, Mensch, dein ganzes Leben
Muss von dem Glauben Zeugnis geben!
Soll Christi Wort und Lehre
Auch durch dein Blut versiegelt sein,
So gib dich willig drein!
Denn dieses ist der Christen Kron und Ehre.
Indes, mein Herz, bereite
Noch heute
Dem Herrn die Glaubensbahn
Und räume weg die Hügel und die Höhen,
Die ihm entgegen stehen!
Wälz ab die schweren Sündensteine,
Nimm deinen Heiland an,
Dass er mit dir im Glauben sich vereine!
If thou wouldst call thyself God's child and Christ's own brother,
Then freely thy heart and mouth the Savior must acknowledge.
Yes, man, thy life entirely
Must by its faith give constant witness!
If Christ's own word and teaching
E'en through thy blood is to be sealed,
Thyself then willing give!
Because this is the Christian's crown and glory.
Meanwhile, my heart, make ready,
Today yet,
To God the way of faith
And clear away the high hills and the mountains
Which in the path oppose him!
Roll back the heavy stones of error,
Receive thy Savior now,
That he with thee in faith may be united!
3. Aria B
Violoncello, Continuo
Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen,
Da wirst du sonder Heuchelei,
Ob du, o Mensch, falsch oder treu,
Dein rechtes Urteil hören müssen.
Wer bist du? Frage das Gesetze,
Das wird dir sagen, wer du bist,
Ein Kind des Zorns in Satans Netze,
Ein falsch und heuchlerischer Christ.
Who art thou? Question thine own conscience,
Thou shalt without hypocrisy,
If thou, O man, art false or true,
Thy proper judgment have to hear now.
Who art thou? Question the commandment
Which will then tell thee who thou art,
A child of wrath in Satan's clutches,
A Christian false and hypocrite.
4. Recitativo A
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen,
Ich habe dich bisher nicht recht bekannt.
Ob Mund und Lippen gleich dich Herrn und Vater nennen,
Hat sich mein Herz doch von dir abgewandt.
Ich habe dich verleugnet mit dem Leben!
Wie kannst du mir ein gutes Zeugnis geben?
Als, Jesu, mich dein Geist und Wasserbad
Gereiniget von meiner Missetat,
Hab ich dir zwar stets feste Treu versprochen;
Ach! aber ach! der Taufbund ist gebrochen.
Die Untreu reuet mich!
Ach Gott, erbarme dich,
Ach hilf, dass ich mit unverwandter Treue
Den Gnadenbund im Glauben stets erneue!
I will, my God, to thee make free confession, I have not thee till now in truth confessed.
Although my mouth and lips have named thee Lord and Father,
My heart no less hath from thee turned away.
I have thee disavowed within my living!
How canst thou then for me good witness offer?
When, Jesus, me thy Spirit's waters bathed
And made me clean of all my sinful deeds,
I did in truth swear constant faith unto thee;
Ah! Ah, alas! Baptism's bond is broken.
I rue my faithlessness!
Ah God, be merciful,
Ah, help that I with loyalty unswerving
The bond of grace through faith renew forever!
5. Aria A
Violino solo, Continuo
Christi Glieder, ach bedenket,
Was der Heiland euch geschenket
Durch der Taufe reines Bad!
Bei der Blut- und Wasserquelle
Werden eure Kleider helle,
Die befleckt von Missetat.
Christus gab zum neuen Kleide
Roten Purpur, weiße Seide,
Diese sind der Christen Staat.
Christ's own members, ah, consider
What the Savior you hath granted
Through baptism's cleansing bath!(2)
By this spring of blood and water
Are your garments all made radiant
Which were stained by sinful deeds.
Christ then gave as your new raiment
Crimson purple, silken whiteness,(3)
These now are the Christians' dress.
6. Choral
Instrumentierung nicht überliefert
Ertöt uns durch deine Güte;
Erweck uns durch deine Gnad;
Den alten Menschen kränke,
Dass der neu' leben mag
Wohl hie auf dieser Erden,
Den Sinn und Begehrden
Und G'danken habn zu dir.
Us mortify through thy kindness,
Arouse us through thy dear grace;
The ancient man make weaker,
So that the new may live
E'en here while on earth dwelling,
His mind and ev'ry yearning,
His thoughts inclined to thee.
1. Aria S
Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!
Bereitet die Wege
Und machet die Stege
Im Glauben und Leben
Dem Höchsten ganz eben,
Messias kömmt an!
Make ready the pathways
And make ev'ry byway
In faith and in living
Now smooth for the Highest,
Messiah shall come!
2. Recitativo T
Continuo
Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen,
So müssen Herz und Mund den Heiland frei bekennen.
Ja, Mensch, dein ganzes Leben
Muss von dem Glauben Zeugnis geben!
Soll Christi Wort und Lehre
Auch durch dein Blut versiegelt sein,
So gib dich willig drein!
Denn dieses ist der Christen Kron und Ehre.
Indes, mein Herz, bereite
Noch heute
Dem Herrn die Glaubensbahn
Und räume weg die Hügel und die Höhen,
Die ihm entgegen stehen!
Wälz ab die schweren Sündensteine,
Nimm deinen Heiland an,
Dass er mit dir im Glauben sich vereine!
If thou wouldst call thyself God's child and Christ's own brother,
Then freely thy heart and mouth the Savior must acknowledge.
Yes, man, thy life entirely
Must by its faith give constant witness!
If Christ's own word and teaching
E'en through thy blood is to be sealed,
Thyself then willing give!
Because this is the Christian's crown and glory.
Meanwhile, my heart, make ready,
Today yet,
To God the way of faith
And clear away the high hills and the mountains
Which in the path oppose him!
Roll back the heavy stones of error,
Receive thy Savior now,
That he with thee in faith may be united!
3. Aria B
Violoncello, Continuo
Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen,
Da wirst du sonder Heuchelei,
Ob du, o Mensch, falsch oder treu,
Dein rechtes Urteil hören müssen.
Wer bist du? Frage das Gesetze,
Das wird dir sagen, wer du bist,
Ein Kind des Zorns in Satans Netze,
Ein falsch und heuchlerischer Christ.
Who art thou? Question thine own conscience,
Thou shalt without hypocrisy,
If thou, O man, art false or true,
Thy proper judgment have to hear now.
Who art thou? Question the commandment
Which will then tell thee who thou art,
A child of wrath in Satan's clutches,
A Christian false and hypocrite.
4. Recitativo A
Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo
Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen,
Ich habe dich bisher nicht recht bekannt.
Ob Mund und Lippen gleich dich Herrn und Vater nennen,
Hat sich mein Herz doch von dir abgewandt.
Ich habe dich verleugnet mit dem Leben!
Wie kannst du mir ein gutes Zeugnis geben?
Als, Jesu, mich dein Geist und Wasserbad
Gereiniget von meiner Missetat,
Hab ich dir zwar stets feste Treu versprochen;
Ach! aber ach! der Taufbund ist gebrochen.
Die Untreu reuet mich!
Ach Gott, erbarme dich,
Ach hilf, dass ich mit unverwandter Treue
Den Gnadenbund im Glauben stets erneue!
I will, my God, to thee make free confession, I have not thee till now in truth confessed.
Although my mouth and lips have named thee Lord and Father,
My heart no less hath from thee turned away.
I have thee disavowed within my living!
How canst thou then for me good witness offer?
When, Jesus, me thy Spirit's waters bathed
And made me clean of all my sinful deeds,
I did in truth swear constant faith unto thee;
Ah! Ah, alas! Baptism's bond is broken.
I rue my faithlessness!
Ah God, be merciful,
Ah, help that I with loyalty unswerving
The bond of grace through faith renew forever!
5. Aria A
Violino solo, Continuo
Christi Glieder, ach bedenket,
Was der Heiland euch geschenket
Durch der Taufe reines Bad!
Bei der Blut- und Wasserquelle
Werden eure Kleider helle,
Die befleckt von Missetat.
Christus gab zum neuen Kleide
Roten Purpur, weiße Seide,
Diese sind der Christen Staat.
Christ's own members, ah, consider
What the Savior you hath granted
Through baptism's cleansing bath!(2)
By this spring of blood and water
Are your garments all made radiant
Which were stained by sinful deeds.
Christ then gave as your new raiment
Crimson purple, silken whiteness,(3)
These now are the Christians' dress.
6. Choral
Instrumentierung nicht überliefert
Ertöt uns durch deine Güte;
Erweck uns durch deine Gnad;
Den alten Menschen kränke,
Dass der neu' leben mag
Wohl hie auf dieser Erden,
Den Sinn und Begehrden
Und G'danken habn zu dir.
Us mortify through thy kindness,
Arouse us through thy dear grace;
The ancient man make weaker,
So that the new may live
E'en here while on earth dwelling,
His mind and ev'ry yearning,
His thoughts inclined to thee.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
My View of Military Chaplains
One of my friends is a participant in a blog where the discussion of late has been on the chaplaincy. I wrote the following to this friend. I thought that the readers of Lutheran Colportage might find these ideas to be of interest.
First of all, if you don't mind my saying so, you do not have to apologize for your lack of education. You are very well educated and you express your thoughts very well. No more apologizing, ----. You are a theologian.
Secondly, the chaplains vary from personality to personality. I worked for two Southern Baptists when I was at Fort Benning. I gained a very healthy respect for these officers and for their denomination.
I had very good experiences with LC-MS chaplains at Fort Campbell and Fort Benning. The head chaplain at Fort Benning was a Missouri Synod officer and he arranged with the Catholic Chief of Chaplains for me to get a very good job in Viet-Nam.
In Viet-Nam I worked for an ELCA guy. Very nice guy. I have communicated with him.
I only worked for one Catholic. He was a bad officer and a bad man. He mistreated the enlisted men and stole money from unsuspecting civilians.
Third, I remember a 1990 Concordia St. Paul gathering where I was with my Dad at a 60th anniversary reunion. I remember one of the old men of the class of 1930 explaining to me that he was a chaplain in a medical unit in Europe in 1945. His job was to minister to those men who had been wounded in combat and were very close to death. This man was in the right place to add comfort to those who were about to die.
Fourth, the military chaplaincy has some very definite secular benefits. It is important for a military unit to reflect, as much as possible, the values of the larger society, i.e. the society that sends men into the military. The military has butchers, bakers, finance officers, mail clerks, mechanics, carpenters, recreation facilities, and it might as well have churches, too.
Fifth, the quality of chaplains, and officers, and enlisted men, varies greatly. There are lousy company clerks and poorly motivated cooks. So, too, some chaplains don't do their work very well. I seem to recall my brother, a retired Air Force officer, telling me once about the need to visit an Air Force family that suffered a loss. My brother, as I recall, said that a chaplain who was with him on the call, was a wimp and couldn't face up to the challenge of telling the family about their loss.
Sixth, there are Two Kingdoms that Lutherans are a part of. When I was a soldier I was in the control of the U.S. Army while I was also a member of the UNA SANCTA ECCLESIA. I did all that I could for those good Southern Baptists but I never participated in their worship services. I am not an altar-call kind of guy. I went to Missouri Synod church services at Fort Benning on Tuesday night where I received sustenance for my soul.
Seventh, I feel that the whole issue of fellowship and unionism is too widely applied for my liking. I have never felt bound by what many in the ELS feel are the determinative factors on the issue. As I have traveled through life I have been motivated to seek out the Word.
As I posted in my Lutheran Colportage blog yesterday, Article VII of the AC is the determinative factor. Strict descriptions of what is proper and what is improper often fail the test of distinguishing between the letter and the spirit.
So, that's what I think.
Don't apologize, ----. You know more about theology than many of those morons on ----- -------.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Article VII-Augsburg Confession - A Template for Lutheran Unity
Attention is being given among various blogging sites for an understanding of any rationale for Lutheran unity. As a public service Lutheran Colportage presents this essential document of the Lutheran faith (source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, p. 10).
Article VII, The Church
"We teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints. in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments rightly administered. And concerning the true unity of the Church, it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human tradition, rites, or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be the same everywhere. As St. Paul says, 'One faith, one baptism, one god and Father of all.' etc. [Eph. 4:5,6]"
Article VII, The Church
"We teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints. in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the sacraments rightly administered. And concerning the true unity of the Church, it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. Nor is it necessary that human tradition, rites, or ceremonies, instituted by men, should be the same everywhere. As St. Paul says, 'One faith, one baptism, one god and Father of all.' etc. [Eph. 4:5,6]"
Monday, December 6, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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