By Pastor Bruce Benson, host

Nearly every winterbrings me a day or twowhen I find myself

reciting the American poetRobert Frost’s poem,“Stopping by Woods on aSnowy Evening.”

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow.

I memorized the poem as a high school studentand have retained it (more or less!) since. Then,as a college student, I read a biography of Frostthat told an interesting tale about this poem, atale that I find helpful for thinking about hymnsas well. After a public reading, one evening,Frost was participating in a question and answersession when he was asked about the last twolines of this poem.

But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.

The questioner wanted to know what Frost really meant by those words. Frost said hemeant simply that it was time to go, nothingmore. The questioner, and most people whoread the poem, hear more than that; they hearmore than what Frost says he meant. Is thatappropriate?

One could argue that readers read into the poem more than is really there. And, to be sure,readers of poems, the Bible and junior high loveletters often read more into something than ishonest. But it is never impossible that a poem,including a hymn text, contains more meaningthan the poet realized. All the arts — poetry,music, sculpture, dance, painting — exert their

creative force on artists as well as on those of uswho appreciate the arts. Art can express morethan the artist consciously put into it.

It is that “more than” aspect of hymn wordsthat makes hymn tunes even more importantand valuable than the melodies already are.Often on Sing For Joy you hear more than onemusical setting of the same set of words. Eachsetting explores the meaning of the text to findtruth, beauty, hope and comfort in ways that adifferent tune cannot. This does not make onecomposer’s work better, or more truthful, thananother’s, but it does help us hear words in waysthat open them up to us, perhaps in waysbeyond what the poet heard. A hymn tune is aninterpretation, an exposition, a sermon on ahymn text. And sometimes that is true withouteither the poet or the music composer intendingsuch a thing.

Sometimes a text and tune are so right for each other that the church — in a completelyunofficial, but thoroughly effective way — blessesthe “marriage” of text and tune, and no one canbreak it asunder. Think of “Silent Night,” “JesusChrist is Ris’n Today” or “Now Thank We AllOur God.” Even after we experiment with alternate tunes for these hymns we return to thetraditional ones, saying, these tunes get it right.

Sing For Joy wants you to hear the poet, butalso the composers and performers who explorea text and help us hear it in its full glory andmeaning.

Peace be with you,

Sing For Joy i s a production of the Off ice of Church Relat ions of St . Olaf Col lege.

Celebrating50 Years of

broadcasting the finest

sacred musicFEBRUARY 2007 / YEAR C

elations

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February 4, 2007Scriptures for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Lectionary 5:

(1R) Isaiah 6:1–8 [9–13](PS) Psalm 138(2R) 1 Corinthians 15:1–11(G) Luke 5:1–11

Holy, Holy, Holy (NICAEA) – John B. Dykes (1R)Westminster Choir: Princeton, N.J. / Joseph Flummerfelt(CD) Favorite Hymns and Anthems / GOTHIC / G 49044© 1990 Gothic Records, PO Box 689, Everett, WA 98201 www.gothicrecords.com

“Sanctus” from Requiem, Op. 9 – Maurice Duruflé (1R)Corydon Singers; English Chamber Orchestra / Matthew Best(CD) Duruflé Requiem & Four Motets / HYPERION / CDA66191© 1986 Hyperion Records Limited, PO Box 25, London, England SE9 1AX www.hyperion-records.co.uk

‘Twas in the Year – 10th Century, arr. Charles Wood (1R)Choir of King’s College: Cambridge / Philip Ledger(CD) Procession with Carols on Advent Sunday / EMI CLASSICS /CDM 7 63181 2© 1981 EMI Records, Ltd., 304 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 www.emiclassics.com

Heilig – Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1R)Cambridge Singers / John Rutter(CD) A Banquet of Voices / COLLEGIUM / COLCD 123© 1994 Collegium Records, PO Box 31366, Omaha, NE 68131 www.collegiumusa.com

I the Lord of Sea and Sky (HERE I AM LORD) – Daniel Schutte, arr. Ovid Young (1R)St. Olaf Choir / Anton Armstrong(CD) Great Hymns of Faith / ST. OLAF RECORDS / E-2294© 1999 St. Olaf Records, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 www.stolafrecords.com

O Jesus, I have Promised (DAY OF REST) – James William Elliott (G)Choir of Wells Cathedral / Malcolm Archer(CD) Jerusalem the Golden: Great Hymn Tunes of the NineteenthCentury / HYPERION / CDP12102© 2001 Hyperion Records Limited, PO Box 25, London, England SE9 1AX www.hyperion-records.co.uk

Rise Up, O Men of God (FESTAL SONG) – William H. Walter, arr. Kenneth Jennings (G)St. Olaf Viking Chorus / Robert Scholz(CD) Rise Up, O Men of God / ST. OLAF RECORDS / WCD-30085© 2000 St. Olaf Records, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 www.stolafrecords.com

February 11, 2007Scriptures for Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, Lectionary 6:

(1R) Jeremiah 17:5–10(PS) Psalm 1(2R) 1 Corinthians 15:12–20(G) Luke 6:17–26

Easter Anthem: The Lord is Ris’n Indeed – William Billings (2R)Bella Voce: Chicago, Ill. / Paul Hillier(CD) A Land of Pure Delight / HARMONIA MUNDI / HMU 907048© 1992 Harmonia Mundi, 2037 Granville Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025 www.harmoniamundi.com

“I Know that My Redeemer Lives” from Messiah – George Frederic Handel (2R)Heather Harper, soprano; London Symphony Orchestra: London, England / Sir Colin Davis(CD) Handel: Messiah / PHILIPS / 438 356-2© 1993 Philips Classics Productions, Polygram Records and Jazz,New York, N.Y. www.deccaclassics.com

Psalm 1 – Bruce Neswick (PS)Choir of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church: Indianapolis, Ind. / Frank W. Boles(CD) O Come Let Us Sing Unto the Lord / ST. PAUL’S INDIANAPOLIS / STP004© 1997 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 11 West 61st Street,Indianapolis, Ind. www.stpaulsindy.org

Jesu, The Very Thought of Thee (ST. BOTOLPH) – Gordon Slater,arr. Paul Halley (G)Choir of St. John’s Church: Elora, Canada / Noel Edison(CD) Faire is the Heaven: Hymns and Anthems / NAXOS / 8.557037© 2003 Naxos of America, Inc., 416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive,Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067 www.naxos.com

Like A River Glorious (WYE VALLEY) – James Mountain, arr. Eric Hannan (1R, PS)West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir: Vancouver, B.C. Canada /Tony Funk(CD) And Night Shall End / MCCSCS / IKR014CD© 2003 MCCSCS, 103-2776 Bourquin Crescent West, Abbotsford, BC V2S 6A4 Canada www.mccscs.com

February 18, 2007Scriptures for Transfiguration of Our Lord, Last Sunday after Epiphany:

(1R) Exodus 34:29–35(PS) Psalm 99(2R) 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2(G) Luke 9:28–36 [37–43]

O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair (WAREHAM) – William Knapp,arr. J. Scott Bennett (G)Choirs and Congregation of Grace Episcopal Church: Charleston, S.C. / J. Scott Bennett(CD) O For a Thousand Tongues / PRO ORGANO / CD 7148© 2002 Zarex Corporation, PO Box 8338, South Bend, IN 46660 www.zarex.com

Beautiful Savior (CRUSADER’S HYMN) – Silesian Folk Tune, arr. F. Melius Christiansen (G)St. Olaf Choir; Kelly Becker, alto / Anton Armstrong(CD) Great Hymns of Faith / ST OLAF RECORDS / E-2294© 1999 St. Olaf Records, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 www.stolafrecords.com

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Fairest Lord Jesus (SCHÖNSTER HERR JESU) – arr. Charles Forsberg (G)St. Olaf Choir / Anton Armstrong(CD) My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord / ST. OLAF RECORDS / E-2396© 2001 St. Olaf Records, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 www.stolafrecords.com

Der Herr is König – Johann Pachelbel (PS)Capella Sebaldina Nürnberg / Werner Jacob(CD) Johann Pachelbel Motets / CHRISTOPHORUS DIGITAL /74566© 1989 Christophorus-Verlag GmbH, Hermann-Herder Str. 4,7800 Freibrug I Br.

Prayer for Transfiguration Day – John Weaver (G)Choir of Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church: New York, N.Y. /John Weaver(CD) The Music of John Weaver / JAV RECORDINGS / JAV157© 2005 Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, JAV Recordings www.pipeorgancds.com

“Domine Fili unigenite” from Gloria – Francis Poulenc (G)Tanglewood Festival Chorus; Boston Symphony Orchestra:Boston, Mass. / Seiji Ozawa(CD) Poulenc: Gloria, Stabat Mater / DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON / 427 304-2© 1989 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg

February 25, 2007Scriptures for First Sunday in Lent:

(1R) Deuteronomy 26:1–11(PS) Psalm 91:1–2, 9–16(2R) Romans 10:8b–13(G) Luke 4:1–13(AW) Ash Wednesday

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me (SOJOURNER) – African American Spiritual (AW)From a Sing! led by Alice Parker(CD) Sing! / ALCM / CS – 3© 1998 Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, PO Box 16575, Worcester, MA 01601 www.alcm.org

Almighty and Everlasting God – Orlando Gibbons (1R)Cathedral Singers: Chicago, Ill. / Richard Proulx(CD) Alleluia Song of Gladness: Ars Antiqua Choralis, Vol. II /GIA PUBLICATIONS / GIA CD-299© 1993 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 South Mason Avenue,Chicago, IL 60638 www.giamusic.com

A Mighty Fortress is Our God (EIN’ FESTE BURG) – Martin Luther,arr. John Rutter (G)Cambridge Singers; City of London Sinfonia Brass: London, England / John Rutter(CD) Sing, Ye Heavens: Hymns for All Time / COLLEGIUM RECORDS / COLCD 126© 2000 Collegium Records, PO Box 31366, Omaha, NE 68131 www.collegiumusa.com

For God Commanded Angels To Watch Over You – Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, adapt. Kenneth Jennings (G)St. Olaf Choir / Anton Armstrong(CD) Advance Australia Fair / ST. OLAF RECORDS / E-2173

© 1997 St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 www.stolafrecords.com

Psalm 130: “Out of the Depths I Cry to You” – John Ferguson (AW)St. Olaf Cantorei / John Ferguson(CD) How Can I Keep From Singing / PACIFIC RIM SOUND /PRS03005© 2003 St. Olaf Cantorei

Veillez et Priez (Watch and Pray) – Monks of Keur Moussa (G)Monks of Keur Moussa – Senegal(CD) Mass and Hymns from the Monastery of Keur Moussa,Senegal / ARION / ARN 64095© 1989 Arion S.A., 36 Avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris

Thank you for the gifts

In Honor of:Mrs. Betty D. Brown

The Chancel Bells of First Baptist, RoanokeSuzanne Bounds Kinard

Phil LandRev. Paul H. Nelson

Barb PrillamanPatti Prillaman

The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson

In Memory of:Ralph Andreae

David Anthony ArmstrongEugene Benbow

Luann Bicsey FowlerDonald T. Habbestad

Mr. and Mrs. R.W. LeboFrancis Reisig

Joe and Laura RoersAstrid Schnabel

Ken SheehanLouise Tripp Styron

Julius Szaltzer

Please contact us at Sing For Joy for more information regardingthese recordings.

For a list of stations that broadcast Sing For Joy online, please visitour website at www.singforjoy.org. Please note that the broadcasttime listed is the station’s local time.

Comments or questionsIf you have any comments or questions about the program, pleaselet us know. We’re happy to help, and we love to hear from you!

Want to tell others about this program?Put a notice in your church bulletin telling your fellow parishioners when Sing For Joy airs in your region, and on whatstation. Please also list convenient opportunities for Internet listening. See above for more information.

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Sing For Joy staff:Pastor W. Bruce Benson, hostDr. John Ferguson, music adviserJeffrey O’Donnell,producer and music director

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