From the Organist & Choirmaster

After a good season of respite, Saint Andrew’s Paris Choir returns to the choir this Sunday, filling our liturgy once again with the beauty of anthems, fulsome hymnody, and chanted psalmody. Their return marks not only the beginning of a new term of music but also a reminder of how sacred music deepens our common prayer and lifts our hearts toward God.

This Sunday’s music beautifully reflects the breadth and diversity of the Church’s musical tradition, featuring composers from England, France, and America - a reminder that the song of the Church is truly universal.

For the Psalmody, we will chant Psalm 1 from the Anglican Psalter to a chant tune by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934). Though he is best remembered for his Enigma Variations and the stately Pomp and Circumstance marches, his contributions to Anglican psalmody are equally enduring. His psalm chants, noble and lyrical, provide a dignified and prayerful setting for the psalms, drawing us more deeply into their timeless words. At the Offertory, the choir will sing “Lord, here am I” by John Ness Beck (1930-1987), a moving arrangement of Fanny Crosby’s hymn text. Beck, one of the most influential American composers of sacred choral music (though not particularly Anglican) in the 20th century, is beloved for his ability to pair lyrical melodies with scriptural and devotional texts. This anthem, with its heartfelt simplicity and expressive harmonies, calls us to present ourselves, wholly and faithfully, to the service of God. During Communion, we will hear “Ubi Caritas” by Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986), a 20th century master of sacred music. Duruflé’s setting of this ancient Holy Week text, “Where charity and love are, God is there,” blends the timeless beauty of Gregorian chant with rich, impressionistic French harmony.

Together, these works - the noble English chant of Elgar, the lyrical devotion of Beck, and the chant-inspired mysticism of Duruflé - reflect the diversity and depth of our parish’s musical offering and skill. Each, in its own way, invites us to experience the beauty of holiness and the unity of the Church’s song.

Join us this Sunday as we lift our voices in prayer and praise, giving thanks for the return of our parish choir and the gift of music that helps us glorify God.

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.”
-Psalm 96:1