Holy Week is the highlight of the church year. From the lows of Good Friday to the highs of Easter morning, the week is an emotional roller coaster. Of course, music plays an important role in helping us feel the emotions as we follow Jesus to the cross and resurrection. Here are a few musical highlights from Holy Week at Church of the Servant:
“Sanna, Sannanina” from South Africa is a perennial Psalm Sunday favorite at COS, especially when played on piccolo by Kristen Zoeteway.
Wendell Kimbrough has become something of a court composer for COS. Hardly a month goes by without us singing a song he’s written or cowritten. His setting of Psalm 31, “In You, Lord, I Refuge Take” is magnificent in a sturdy, understated way.
Sydney Carter, best known for “Lord of the Dance,” wrote a gripping song called “Bitter Was the Night” that fits perfectly into the Palm Sunday Passion narrative.
“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” is the quintessential Passion hymn. Here it is introduced by a flute/recorder duet. The duet comes back as a descant on verse 3.
We sang Isaac Watts’ text “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed” during Palm Sunday communion in a congregation/choral arrangement I wrote a few years ago.
And finally, on Easter morning, we sang Vivaldi’s “Gloria” as the Gloria after the assurance of pardon. That really puts an exclamation mark on “You are forgiven!” don’t you think?
There were too many wonderful musical moments throughout Holy Week to include here. Thank you to all the musicians (and dancers, preachers, readers, and setter uppers) who offered their time and talent for the benefit of the whole church!