Organ Vespers 2023

Program Notes

Music: “Sinfonia” from Christmas Oratorio by JS Bach

As a church organist, Bach was responsible for providing music for every church service each Sunday. For a period of time, he wrote a new cantata each week! The Christmas Oratorio, a large-scale choral and orchestral work, provided the music for the six Sundays during the 1734-35 Christmas season with the original Christmas story as its text. This Sinfonia was the instrumental “Prelude” for the second Sunday which told about the shepherds in the fields. Flutes and strings accompany an oboe in this tranquil movement arranged for organ by Robert Gower.

Text: “Over the River and Through the Woods” by Lydia Maria Child Music: “Jingle Bells” arr. by Marilyn Ham, transcribed for organ by Tandy Reussner

This well-known Thanksgiving poem was originally published in 1844 in the second volume of Flowers for Children. It celebrates the author’s childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather’s house in New England. Tonight’s Jingle Bells is a jaunty and slightly jazzy version with the use of percussion instruments to imitate sleigh bells, the clip-clop of the horses, and the driver’s whip.

Text: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Shultz Music: “Oh! Tannenbaum” by Vince Guaraldi

Charles M. Schultz, the well-known cartoonist of the Peanuts gang, published A Charlie Brown Christmas on January 1, 1965. The animated television production of the book followed later that year, airing for the first time on December 9, 1965. Generations of children have grown up with Charlie, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the gang, making this one of the most nostalgic of childhood seasonal TV programs. Tonight, members of the Free State Brass Band will play Oh! Tannenbaum from the musical score of the TV production.

Text: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Music: “White Christmas,” “While By My Sheep,” and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”

To represent the three Ghosts that visited Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we are tying our music choices to the subtle and not-so-subtle meanings of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future.

For Christmas Past – a reflection of happy memories – you’ll hear Tandy’s daughters, Liesel Callahan and Hannah Phillips, sing the iconic Irving Berlin song, White Christmas, written in 1942 for Bing Crosby in the musical film, Holiday Inn.

For Christmas Present – associated with generosity and joy – you’ll hear an organ and handbell piece that incorporates two exuberant carols, While By My Sheep (A German carol written in 1623) and He is Born (a French carol written in 1862).

And for Christmas Future – when we look forward with hope – you’ll hear the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which he wrote during the very dark days of the Civil War. By 1872, English organist John Baptiste Calkin had set the words to a previously composed tune. In our own dark days, let us take to heart the words of this poignant and timely poem. Tonight, it will be sung by The Lawrence Medical Choir, directed by Gabe Lewis O’Connor, and made up of local healthcare professionals (and those related to healthcare professionals!) who volunteer their time and singing talents for the Organ Benefit Concert series and other community events.

Text: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Music: “The Polar Express Medley” arr. by Glenn Ballard and Alan Silvestri, transcribed for organ by Tandy Reussner

Set on Christmas Eve in the 1950s, The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy who sees a mysterious train bound for the North Pole stop outside his window and is invited aboard by its conductor. He joins other children as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas. Included in tonight’s medley of music from the 2004 movie are The Polar Express, When Christmas Comes To Town, Believe, and Spirit of the Season. Pianist/organist Max Mayse and percussionist Adam Lohmeyer join Tandy for this thrilling adaptation.

Music: “Carol of the Bells” arr. by Cathy Moklebust

The repetitive four-note ostinato that forms this very familiar Ukrainian carol has been adapted to many different genres, including metal, jazz, pop, rock, and classical. Since its debut in the US in 1916, the song has become one of our most iconic Christmas tunes. Tonight, you’ll hear the Celebration Ringers from First Methodist Church, directed by Sara Wentz, play this captivating melody. In a handbell choir, each person is responsible for 1-4 notes and must play them at the right time. It takes quite a bit of practice for all members of the bell choir to put the entire piece together!

Text: Luke 2:1-18 from the Bible Music: Audience Sing-Along: “The First Noel,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and the Chorus of “O Come, All Ye Faithful”

The original Christmas story tells of the birth of Jesus which occurred over 2000 years ago and can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. The celebration of Christmas took many twists and turns over the centuries, but by the 1800s, Christmas had become the family-centered season of peace and goodwill that we know today. And singing Christmas carols is an essential part of our celebrations! The earliest Christmas carols were written in the 4th century, but most were written during the 1600s - 1900s. The First Noel and Angels We Have Heard on High both talk about the shepherds in the fields. O Come, All Ye Faithful puts one in the middle of the shepherds as they - the faithful - travel to Bethlehem to see the Baby Jesus.

Text: The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern Music: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” arr. by Marshall McDonald and Steven Sharp Nelson

Philip Van Doren Stern wrote this short story about a man named George Pratt who had all but given up hope for his life. Van Doren Stern included the short story in a 1943 Christmas card to friends and one of those cards eventually fell into the hands of film director Frank Capra who then shared it with Jimmy Stewart. The resulting film, It’s A Wonderful Life, has since become a holiday classic. The musical pairing of O Come, O Come Emmanuel reflects the yearning for the promised Savior to make everything right. The version we are performing tonight was made popular by The Piano Guys and features cellist Mariah Barnett, Director of Orchestras at Lawrence High School and member of the Lawrence Community Orchestra.

Text: Christmas In The Manger by Nola Buck Music: “Away in the Manger,” by Andrew Payne

Christmas in the Manger is a lovely book about the animals that surrounded the manger bed of Baby Jesus. The simple sing-songy poems by Nola Buck for each animal and the colorful illustrations by Felicia Bond make this a perennial favorite to read to babies. Away in the Manger is a familiar children’s lullaby written in the late 1880s, most likely by the hymnist James R. Murray. Two tunes are most associated with the words, Mueller, by Murray, and Cradle Song by William Kirkpatrick. Tonight’s version by the brass quintet is Mueller, echoing the gentle rocking motion heard in the Nola Buck poetry.

Text: Good King Wenceslas by John M. Neale Music: “Good King Wenceslas,” by Richard Elliott

The carol was based on the legend of Wenceslas (AD 907-935), a kind-hearted medieval duke (posthumously given the title of King) who took pity on the poor in his region. As the story goes, on one particular blustery cold journey to help a poor family on the Feast of Stephen, (the second day of Christmas), his assistant could only continue by following in his king’s footprints, step by step, through the deep snow. Richard Elliott arranged tonight’s creative rendition by combining three movements from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite with a layer of the Good King Wenceslas melody on top. See if you can pick out the melody! And watch for the Good King himself to possibly show up during the performance!

Text: Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May Music: “Have A Holly Jolly Christmas”/”Silver and Gold” by Johnny Marks, transcribed for organ by Tandy Reussner

Rudolph was “born” in 1939 for a Montgomery Ward coloring book. The original poem has the same meter, anapestic tetrameter, as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The most famous adaptation of the story is the television Christmas special of 1964, a beloved tradition of the season for many families. The many familiar songs of Rudolph, all written by Johnny Marks, include There’s Always Tomorrow; Jingle, Jingle, Jingle; and The Most Wonderful Day of the Year. Tonight, as you view the inner chambers holding the more than 7000 organ pipes of this Reuter organ (the largest pipe organ in Kansas), you’ll hear the classics Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, and Silver and Gold. Even Yukon Cornelius and the singing Snowman get involved!

Text: "‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore Music: “Christmas Chopsticks” by Fred Heider

This poem, quoted by generations, tells the story of a visit from St. Nick, a character that has been a part of Christmas since the second century after the birth of Baby Jesus. The original real St. Nicholas was known for his generosity and for traveling around giving gifts to help the poor. The Western world’s Santa Claus in a big red suit has little to do with the original Christmas story, but the idea of being kind and gentle-hearted, as in the legends of St. Nicholas, Good King Wenceslas, Father Christmas, and Kris Kringle, do reflect the kind and generous spirit associated with the true meaning of Christmas. Joining Tandy on the piano for this 4-hand piano duet is her mother, Helen Beckett, completing three generations on stage (with the 4th generation, a babe-in-arms) this Christmas!

Text: Revelation 19 (also the lyrics from the Halleluiah Chorus) Music: Halleluiah Chorus from Messiah by Georg Friedrich Handel

For 27 years, Organ Vespers has concluded with the singing of the Halleluiah Chorus from Handel’s oratorio, Messiah. As is the custom, the audience stands at the start, just as King George II stood when he heard the majestic notes of the Chorus during the London premiere of the work in 1743. Handel, a German contemporary of JS Bach, started his career as an organist and then moved to England where he continued composing music for courts as well as for church. The oratorio Messiah was written with English lyrics and was first performed in Dublin at Eastertime. The movements tell the entire story of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. When the oratorio made its American premiere in 1818, it was performed at Christmas time. Since then, this most famous Chorus has been a favorite of choirs and audiences all over the world during the Christmas season. Please join us in continuing the tradition by singing along!