Music Notes
Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Service Music
Prelude Sleepers, Wake! …Johann Sebastian Bach
Opening Hymn #436 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
Sequence Hymn #61 “Sleepers, Wake!” A Voice Astounds Us
Offertory Anthem Keep Your Lamps …arr. Andre Thomas
Closing Hymn #324 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Closing Hymn #68 Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers
Postlude Fugue in G Major (Gigue) …J. S. Bach
Organ Voluntaries
The prelude - “Sleepers, Wake!” by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is from the church cantata written in 1731 for the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 25, verses 1-13. The hymn tune “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” was written by Philipp Nicolai in 1599. The text is about the parable of the Ten Virgins. Bach used the central movement of the cantata as the basis for the first of his Schübler Chorales for the organ. The “Sleepers, Wake!” is probably Bach’s most performed organ work of his many chorale preludes for the organ.
The postlude “Fugue in G Major” (Gigue) is another popular organ solo of J. S. Bach. The fugue bursts with rhythmic energy and dance-like momentum. The organ work is inspired by the lively character of the gigue (Baroque dance form) as it is full of joy. The hands and feet of the organist are dancing across the pedals and keyboards of the pipe organ.
Choir Anthem
“Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” is a traditional gospel blues song. It is arranged by André Thomas (b. 1952) as it alludes to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, found in the gospel of St. Matthew, 25:1-13. The song has been attributed to Blind Willie Johnson who recorded it in 1928. André Thomas is an American composer who serves as a professor of music at the School of Music - Florida State University. He also serves as artistic director of the Tallahassee Community Chorus.