Musical contribution – March 2022

God so loved the world (from: The Crucifixion) John Stainer (1840-1901)

In 1887, English composer John Stainer wrote what would later turn out to be his most famous work. This oratorio is still performed in England, and appears annually on choir concert programs around the Netherlands. Perhaps the most well-known part is the song that we are featuring this month: “God so loved the world” (John 3:16).

Although it’s written for a four-part choir (a cappella), it also sounds wonderful as an organ solo. We can play this melody alternating between a leading stop and a single manual. I have included the dynamic notation for the choir. Rather than seeking out the extremes, provide the necessary color by either adding or closing a single stop.

This part is central to the oratorio. The text says: Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. So that all who believe in Him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life.

This lovely, welcoming feeling is precisely what this arrangement is intended to convey.

André van Vliet