Zijt gij waarop de wereld wacht.

In 2013 a new hymnal was introduced for use in the PKN (Protestant Churches) of the Netherlands.

Many new hymns were added to the earlier edition of 1973, about three hundred and many other did not make the cut and were removed for various reasons. Texts were renewed and new melodies chosen from different countries and Dutch poets and composers.

So in addition to my small series of preludes to the Psalms I intend to do a similar series but this time on hymns and preludes. The idea is the same: present contemporary preludes to hymns, new or other, by Dutch composers.
As the hymn melodies will not always be known to the audience on the concert hall the order is now reversed: the hymn is played once or twice and then the prelude written to it, to give listeners unfamiliar with the hymn a chance to get aquainted with it first.

Liedboek 2013 # 446.
The melody is by Willem Vogel; the gripping text by Muus Jacobse. (Zijg Gij, waarop de wereld wacht // Are you the one the world is waiting for?)

The rather lengthy prelude is by Christiaan Ingelse. He created a real small masterpiece imho; capturing the mood of melody and text in a beautiful piece of music. I hope I did it justice. It is preceded by the melody of the hymn played unisono.

Christiaan Ingelse was born in 1948 in Haarlem, the Netherlands.  He studied organ and church music at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague and at de Hochschule fúr Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna.

When he graduated for his solo diploma he was awarded the silver Fock Medal and the Nicolai Prize.  He also won the Prix d’Excellence.

Christiaan Ingelse is head organist of the Great or St. John’s Church in Gouda since 1988, one of the most beautiful organs in Holland.