Postlude on "Dresden" & "The Old Hundredth" (for Rogation Sunday)

Today, May 17th is the Sixth Sunday of Easter, commonly called Rogation Sunday.

Rogation days are days of prayer and fasting in Western Christianity. They are observed with processions and the Litany of the Saints. The so-called major rogation is held on 25 April; the minor rogations are held on Monday to Wednesday preceding Ascension Thursday. The word rogation comes from the Latin verb "rogare," meaning "to ask", which reflects the beseeching of God for the appeasement of his anger and for protection from calamities.

How much more meaningful is this day for us in the year 2020?!?

It has been the tradition to celebrate this day with processions in the fields, or if not that, than to the church garden. I've attached some wonderful photos of English Rogation processions, as well as one of my very favorite paintings of a traditional French Rogation Procession.

Ernest Alfred Dicks (1865-1948) was an organist in Cheltenham, and also to the Royal Masonic Lodge. I'm sure exactly where this work is taken from, but it was published by Bayley & Ferguson in 1927.

It is based on two famous and favorite hymns: "Dresden" (also known as "Wir pflügen") appears in Hanover collection Lieder für Volksschulen (1800). But it was credited to Johann A. P. Schulz in Lindner’s Berlin songbook Jungenfreund (1812).

It is associated with Rogation and Thanksgiving, is always a popular tune.

"The Old Hundredth" appears in the "Genevan Psalter" (1551), and is attributed to Louis Bourgeois (1510-1561).

In this colorful and vigorous setting, Dicks writes in a neat A-B-A format, with "Dresden" being the loud and faster "A sections," and
"The Old Hundredth" being the softer and slower "B section".

The delightful music is clear and straightforward, but makes such a fine impression that this could work in any number of settings.

The score is attached below, as well as the paintings and pictures mentioned above.

First verses of the hymn texts are given in the First Comment