The Blog

Today is the Mendelssohn bicentennial.  Felix Mendelssohn (born February 3, 1809, died 1847) was truly one of the great composers of the nineteenth century, and one of the great child prodigies of all time.  In his short life, he composed an enormous amount of music.  He was also responsible for helping to recover the music of J.S. Bach, which at the time was rarely performed.  Mendelssohn considered Bach’s music “the greatest Christian music in the world,” and through Mendelssohn’s advocacy, Bach’s music began to be performed again in what historians have called the “Bach revival” of the nineteenth century. 

Among all these accomplishments, one of the lesser known facts about Felix Mendelssohn is that he was a Jewish believer in Jesus as the Messiah.  His grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn, was an important Jewish philosopher who tried (rather unsuccessfully) to harmonize Judaism with the humanism of the Enlightenment.  Felix’s parents had their children baptized into the Lutheran church out of a desire to assimilate with respectable society rather than conviction, but evidence indicates that Felix embraced faith in Jesus wholeheartedly.  (See Patrick Kavanaugh, Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers, for documentation.)

So, happy birthday to a great Messianic Jewish composer today!

Today we are posting two more Purim songs.  You can read yesterday’s post for more of the explanation of Purim.  And enjoy the songs!  (The first one is not traditional; the second one is.  After reading them, you will probably notice that humor is a standard feature of Purim songs.)

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength (with Purim verses)
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength.

That Haman he was wicked and his plan so bad
To murder all the Jews, it would have been so sad
But through the hand of Esther and through Mordechai
God saved the Jews, ‘twas Haman who would die.

That wicked man named Haman fell in his own trap
He had the gallows built but he himself was zapped
And Mordechai was honored for he loved the Lord
The joy of the Lord was his reward.

Queen Esther and her maidens mourned and called a fast
They prayed for three whole days and then their sadness passed.
Our Lord had turned their mourning into joy that day.
On Purim we remember and we say,

The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength.

A Wicked, Wicked Man 

(Download verse 1 with sheet music here: A Wicked, Wicked Man (Purim Song).  Verses 2-6 follow below )
2. And Esther was the lovely queen
 of King Ahasuerus.
When Haman said he’d kill us all
Oh my, how he did scare us…  Refrain

3. But Mordechai, her cousin bold
said, “What a dreadful chutzpa,”
If guns were but invented now
This Haman I would shoot, sir… Refrain

4. When Esther speaking to the king
of Haman’s plot made mention
“Ha, ha,” said he, “oh no he won’t!
“I’ll spoil his bad intention… Refrain
5. The guest of honor he shall be
this clever Mr. Smarty.
And high above us he shall swing
At a little hanging party… Refrain

6. Of all his cruel and unkind ways
this little joke did cure him.
And don’t forget we owe him thanks
For this jolly feast of Purim… Refrain  

Purim will be here next week, starting the evening of March 20.  Purim is a commemoration of the events recorded in the book of Esther - for a specific explanation of the name, see Esther 9:20-28.  In anticipation thereof, we post a humorous (traditional) Purim song:

Purim Song: ”In Shushan Long Ago”  (to the tune of “Polly Wolly Doodle”)

Oh Haman was a high and mighty bluff
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.
He ordered Mordecai to take his derby off
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.

Refrain:  So we sing, so we sing
               So we sing and praise the Lord.
               For Haman he was swinging   (i.e., on the gallows)
               While Mordecai was singing
               In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.

But Mordecai sat and laughed in his face
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.
So Haman said he’d exterminate his race
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.  (Refrain)

Oh Esther was a timid little maid
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.
But Mordecai told her she needn’t be afraid
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.  (Refrain)

So she went to the king and she gave him a smile
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.
The king he liked her manner and her style
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.   (Refrain)

A-ha-su-erus was a high and mighty king
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.
He ordered Haman to take a little swing
In Shu-shu-shu-shan long ago.    (Refrain)

You’re all invited to a concert tomorrow night at 7:00 pm featuring the Baroque Festival Orchestra at College Church, Wheaton (see directions here). 

Joel is the concertmaster of the “BFO,” which is the advanced student orchestra under conductor Drostan Hall.  Our good friend Conrad will be making his public performing debut as a harpsichordist (he’s normally on piano) at this concert, playing the continuo part.  The concert will feature Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2.  It would be great to see you there!

Hanukkah music is so much fun, we wanted to share some with you.  You can download the sheetmusic for two traditional favorites here:

Hanukkah, Hanukkah <hanukkahamhepdf.pdf>  We added some lyrics to speaking of the Messiah to this traditional tune.

Ma-oz Tsur (Rock of Ages) <rock-of-agespdf.pdf> The sheet music contains just one of the verses.  Here are some of the others (including one non-traditional Messianic verse):

Rock of Ages, let our song, praise Thy saving power;
Thou amidst the raging foes, wast our shelt’ring tower.
Furious they assailed us, but Thine Arm availed us;
And Thy Word, broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.
And Thy Word, broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.

Children of the martyr race, whether free or fettered,
Wake the echoes of the songs, where ye may be scattered.
Yours the message cheering, that the time is nearing,
Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing .
Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing .

These dry bones o’er all the earth, lifeless widely scattered,
Spirit of grace and new birth, healing lives that are shattered.
Return Oh Son of David, Restorer of our nation;
King of kings, Lord of lords, Messiah our salvation.
King of kings, Lord of lords, Messiah our salvation.