We begin today with a transcription of the second movement of the Haydn Symphony No. 10 – a highly ornamented, gently rolling piece in three quarter time. The unambiguously titled genre ‘Four Hands Piano,’ is just that – two players, four hands, one piano – and is something that achieved great popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an entertaining and refined pastime for amateur and listener alike. This is distinct from ‘Duo-Piano,’ meaning two players, two pianos in ensemble – the texture we’re using for the accompaniment of the Hymnody during our time here in Fellowship Hall.

Although the premiere, in Vienna in 1801, of Haydn’s grand oratorio ‘The Seasons’ was every bit as big a hit as ‘The Creation’ was in 1798, this elegant but overweight sister has not achieved a place in the standard repertory – performances are, sadly, few and far between. And, in truth, the libretti, both in German and English, are long and pedestrian, and about not much more than the weather... But the music is glorious; it’s late, late, sophisticated Haydn, and well worth hearing.

And so, in celebration of the season, our Interim Staff Singer and new St. Philip Choir member, Elizabeth Knudson, assumes the role of ‘Hanna,’ a sort of ‘Mother Nature Publicist’ figure, who extols, graphically and with lengthy, articulate care, the refreshing, sensual delights of Summer. Haydn obviously never visited Houston in June, but if we are willing to give over to our imaginations and exercise a bit of patience […it’s an entire scena…], this delectable tone-poem – with its constant and vivid orchestral tone-painting – will be like a week at the Spas in Baden-Baden…

Julia Fox is back among us, to the delight of everyone – and brings us in solo form the descant of Herbert Howells’ dark and somber quilting of two verses from Psalm 42, a piece which lets hang in the air the eternal question – ‘When shall I see God…?’ Let me suggest that the colors and arcs of this setting do answer this query with a quiet but resounding:

‘Now!’

And because, to me, Meredith Stephenson’s ‘Sanctus’ sounds a bit ‘ersatz German,’ as if Schubert wrote ‘Praise Choruses,’ I’ve chosen it to round out our worship…

-Keith Weber