Music at WPC-
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Epiphany VI
​Voluntary: Appassionata Michael Joy
Offertory: High Upon a Mountain Lloyd Larson (b. 1954)
Voluntary: Improvisation
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Hymns
Opening Hymn: INSERT- We Have Come at Christ's Own Bidding BREWER
Sequence Hymn: 73- Swiftly Pass the Clouds of Glory GENEVA
Closing Hymn: 446- Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken AUSTRIAN HYMN
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Next Week's Music at WPC:
Sunday, February 22: Nik Stackpole, Organ; WPC Choir
Prelude- About the Instruments
Handbell ringing is a uniquely collaborative musical art that grew out of English bell-ringing traditions in the 17th and 18th centuries. Originally, sets of tuned handbells were developed so tower bell ringers could practice complex change-ringing patterns away from the heavy church bells, often rehearsing in homes or taverns using smaller, more manageable instruments. Early bells were closely associated with foundries such as the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which supplied both tower bells and handbells. Over time, handbell ringing evolved from a training tool into its own expressive performance medium, spreading to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries where it became especially rooted in churches, schools, and community ensembles. Today’s handbell music ranges from sacred to secular, simple to virtuosic, emphasizing teamwork, precision, and shared musical responsibility- each ringer holding just a few notes, yet contributing to a unified and resonant whole.
Offertory- Text
High upon a mountain, in a quiet place, they were praying.
Peter, James and John with Jesus in that place, they were praying.
When there came forth from the face of Jesus
a brilliant light gleaming like the sun.
His raiment all aglow, and white as the whitest snow
with radiance brightly shining.
Then appeared Elijah with Moses at his side,
Speaking to Jesus of the coming days;
Speaking of Jerusalem and of great sorrow;
Speaking of destiny.
High upon a mountain Peter, James and John
Heard the power of Christ proclaimed:
“This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
Postlude- About the Tradition
The history of organ improvisation stretches back to the earliest days of the instrument and has long been central to the organist’s role in worship and concert life. In the Renaissance and Baroque eras, improvisation was an expected skill, used to introduce chants, bridge liturgical actions, and demonstrate mastery of counterpoint—practices exemplified by figures such as Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Sebastian Bach, whose legendary improvisations were as admired as their written works. Throughout the 19th century, improvisation flourished in France, where organists developed highly structured forms—fantasias, symphonic movements, and fugues created in real time—culminating in the refined pedagogical tradition represented by Marcel Dupré. While styles and contexts have changed, organ improvisation remains a living art today, blending historical forms with contemporary harmony and serving as a powerful expression of spontaneity, liturgical sensitivity, and creative musicianship.