PJ Janson | Variations on « The Glory of These Forty Days »

• PJ Janson | Variations on « The Glory of These Forty Days » | 2020
• Performed by the composer on the Casavant Frères organ of St James’ Anglican Church, Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Scheduled for publication in a 2023 issue of The Organist's Companion
• https://www.wayneleupold.com/
• https://stjames.bc.ca

00:06 : Chorale
00:49 : Bicinium
02:18 : Ornamented Chorale
04:36 : Trio
06:01 : Cantus Firmus Chorale

This new composition is based on the melody of hymn 170 in Common Praise. The melody of this hymn is one of the earliest Lutheran chorales based on the plainsong veni redemptor genitum, and the hymn was first published in 1542.

Written in Baroque style, the variations on this hymn express aspects of the character of Lent. In keeping with the sixteenth-century practice, this partita introduces the chorale melody with a homophonic setting, with the cantus firmus in the tenor line. Variation 1 is written in the early-baroque form of the bicinium, and the next variation is an ornamented chorale setting in the style of Dietrich Buxtehude. Variation 3, à la Schübler Chorales, expresses the joy of Laetare with semiquavers on the manuals, and sounding the cantus firmus on the pedals.
The stately closing variation has the melody in the soprano, accompanied by the lower voices which each use the same image or motif — as if to capture the words written from another Lenten hymn


On my heart imprint your image,
blessed Jesus, King of grace ;
That life’s troubles nor its pleasures
ever may your work erase.
Let the clear inscription be :
Jesus, crucified for me ;
Is my life, my hope's foundation,
and my glory and salvation.