Episode 63 - Partita of Metanoia - A Special Installment

Well met and welcome to the Journey Begun in Scripture podcast! I am your host, Theodore Jander. In this episode, I am excited to bring to all listeners a special installment for Holy Week and Easter. For your Holy Week meditation and Easter celebration, I share with you a composition I wrote 15 years ago.

In 2011, I composed the four-movement work, Partita of Metanoia, for the Composer-in-Residence position at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Hazelwood, Missouri, a post I was blessed to hold for a little over ten years.

Before we make our way into the music, here is a brief explanation of the composition.

Metanoia comes from the Greek, meaning changed hearts, changed lives; repentance. As Lent culminates in the events of Holy Week, we are called to metanoia or repentance through the salvation of Jesus Christ.

God’s eternal presence is represented in the melody first heard and introduced in movement one. This theme, which is utilized in every movement, is coupled with a hymn tune representative of each major festival day of Holy Week. Metanoia takes place as the hymn tune changes throughout the work culminating on Easter Sunday as Christ’s resurrection is celebrated.

To start each movement, I will share a Scripture verse or three pertaining to the specified festival day along with a very short description of the music you will hear.

That said, sit back and relax as you take this time to dwell in God’s presence as we begin with Movement I - Palm Sunday. The theme “Metanoia” is paired with the hymn tune, “Ellacombe,” which some may know as the music for the text “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna.” I share from the Gospel of St. John 12:13 - [They] took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, and exclaimed, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”

As we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, joining in the exclamation just read, we are called to metanoia.

Movement II - Maundy Thursday. The theme tune, “Metanoia,” created for this work and first heard in Movement I, is utilized here with longer durations as a counter-melody to the hymn tune, “Wondrous Love” or “What Wondrous Love Is This.”

I share from the Gospel of St. Matthew 26:27-29 - And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this cup, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

As we partake in the wondrous love of God’s forgiveness through the bread and wine, Christ's body and blood, we are called to metanoia.

Movement III - Good Friday. As was done in Movement II, the theme tune, “Metanoia” is heard here in the organ pedals with longer durations as a counter-melody to the hymn tune, “O mein Jesu, ich muss sterben,” which in English means “O my Jesus, I must die.” This tune may be better recognized in conjunction with the hymn-text setting of “Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted.” Near the very end, you will hear the hammering of the nails sounding in the lower registers of the organ.

I share from the Gospel of St. Luke 23:34a - And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said to him, “Verily, I say unto you, today you shall be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:46a - And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And having said this, he breathed his last. As Christ was stricken, smitten, afflicted, and having sacrificed His life on the cross for us, we are called to metanoia.

Movement IV - Easter Sunday. “Metanoia” is presented in its original form as heard in Movement I. The hymn tune “Mfurahini, Haleluya,” meaning “Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia,” is set at the end of Movement IV as it would be sung on Easter morning.

I share from the Gospel of St. Mark 16:6 - And he said unto them, “Be not alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! Behold the place where they laid him!”

As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, declaring for all the world to hear, “Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia,” we are called to metanoia.

Podcast music, A Lamp unto My Feet, composed by Theodore Jander.

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