Sunday, October 20, 2019 marks some of the first performances of I lift up mine eyes unto the hills by English composer Judith Bingham (b. 1952). This new work was commissioned in honor of Sarah Bryan Miller, “the dedicated music critic of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and a true musician.” Bryan has been a member of St. Peter’s and the St. Peter’s Choir for many years.

The commissioners, in addition to St. Peter’s, include the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus; the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, University City; Third Baptist Church, Grand Center; the Music Department of Washington University, and Congregation Shaare Emeth, Creve Coeur. 

Last month, members of the co-commissioning institutions gathered at Third Baptist to read through the full version of the anthem, scored for two choirs, piano, and organ. You can listen to that performance in this video:

The work is a setting of the Myles Coverdale translation of Psalm 121. This Psalm is among the assigned readings for Sunday, so this is a natural opportunity to perform the work in the context of worship at St. Peter's at 10:30 a.m. The Church of the Holy Communion will do likewise.

The flexible scoring of the work allows for this music to be sung in a number of different configurations: one choir or two, with piano alone, with both piano and organ, or with organ alone. On Sunday, we will be singing a version with two choirs and organ. 

Holy Communion, who are currently without an organ as they undergo a renovation, will be performing the work with piano on Sunday. 

The Anthem at Communion this Sunday is an early American hymn tune from the Sacred Harp arranged by former St. Peter’s Assistant Organist Martha Shaffer (b. 1946).

Another early American melody will be sung with Hymn 638 “Come, O thou traveler unknown.” This splendid text, titled “Wrestling Jacob” by Charles Wesley is paired with a tune by Lucius Chapin (1760–1842) in the Hymnal. Lucius was a fifer in the Continental Army and later taught music in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Virginia. In 1797 he moved to Vernon, Kentucky, the place which gives this hymn tune its name: “Vernon.” 

Like “King of Peace” the tune set by Martha Shaffer, both of these early American tunes carry texts about wrestling with God. One of the assigned readings on Sunday is the story from Genesis about Jacob wrestling with the angel. Even though this reading will not be present in our service this Sunday, the plaintive question of Psalm 121 and the insistence of the widow in the Gospel have a similar quality — one of pleading and expecting something of the divine. 

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Keys to the Kingdom strives to be an almost weekly blog about the music and liturgy of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, St. Louis, Missouri. It is written by David Sinden, Organist & Director of Music. You can learn more about the church's music ministry at stpetersepiscopal.org/worship/music or email David at