This Sunday’s organ prelude at 9:00 and 11:00 am is by the African American composer Mark Fax (1911-1974). Fax taught music at the great HBCU Howard University from 1947 and was eventually appointed Director of the School of Music. He wrote operas, piano and choral works, music for chamber ensemble and orchestra, and Sunday’s featured Prelude on St. Martin’s for organ in 1964.
Sunday’s choral anthem, meanwhile, is a poetic Spanish translation of the famous Matthew 18:19-20 gospel text, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there will I be also.” Esto les digo, by Kinley Lange, is a beautiful, moving anthem with an ethereal soprano solo at the very end from Kaeli Porter that may well transport you.