Sunday musical offering

February 5, 2023

O happy souls, how fast you go,
And leave me far behind;
Don’t stay for me, for now I see
The Lord is good and kind.
Go on, go on, my soul says go,
And I’ll come after you;
Though I’m behind I feel inclined
To sing hosanna too. 

God give you strength your race to run
And keep your footsteps right;
Though fast you go, and I so slow,
You are not out of sight.
When you get to that world above,
And all God’s glory see,
On that bright shore, your journey o’er,
Then look you out for me. 

I’m coming on as fast I can,
No toil or danger fear;
God give me strength, may I at length
Be one among you there.
Then all together we shall meet,
Together we will sing;
Together we will praise our God
And everlasting King.

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Today’s cultural moment

February 2, 2023

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Happy birthday, Franz

January 31, 2023

In honor of the birthday of Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828), here is the final movement from the Piano Sonata in B-flat major D.960, played by Alison Chiang.

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Sunday musical offering

January 29, 2023

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, 
To His feet thy tribute bring; 
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, 
Evermore His praises sing. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 
Praise the everlasting King. 

Praise Him for His grace and favor 
To His people in distress; 
Praise Him, still the same as ever, 
Slow to chide, and swift to bless. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 
Glorious in His faithfulness. 

Fatherlike, God tends and spares us; 
Well our feeble frame He knows; 
Motherlike, God gently bears us, 
Rescues us from all our foes. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 
Widely yet His mercy flows. 

Angels in the height, adore Him, 
Ye behold Him face to face; 
Saints triumphant, bow before Him, 
Gathered in from every race. 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 
Praise with us the God of grace.

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Today’s cultural moment

January 26, 2023

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Happy birthday, Robbie

January 25, 2023

It’s the birthday of Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). In his short life, Burns sired twelve offspring, some of them legitimate; and he wrote hundreds of poems and song lyrics, some of them suitable for polite company. When Scottish Television polled its viewers in 2009 on the question of who was the greatest Scot of all time, Robert Burns was the winner (William Wallace was the runner-up).

Scottish folk singer Jean Redpath (1937-2014) and American composer and ethnomusicologist Serge Hovey (1920-1989) teamed up in 1976 to record the complete songs of Robert Burns. Had they completed this rather ambitious project, it would have run to 22 volumes; but Hovey’s death in 1989 meant that only seven volumes were completed. This song appeared in Volume 4.

O stay, sweet warbling woodlark, stay;
Nor quit for me the trembling spray;
A hapless lover courts thy lay,
Thy soothing, fond complaining.

Again, again that tender part,
That I may catch thy melting art;
Surely that would touch her heart
Wha kills me wi’ disdaining.

Say, was thy little mate unkind,
And heard thee as the careless wind?
Nocht but love and sorrow join’d,
Sic notes o’ woe could wauken!

Thou tells o’ never-ending care, 
O’ speechless grief, and dark despair;
For pity’s sake, sweet bird, nae mair!
Or my poor heart is broken.

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Sunday musical offering

January 22, 2023

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Today’s cultural moment

January 19, 2023

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Sunday musical offering

January 15, 2023

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Today’s cultural moment

January 12, 2023

Softly falls the morning snow,
Whispers to the sleeping world below:
“Wintertide awakes.”
Dawning breaks and sets the earth aglow.

In gentle tones of warmest white,
Proclaim the glory of Aurora’s light.
Sparrow sings in a clear, clean voice,
A sweet, silver carol for the season born.
Radiant wings as the skies rejoice,
Arise and illuminate the morn.

Softly falls the morning snow,
Whispers to the sleeping world below:
“Glow!”

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