17 posts tagged “music”

Lovely Musical Compositions from UK!

Jul 27, 2008
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Or: http://www.ivanmoody.co.uk/audiofiles.htm

This link has three lovely audio files from our Orthodox convert, friend and excellent musician and composer from Great Britain, Orthodox Priest, Fr. Ivan Moody. Enjoy!

The following is a link to a CBC (Canadian Broadcasing Corp.) interview with Ivan Moody

http://www.ivanmoody.co.uk/cbcinterview.htm

It is a transcript of Ivan Moody being interviewed by Andrea Ratuski, CBC, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, October 1999.

PS He is a friend of Sir John Tavenner, another Orthodox convert from the UK, who is also the composer for the Pannikheda (Memorial) piece I put with the sound slide presentation for the Newly Departed Kevin (Zechariah) Adams.

Appalachian Spring; Aaron Copeland

Apr 8, 2008
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Appalachian Spring --Aaron Copland

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During lunchtime today, my youngest daughter and I watched a musical and video presentation of American composer Aaron Copeland's classical orchestral piece entitled, "Rodeo: Hoedown." It left me wanting to see and hear more of Copeland's delightful music. So, I found these pieces on YouTube, which I hope you will also enjoy as well.

Okay, this second one is really random, but then, sort of fun... Grin... But the music is quite good!

Aaron Copland HOE-Down

Don't Give Up; You Are Loved; Josh Groban

Mar 14, 2008
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Don't Give Up, You Are Loved

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Okay, I know a certain daughter will be displeased that I posted one of her favorites on my ole mom blog, but, what can I say? I love it too. Always in season; always an excellent truth to bring into our hearts, minds and souls...

Don't Give Up... You Are Loved! Sing it, Josh!

White Christmas: John Denver

Dec 22, 2007
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White Christmas - John Denver

Last night, we watched the original movie, "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. It was fun. This is a wonderful version of the song done by John Denver. White Christmas' are but a fond memory here in way South Texas... So, we'll just look at these pictures and dream of other days and times...

The Wexford Carol

Dec 18, 2007
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Celtic Woman-The Wexford Carol

The Wexford Carol (Irish: Carúl Loch Garman) is a traditional religious Irish Christmas carol originating from County Wexford, and specifically, Enniscorthy (whence its name), and dating to the 12th century.^[1] The subject of the song is that of the nativity of Jesus Christ.

The song is sometimes known by its first verse, "Good people all this Christmas time."

English Lyrics

Good people all, this Christmas time,

Consider well and bear in mind

What our good God for us has done

In sending his beloved son

With Mary holy we should pray,

To God with love this Christmas Day

In Bethlehem upon that morn,

There was a blessed Messiah born

The night before that happy tide

The noble Virgin and her guide

Were long time seeking up and down

To find a lodging in the town

But mark right well what came to pass

From every door repelled, alas

As was foretold, their refuge all

Was but a humble ox's stall

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep

Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep

To whom God's angel did appear

Which put the shepherds in great fear

Prepare and go, the angels said

To Bethlehem, be not afraid

For there you'll find, this happy morn

A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born

With thankful heart and joyful mind

The shepherds went the babe to find

And as God's angel had foretold

They did our Saviour Christ behold

Within a manger he was laid

And by his side a virgin maid

Attending on the Lord of Life

Who came on earth to end all strife

There were three wise men from afar

Directed by a glorious star

And on they wandered night and day

Until they came where Jesus lay

And when they came unto that place

Where our beloved Messiah lay

They humbly cast them at his feet

With gifts of gold and incense sweet.^[2]

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Dec 15, 2007
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Loreena McKennitt- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

For Jesus Christ our Saviour (or Remember Christ our Saviour)

Was born upon this day (or Was born on Christmas Day)

To save us all from Satan's power (or To save poor souls from Satan's power)

When we were gone astray (or When they had gone astray)

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem, in Jewry, (or Judah, literally, "in Israel")

This blessèd Babe was born (or The humble Christ was born)

And laid within a manger (or And God sent us salvation)

Upon this blessèd morn (or That blessed Christmas morn)

To which His Mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father

A blessèd Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

"Fear not then," said the Angel,

"Let nothing you affright,

This day is born a Saviour

Of a pure Virgin bright,

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan's power and might."

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings

Rejoiced much in mind,

And left their flocks a-feeding

In tempest, storm and wind:

And went to Bethlehem straightway

This blessed Babe to find. (or The Son of God to find)

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

But when to Bethlehem they came (or And when they came to Bethlehem)

Whereat this Infant lay, (or Where our dear Saviour lay)

They found Him in a manger,

Where oxen feed on hay;

His Mother Mary kneeling, (or His mother Mary kneeling down,)

Unto the Lord did pray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth efface.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (or God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and God Bless You Merry, Gentlemen) is a traditional Christmas carol. The tune to which it is generally sung is usually in the key of E minor and is in common time or cut time. It seems to have no name but is generally indicated as English traditional and is amenable to arrangement into a wide variety of musical styles.

History

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" was first published in Britain in 1833, when it appeared in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, a collection of seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys, though its incipit was in William Hone's "List of Christmas carols now annually printed" in Ancient Mysteries Described, 1823. The author is unknown.

This is the carol of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, 1843: "...at the first sound of — "God bless you merry, gentlemen! May nothing you dismay!"— Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action, that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost."

The song perhaps alludes to the raucous behaviour of men who were drinking, eating and partying during the Christmas season. It was written as a reminder of the true meaning of the day. "Remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day" was a reminder of a greater happiness in store.

This carol also features in the second movement of the Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson.

Good King Wenceslaus: Saint & Martyr

Dec 11, 2007
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Loreena McKennitt- Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas is one of my very favorite Christmas Carols, partly because it refers to the "Feast of Stephen" which is also my birthday. I love the tale of this merciful and Saintly King who serves the poor and needy.

From Wikipedia:

"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on St. Stephen's Day (December 26 in the Western Church; December 27th and January 4th in the Eastern Orthodox Church), the day after Christmas. In the journey, his page gives up the struggle against the cold weather and is aided by the king who provides the miracle of the warmth that’s needed in his footprints in the snow. The subject of the carol is the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935).

The tune is to "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("It is time for flowering"), a 13th-century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582. The carol is also found in Carmina Burana as CB 142. "Tempus Adest Floridum" was translated into English as "The Flower Carol", and was recorded by Jean Ritchie on the album "Carols For all Seasons" (1959), with the "Good King Wenceslas" tune.

In 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, Her Majesty's Envoy and Minister at Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to The Reverend John Mason Neale (Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex) and to The Reverend Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark's College, Chelsea). The book was entirely unknown in England at that time. John Mason Neale is also credited with authoring the lyrics to several other Christmas Carols, including "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Rev. Neale wrote another book entitled, "Exhiles of the Cebenna," published by Paidea Classics Press, which I used in a language arts/history course to help students understand the struggles of early Christians in the then pagan persecutions of Roman Gaul.

Neale translated some of the carols and hymns, and in 1853, he and Helmore published 12 carols in Carols for Christmas-tide (with music from Piae Cantiones). In 1854, they published 12 more in Carols for Easter-tide. The inspirational copy of Piae Cantiones is now said to be in the British Museum.

The lyrics are by Neale (1818–1866). He may have written the hymn some time earlier; he related the story on which it is based in Deeds of Faith (1849). The usual English spelling of King Václav's name, Wenceslaus, is occasionally encountered in later textual variants of the carol, although it was not used by Neale in the original. The lyrics are as follows:

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen,

When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;

Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,

When a poor man came in sight gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,

Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;

Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:

Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."

Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;

Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;

Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer."

"Mark my footsteps, my good page. Tread thou in them boldly:

Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;

Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,

Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

KingWenceslausOfTheCzechs

The Holy Prince Wenceslaus (Vyacheslav) of the Czechs was a grandson of the holy Martyr and Princess Ludmilla (September 16), and he was raised by her in deep piety. He began to rule at age eighteen after the death of his father Prince Bratislav (+ 920).

In spite of his youthful age, he ruled wisely and justly and concerned himself much about the Christian enlightenment of the people. The holy prince was a widely educated man, and he studied in the Latin and Greek languages.

St Wenceslaus was peace-loving. He built and embellished churches, and in Prague, the Czech capital, he raised up a magnificent church in the name of St Vitus, and he had respect for the clergy. Envious nobles decided to murder the saint and, at first, to incite his mother against him, and later to urge his younger brother, Boleslav, to occupy the princely throne.

Boleslav invited his brother to the dedication of a church, and then asked him to stay another day. In spite of the warnings of his servants, the holy prince refused to believe in a conspiracy and exposed his life to the will of God. On the following day, September 28, 935, when Wenceslaus went to Matins, he was wickedly murdered at the doors of the church by his own brother and his brother's servants. His body was stabbed and discarded without burial.

The mother, hearing of the murder of her son, found and placed his body in a recently consecrated church at the princely court. They were not able to wash off the blood splashed on the church doors, but after three days it disappeared by itself.

After repenting of his sin, the murderer transferred the relics of St Wenceslaus to Prague, where they were placed in the church of St Vitus, which the martyr himself had constructed (the transfer of the relics of St Wenceslaus is celebrated on March 4). The memory of Prince Wenceslaus has been honored from of old in the Russian Orthodox Church.

ProtoDeaconStephen

The Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen was the eldest of the seven deacons, established by the Apostles themselves, and therefore he is called "archdeacon." He was the first Christian martyr, and he suffered for Christ at about age 30. In the words of Asterias, he was "the starting point of the martyrs, the instructor of suffering for Christ, the foundation of righteous confession, since Stephen was the first to shed his blood for the Gospel."

Filled with the Holy Spirit, St Stephen preached Christianity and defeated Jewish teachers of the Law in debate. The Jews maligned St Stephen, saying that he had uttered blasphemy against God and against Moses. St Stephen came before the Sanhedrin and the High Priest to answer these charges. He gave a fiery speech, in which he recounted the history of the Jewish nation, and denounced the Jews for persecuting the prophets, and also for executing the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ (Acts ch. 7).

During his speech, St Stephen suddenly saw the heavens opened and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God. The Jews shouted and covered their ears, and rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and stoned him, but the holy martyr prayed for his murderers. Far off on the heights stood the Mother of God with the holy Apostle John the Theologian, and She prayed fervently for the martyr. Before his death St Stephen said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Then he joyfully gave up his pure soul to Christ.

The body of the holy Protomartyr Stephen, left to be eaten by beasts, was secretly taken up by the Jewish teacher Gamaliel and his son Habib, who buried Stephen on his estate. They both believed in Christ, and later receivedholy Baptism.