Sacred Harp Singing

Heading to another family reunion this weekend, I'm reading through old records and was reminded that my paternal grandfather's family were good singers.  The following is clipped from a transcribed (and recently reprinted) oral history entitled The Jordans of Brindlee Mountain.

JCB, Sheffield, and Tom were accomplished Sacred Harp singers.

  Old singing minutes describe how they conducted class, 15 minutes each. 

 Herbert also loved Sacred Harp singing and was a great bass.

Here is a link to the family church, Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church, where my cousin, Matt Jordan is pastor.  I think I need to learn how to sing this way ~

Listen up!

It's Time to Sleep

On Saturday I had the opportunity to hear the author of this poem speak, but not about lullabies.  More like an alarm clock, Eric Metaxas captured my attention.  Entertaining in style, authentic in message, and powerful with vision, he shared his hopes for how the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer could impact our society for the Lord.  Metaxas has a heart for God and demonstrates it in all aspects of his work.  I 'm on a mission to read/collect all of his books, poems, essays, and writings.

"It's time to sleep, it's time to sleep,"
the fishes croon in waters deep.
The songbirds sing in trees above,
"It's time to sleep, my love, my love."
"It's time to sleep, my love."
So, go to sleep, my love.

So, go to sleep, my sleepy child,"
the tiger whispers in the wild.
The otter utters by the lake,
"It's getting hard to stay awake."
"So, go to sleep, my love."
"It's time to sleep, my love."

"Let's go to sleep, my darling love,"
so coos the sleepy turtledove.
So drones the drowsy bumblebee
inside its hive inside its tree.
"It's time to sleep, my love."
"Let's go to sleep, my love."

"I'm getting very sleepy now,"
so moos the tired milking cow.
So croaks the almost-sleeping frog
amidst the settling of the fog.
"So, go to sleep, my love."
"It's time to sleep, my love, love."

Your dreams will be arriving soon.
They'll float to you in sleep's balloon.
They'll be here when I snuff the wick,
you'd better close your eyelids quick.
So you can dream, my love.
So you can dream, my love.

And as you dream inside your sleep,
the fishes crooning in the deep, and
all the songbirds up above
will sleep and dream of you, my love,
of you, the one I love.

by Eric Metaxas


Now that you've read through the poem, listen to Sally Taylor sing it.
(daughter of James Taylor and Carly Simon).

What a perfect gift!



Image is by Nancy Tillman and borrowed from her book.

Steal Away

DD#3 sang this spiritual as the special anthem during yesterday's worship service.   The words are haunting and not unlike a favorite of mine, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

It was coincidental that Sunday, November 28th, 2010, was the 152nd anniversary of the slave ship's, Wanderer's, arrival at Jekyll Island, GA where she unloaded over 400 Africans who were immediately sold.   Here's a link to a short review the book, The Wanderer.

Refrain
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain’t got long to stay here.


My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

Refrain

Green trees are bending,
Poor sinners stand a-trembling;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

Refrain

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the lightning;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

Bless This Food, O Lord

Shrimp 'n Grits, Pickled Beets, and Green Beans
French Bread

Cavit Pinot Grigio (not pictured because it's all gone)  ;-)


We enjoyed this meal after hearing a sermon on Psalm 75.  This marks the halfway point in our pastor's preaching through the book of Psalms.  In his introductory remarks, JCMIII marveled at how this divine poetry *gets inside us*.  Despite the vernacular, I grasp his meaning and concur.

My prayer is that the words of the psalmist(s) become so familiar to me that they would always come easy in conversation.  Even more so, I hope that they spill out of my mouth when I am old and gray, and perhaps not in my right mind.

Then this food, this bread, this Word of God, would truly be a blessing.

We closed the service by singing Psalm 75 to the tune Belmont C.M.

Here's the paraphrase ~

To Thee, O God, we render thanks,

To Thee give thanks sincere

Because Thy wondrous works declare

That Thy great name is near.

When my appointed time is come,

I'll judge with even hand.

Though earth and all its dwellers melt,

I make its pillars stand.

I to the boastful said, "Boast not!"

To vile men, "Lift no horn!

Do not lift up your horn on high,

Nor speak with neck of scorn!"

For not from east nor west nor wilds

Comes exaltation nigh,

For God is judge, debasing one,

Another raising high.

The LORD pours out a foaming cup

Which well-mixed wine contains,

And every wicked one on earth

Must drink; the dregs he drains.

But I will tell it evermore,

To Jacob's God sing praise;

And horns of sinners I'll cut off,

But just men's horns I'll raise.

From the Book of Psalms for Singing, copyright 1973 and published by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.


Bless this food, O Lord,

and us to Thy service.

In Jesus' Name, I pray

AMEN

Manhattan: Redeemer Pres

Hunter College
Auditorium








Last Sunday evening I worshipped on the upper East Side with about 500 Christians who make up part of the larger Redeemer Presbyterian Church. It was a delightful service with jazz band accompaniment, a strong female vocalist, a confident worship leader, and a teaching elder who entered the sanctuary moments before delivering the sermon. He also exited immediately afterwards and the service was closed by the unnamed worship leader.

When I left I asked an usher the name of the minister; it was Rev Matthew Paul Buccheri. The usher explained that they never know in advance who will be delivering the message because the session wants to decrease the chances of congregants' attendance based on the teacher.

While the music was definitely more contemporary than what I'm used to or what I prefer, it was well-done and I enjoyed the singing (7 songs all together!), even if I couldnt do it as lustily as I would have like (due to lack of familiarity).

The sermon was expositional: both basic and forthright and followed along in their series about King David (2 Sam 7:1-17).

Visiting churches is not one of my favorite things to do, but I'm definitely glad I went and would attend again.

What about you?

Do you attend church while on vacation (or traveling)?

Carmina Burana

At Hillsdale's Spring Choir Concert DD#3 and #4 will be singing this ancient collection of poems together with the 100-person choir. Since I cant attend in person I will be listening over the weekend to Atlanta's Robert Shaw rendition of this famous work. Here's a little taste - translated from the Latin:

Truly, in the season of spring
Stands above the withering tree
sweet Juliana with her sister.
Sweet love!
He who is without you in this season
Is worthless.
Behold the trees bloom,
Birds are singing lustily;
Among them, the girls are cooling off.
Sweet love!
He who is without you in this season
Is worthless.
Behold the lilies bloom,
And throngs of virgins give
songs to the highest of the gods.
Sweet love!
He who is without you in this season
Is worthless.
If I could hold the girl I love
In the forest under the leaves,
I would kiss her with joy.
Sweet love!
He who is without you in this season
Is worthless.


Conductor James Holleman chose the most famous version to perform, that by Carl Orff, but has made sure that the text is *PG-rataed* and least likely to offend anyone in the audience.

Here's a link to a short analysis.


I have never heard Carmina Burana.

Have you?

We Sing to Him

We sing to him whose wisdom form'd the ear.
Our songs, let him who gave us voices, hear.
We joy in God who is the spring of mirth.
Who loves the harmony of heav'n and earth;
Our humble sonnets shall his praise rehearse,
Who is the music of the universe.
And whilst we sing we consecrate our art.
And offer up with ev'ry tongue a heart.







by Henry Purcell
published in 1688

An English composer during the Baroque era, Purcell was considered one of the finest of his time.

This sacred song opened DD#4's voice recital yesterday.

Voice Recital Program



















Well, I cant read that, so I suppose you can either. I will type it in later, as I have run out of time right now.

Sing Lustily and With Good Courage

For safe keeping, I'm posting the Sleeve Notes from my newest favorite CD, Sing Lustily and With Good Courage by Maddy Prior with The Carnival Band,



which I also crooned about on my xanga site.

Several years ago I ran across an article at the Academy of Poets' website about Emily Dickinson and Isaac Watts.

It mentioned that people walked out of church services when his hymns were played.

This was a surprise to me since I love these *old*, traditionally-styled hymns. I prefer them over the newer *praise/worship* music. But it got me thinking about how Watt's music and lyrics must have been *new* at one time.

Futhermore, if you read no further than this paragraph, do read or re-read Mrs. Schaeffer's chapter on Music in her book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking. There is a dear story about an opera singer who used her talent to sing with those less talented than she.

At any rate, here is the information about congregational singing long ago....or the lack thereof. Note the sentence *Gradually children and women were admitted....*

From John Wesley's instructions for singing, 1761:

I. Learn these tunes before you learn any others ...

II. Sing them exactly as they are printed here without altering or mending them at all ...

III. Sing All. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can ...

IV. Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength ...

V. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony ...

VI. Sing in Time. Whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it ... and take care not to sing too slow ...

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself or any other creature ...

Read more here at John Mark Ministries.

Amazing Grace

Last evening I departed from my normal Sunday evening stay-at-home activities and headed to the movie, Amazing Grace. Not only was it well done but it also is worth supporting. I highly recommend it.

While there are lots of ways in which this movie can be discussed (see Carmen's blog entry), I would like to focus on the hymn. My strongest memory of this favored song is singing a few verses of it solo in church when I was about twelve. I was very nervous.

What is your earliest memory of hearing or singing Newton's Amazing Grace?

Favorite Hymn

How sweet and awesome is this place
[originally How sweet and aweful is the place]
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!

Here every bowel of our God
With soft compassion rolls;
Here peace and pardon bought with blood
Is food for dying souls.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?

“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”

’Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May with one voice, and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

Words by Isaac Watts, 1707
Old Irish hymn melody
St Columbia C. M.

Voice Recital



DD#1 and her voice professor just after her wonderful performance. She sang the following eleven songs beautifully.















With Verdue Clad from The Creation by J Haydn
Bois epais by J B Lully
Chanson d'Amour by G Faure
Ouvre ton coeur by G Bizet
Gretchen am Spinnrade by F Schubert
Spirate, pur spirate by S Donaudy
Memories by C Ives
Talk About a Child by R Chenault
Willow Song fm The Ballad of Baby Doe by D Moore
Strictly Germ-Proof: Antiseptic BabyPeter by J Sacco
So anch'io la virtu magica fm Don Pasquale by Donizetti

Check us out on my xanga site. Or click on the time to comment :)

Be Thou My Vision

The girls sang this anthem for church today. G started them out (soprano solo); then all four unison; then an soprano/alto verse; ending with a three part verse (SAT) Wish you could have heard them.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art--
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
Thou in my dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Rule of all.

Irish hymn (8th Century)
attributed to St Patrick