This Lent, the world worn down by two years of pandemic, war unfolding in Ukraine and hearts anxious and troubled, I am turning to the poems of others to reflect on what it means to cry out for mercy in this time. Today’s poem is from young Ukrainian poet Les Beley, and it is accompaniedContinue reading “40 Days of Mercy: Kyrie in the ashes”
Tag Archives: choral music
Christmas 7: Rejoice in your new clothes
2017 is almost over, and today we have two choral pieces to conclude our year with, one early, one modern, both settings of one of the readings for the first Sunday after Christmas, Isaiah 61:10-62:4. The first is the delightfully joyous “Gaudens Gaudebo in Domino” by the 16th century German composer Philip Dulchius. The textContinue reading “Christmas 7: Rejoice in your new clothes”
Christmas 6: Nunc Dimittis
The story of Simeon has given the church one of its oldest hymns, called the “Nunc Dimittis”, after the first two Latin words of the song: “Now dismiss…” There have been many musical versions of Simeon’s song, but today’s poem takes as its inspiration a modern setting by the living Swiss composer Carl Rütti. Rütti’sContinue reading “Christmas 6: Nunc Dimittis”
The Lord’s Prayer (Cornucopia of Heaven)
The Lord’s Prayer After Otto Nicolai, “Pater noster, Op. 33” Our Father – the heavens are Your home, earth Your tent, and yet You are a Father. Teach our fickle hearts, our yelling hearts, to still, to stop to look upon Your glory, high and lifted up. Our Father who our FatherContinue reading “The Lord’s Prayer (Cornucopia of Heaven)”
Assurance (Cornucopia of Heaven)
Assurance After Giovanni Gabrieli, “Exultavit Cor Meum” From depths, from brokenness, the trumpet sounds, the trumpet sounds the new, it sounds the dawn of low made high. Exalt, my heart! My heart exalts. My eyes will see, my ears will hearContinue reading “Assurance (Cornucopia of Heaven)”
Kyrie (Cornucopia of Heaven)
Kyrie After Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, “Missa Papae Marcelli: Kyrie” From earth, from soil, from hearts, from fractures Kyrie Kyrie From death, from fire, from quake, from anguish Kyrie Kyrie From drought that blocks, from self that locks Kyrie eleison From sin, from toil, from pride, from hate Christe Christe FromContinue reading “Kyrie (Cornucopia of Heaven)”
The Consolations of Writing 