Yabba-dabba-doo, 18 days until our Lenten Prayer concert!
Lugubrious musical admonition (from my personal past)...don't let this be you! BE READY for this concert!
"Precious Lord" choir...this is for you - a beautiful rendition! The song begins at 1:28
Precious Lord soloists: Study Aretha, and you cannot go wrong. Here are a few clips to get you started. I recommend - listen listen listen - then don your headphones, crank up the volume, and SING ALONG!
1. Oh Mary, Don't You Weep
2. "Precious Memories" - with Rev. James Cleveland
3. God Will Take Care of You
4. How I Got Over
5. Climbing Higher Mountains
"He Watching Over Israel" - Following a whimsical lead ("what if...?") I came upon some interesting material.
Eyes
More eyes.
Everything comes from something, yes?
Interesting stuff here: "night deities" - cultural listing
For those who would like to sink their teeth into some VERY interesting technical, scholarly research regarding "G/god/s who never sleep," look here.
The concept of an unsleeping, ever-watchful God is shared with Islam, another of the Abrahamic religions.
From the Qur'an:
Allah! There is no god but Allah, He is the Living the Self- subsisting Eternal. No slumber can seize him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows what (appears to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as He wills. His throne does extend over the heavens and the earth and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. For He is the Most High the Supreme (in glory).
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) Qur-an 2:255
(site is here)
"Miserere miseris"
"Miserere miseris" is a 13th century sequence. What's a sequence? Find out here.
13th century - dang, that's the 1200's! This music has survived 800 years of European history!
In the spirit of "None Other Lamb" -
I grew up a "two-toned Baptist." Waaay back in the day, my family joined a huge Southern Baptist church about 10 car-minutes away from the large National Baptist church where my late father (Rev. Murphy H. Peterson) was pastor. Both churches are very near downtown Houston but just the right distance apart to make major religious days (like Easter!) into transportation epics.
For many years, I was privileged with intensive en blanc et noir church music exposure.
Remember a post or two ago, when I shared different versions of "Precious Lord?"
Musical hermeneutics: once a "text" (song, way of doing something, riff, wail, or whatever) has left the barn, it's free-range - and by now, there are as many ways of singing any particular gospel song as there are singers/pianists/organists/congregations!
"There's Something About That Name" - one way...
And, Another Way!
The pianist on this Ann Nesby clip is AMAZING. I doff my plumed hat with admiration and just a bit of green envy. What a beautiful blend of gospel, jazz, and ?! styles. ;-)
I simply MUST end with this one, an all-time personal favorite. Blessings, everyone, this night.
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