Thanks …….

 

………. to those few regular viewers and listeners who remain: you know who you are.

I have loved sharing ‘my’ music with you but the appeal is too small and the effort too great.  For the foreseeable future, whatever that is, my listening and viewing will be in private.

I leave you this last time with a video, from a very recent post, which says everything in its perfection.  Only a few days ago I wrote this,

“Occasionally, only very occasionally, art turns one upside down, inside out, backsides forward, every which way.

For me this is one such occasion.  Everything about this is perfect, flawless.

The words, the music, the voices, the video: each adds to the atmosphere, the performance, the occasion.

Soon you’ll get your chance to see and hear how you are affected.

I had never heard of ‘The Civil Wars’, a very new group – formed in 2008 – of two singer-songwriters, Joy Williams and John Paul White, but now Grammy winners.  Later in the day I found them and wrote this post I saw them looking at me from the pages of the online Guardian here.

Enough of me.

Now you can experience

The Civil Wars                                                                     Poison and Wine

 

I hope you found this worthy of the hype.  If not then I’ll console myself with  the knowledge that we are all different and I will love this until the day I die …… which I trust is many years away.

[UPDATE @ 15 March 2012 23.15: I am consoling myself with the knowledge that we are all different and I will love this until the day I die …… which I trust is many years away.]”

 

Thanks once more and goodbye.  This is not a sad goodbye, however: I leave with my faith at a different level and I look forward to walking the rest of my life in God’s light.  Through all times I will look to Jesus and know I am not alone.

May you too experience Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Music in the Morning No. 288 - Praise the Lord

 

This morning we have a very powerful hymn written by Charles Wesley although the treatment is modern.

Join me as I sing along.

 

Phatfish and Lou Fellingham                                               And Can It Be

And Can It Be And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Saviour's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain- For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, should die for me? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, should die for me? He left His Father's throne above So free, so infinite His grace- Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race: 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray- I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed with righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, should die for me? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Thanks be to God.

Music in the Morning No. 287 - Louis Vierne

 

Once more a new name to me but what an impact!  

Power! 

Drama!

Be prepared to be blown away as Michael Murray plays the final movement of Vierne’s 1st Symphony for organ.

 

Louis Vierne                           1st Symphony for Organ – Final Movement

[Michael Murray on the Grace Cathedral Organ 1973]

Are you still in one piece?

Music in the Morning No. 286 – Aly Bain, Donal Lunny and Dezi Donnelly

 

We return to the fabulous Transatlantic Sessions with the House band featuring Aly, Donal and Dezi in a set of three great tunes.

 

Aly Bain, Donal Lunny and Dezi Donnelly            Kid on the Mountain Set

[The set is: Kid On The Mountain / Sleep Sound In The Morning / The Reconciliation]

[Transatlantic House Band is:  Aly Bain – fiddle; Dezi Donnelly – fiddle;  Donal Lunny – bouzouki;  Phil Cunningham – accordion; Donald Shaw – piano; Michael McGoldrick – uilleann pipes and flute; Jerry Douglas – dobro; Russ Barenberg – guitar; James McIntyre – drums; Todd Parker – double bass]

 

Now you’re awake!

Music in the Morning No. 285 – The Civil Wars

 

Occasionally, only very occasionally, art turns one upside down, inside out, backsides forward, every which way. 

For me this is one such occasion.  Everything about this is perfect, flawless. 

The words, the music, the voices, the video: each adds to the atmosphere, the performance, the occasion.

Soon you’ll get your chance to see and hear how you are affected.

I had never heard of ‘The Civil Wars’, a very new group – formed in 2008 – of two singer-songwriters, Joy Williams and John Paul White, but now Grammy winners.  Later in the day I found them and wrote this post I saw them looking at me from the pages of the online Guardian here.

Enough of me.

Now you can experience

 

The Civil Wars                                                                  Poison and Wine

 

I hope you found this worthy of the hype.  If not then I’ll console myself with  the knowledge that we are all different and I will love this until the day I die …… which I trust is many years away.

[UPDATE @ 15 March 2012 23.15: I am consoling myself with the knowledge that we are all different and I will love this until the day I die …… which I trust is many years away.]

Music in the Morning No. 284 – Nollaig Casey

 

Nollaig plays two tunes with the fabulous musicians of the Transatlantic Sessions House Band but also with the precociously gifted Sarah Jarosz.

I found this comment at another Transatlantic Sessions video.

“The Transatlantic Sessions are as necessary to music as breathing is to life. They remind one of the pure power of music to heal, soothe or simply reaffirm the beauty in life. These sessions have allowed me access to musicians I would not otherwise have known and, quite? simply, made me fall in love with music all over. Thanks for posting.” [Utoober67]

My feelings exactly!

You have just under 3 minutes of  ……

Nollaig Casey                                                             Lios Na Banriona / The Cross Reel

[Sarah Jarosz - octave mandolin;   Aly Bain – fiddle;   Russ Barenberg – guitar;   Michael McGoldrick – flute;   Danny Thompson – double bass;   Donald Shaw – piano]

…. wonder!

I do make my first ever criticism of TS!   I love each tune in its own right but, for me, as a pairing they are ill-matched: ‘Lios Na Banriona’ displays a beauty which sweeps my heart to places wonderful but then I am tugged abruptly from this peace and forced to jump about and dance frenetically.

 

I finish by doing something I have never done before: I plug tomorrow’s music with two short quotes from the post. 

 

“Occasionally, only very occasionally, art turns one upside down, inside out, backsides forward, every which way.”

“I will love this until the day I die …. “

 

Can you possibly miss this?

Music in the Morning No. 283 – Beth Rowley

 

For the second time Beth Rowley arrives to sing for you this morning [see here for her previous visit].

I am persuaded.  I think you will be too.

 

Beth Rowley                                                                      Almost Persuaded

 

Well?  Have you joined me?

Great!  Another persuaded.

Music in the Morning No. 282 – Locatelli

 

Classical music and Pietro Locatelli (see his music 16 days ago here) return to welcome you on this Monday morning.  Locatelli’s ‘Introduzione teatrale for strings Op. 4 No. 5’ is in three wonderful movements (allegro, andante and presto).

Seven minutes plus of enjoyment.

 

Locatelli                                  Introduzione teatrale for strings Op. 4 No. 5

[The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra]

Even if your enjoyment was only 1/10th of mine, you loved this!

Music in the Morning No. 281 – Praise the Lord

 

About 10 days ago my online friend Liz posted one of her favourite hymns.  I didn’t realise then that her choice was in my list for ‘Praise the Lord’.  Not only have we chosen the same hymn we chose the same version: only the actual video is different.

Be Thou My Vision

 

Thanks be to the Lord.

Amen

Music in the Morning No. 280 – Phil Ochs

 

The long-gone Phil make his first morning appearance with a a protest song.  How we need massive protest today!!!

 

Phil Ochs                                                         I Ain’t Marching Anymore

 

Thanks, Phil. We need you today!

Music in the Morning No. 279 – Kathleen Macinnes

 

After yesterday’s sojourn to England via Canada we return to home – well my home – and Kathleen Macinnes sings a beautiful Gaelic song, Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór (Jimmy, My Treasure), with a gorgeous arrangement.

 

Kathleen Macinnes                                                    Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór

 

I understand not one word but I know the song intimately.

Music in the Morning No. 278 – The Wailin’ Jennys

 

We return to Canada to find The Wailin’ Jennys who give a performance I can only describe as being brilliantly and quintessentially English …. I mean this as the highest possible praise!

Welcome to magnificence!

 

The Wailin’ Jennys                                                                       Bold Riley

This, I could listen to all day.  I have listened to this all day!

In case you wondered where their name came from I read that it is play on ‘Waylon Jennings’.

Music in the Morning No. 277 – Rab Noakes

 

Another Fifer graces your ears with a First World War song although the last line stretches ‘grace’ beyond breaking point.  Mind you, given what these poor soldiers had to endure, that there is any grace is miraculous!

 

Rab Noakes                                                When This Bloody War Is Over

 

Rab featured in this series 14 months ago here.

Music in the Morning No. 276 – Ronny

 

There are many versions of this sea shanty involving many ports.  This version is German and has Hamburg as the port.

Enjoy.

 

Ronny                                                                                         Rolling Home

 

It was after finding this song that I came across Roy Bailey singing a totally different ‘Rolling Home’ – MitM No. 256.

Music in the Morning No. 275 – PJ Harvey

 

Another new artist – well, new to me and this series. 

Wikipedia had this to say about Polly Jean Harvey,

“Among the accolades she has received are the 2001 and 2011 Mercury Prize for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000) and Let England Shake (2011)respectively—the only artist to have been awarded the prize twice—eight BRIT Award nominations, six Grammy Award nominations and two further Mercury Prize nominations.  Rolling Stone awarded her 1992's Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter and 1995's Artist of the Year, and listed Rid of Me and To Bring You My Love (1995) on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.  In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution To Music at the NME Awards.”

In my chosen video, the theme song from the film, ‘The Passion of Darkly Noon’, Harvey asks the question, “Who Will Love Me Now?”.

 

PJ Harvey                                                                   Who Will Love Me Now?

Who Will Love Me Now In the forest, is a monster It has done terrible things So in the wood, it's hiding And this is the song it sings Who will love me now? Who will ever love me? Who will say to me "You are my desire, I set you free?" (Who will love me now?) Who will forgive and make me live again? Who will bring me back to the world again? In the forest, is a monster And it looks so very much like me Will someone hear me singing? Please save me, please rescue me Who will love me now? Who will ever love me? Who will say to me "You are my desire, I set you free?" Who will love me now? Who will ever love me? Who will say to me "You are my desire, I set you free?" (Who will love me now?) (Who will ever love me?) Who will love me now? Who will ever love me? Who will love me now? Who will ever love me? Who will love me now? Who will ever love me?

 

Harvey leaves the question unanswered but, having recently found faith in God, I could answer.

Music in the Morning No. 274 – Praise the Lord

 

Not for the first time, and definitely not the last, we sing God’s praise with Hillsong, the Australian church.  This morning we have Darlene Zschech leading an ecstatic congregation but we too can give ourselves up to Jesus.

 

Hillsong                                                                       How Great Is Our God

Thanks be to The Lord God Almighty and his son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth and died on the cross so that we sinners could be saved.

Amen.

Music in the Morning No. 273 – Natalie MacMaster and Bela Fleck

 

Natalie is a brilliant Canadian fiddler.  This morning we hear her with banjo genius Bela Fleck for a traditional medley.

 

Natalie McMaster & Bela Fleck                                          Traditional Medley

The Lass of Corrie's Mill;  Lennox's Love to Blantyre; Pottinger's Reel;  Reichswall Forest;  Mr. Bernard

Just over 3 minutes of fiddling magic!

 

Music in the Morning No. 272 – Dominique Eade

 

When first I heard this song I was sure that it was an old song, a timeless song, a classic but …. no!   This is modern and was co-written by Dominique.

A current classic?  No!  But in time this will shine out.

 

Dominique Eade                                                           Go Gently to the Water

Magic, wasn’t it?

Music in the Morning No. 271 – James Taylor

 

After yesterday’s music with new find, Eric Bibb, today James Taylor returns.  If the golden oldies are great enough there’s no reason not to let them loose again.

Close your eyes and let the music float from James and you.

 

James Taylor                                                               Carolina in My Mind

 

Oops!  Forgot to open my eyes!