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Sacred Music in a Time of Natural Disaster, War, & Upheaval

The Hill of Crosses reveals Lithuania’s resistance to Soviet control.

The devastating effects of natural disasters, war, and tumultuous change call for music of consolation, hope, and encouragement. The following pieces are appropriate. I invite you to download one or more scores for your personal review. Please contact me if you wish to perform one of them with your ensemble.

My hymn, Hill of Crosses, was written after a choir tour to Lithuania in 2007. It compares a hill of resistance and suffering in Lithuania to Golgatha and to hills of despair in our lives. Listen to the 2008 Lenoir-Rhyne University A Cappella Choir perform an expanded version of this hymn during a chapel service at St. Olaf College.

The Lord’s Prayer (2006) may be sung in Unison or in an SATB choral version available from me.

So We Do Not Lose Heart (2008) is an SATB anthem based on 2 Corinthians that juxtaposes affliction and destruction with confidence in God’s promise. Originally composed for organ alone, an oboe may render the solo line as indicated in the score. This performance by choir and organ was recorded on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 by the Lenoir-Rhyne University A Cappella Choir, Hickory, NC.

Agnus Dei (1978) for high and low voices combines two melodies in a plaintive setting. For an earlier twelve-tone setting of this text, listen to my Agnus Dei (1971) and view the score in my a cappella works.

Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy, Lord (2009) is an STB setting of Luther’s Prayer for Peace.

Just as I Am (2007) is set in its original key and harmonization with two original descanting soprano parts. This beloved hymn, with a slight editorial change for soldiers, was found in the hymnals of both the Northern and Southern armies during the Civil War. You may hear a recording performed by the Lenoir-Rhyne A Cappella Choir in 2007 at the Riga Dom in Latvia with its eleven second reverberation in the ANTHEMS category of this website.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is an expanded setting that depicts the battle between good and evil, God and the Evil Foe, the baptized and diabolical tests of every kind. All or part of my setting available from MorningStar Music is appropriate for this time of desolation, violence, and conflict.

Here Comes the Sun!

George Harrison’s song, “Here Comes the Sun,” composed in a lovely English garden, features lyrics that are so appropriate during these troubled times: “Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter. Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces. Here comes the sun, And I say, ‘it’s all right.'”

The sun’s rays that bring new life to trees, flowers, and plants are so welcome this summer. Those same beams will delight sunbathers and swimmers at the beaches and those enjoying outdoor activities, picnics, and backyard barbecues. Music always captures the warmth of the sun when congregations gather to sing and when summer workshops and conventions are held! How inspiring is the Spirit’s burning presence as we make music together! There are so many problems to solve in the world, but through our music–making, we can instill hope for the future. “Here comes the sun, And I say, ‘it’s all right.'”

Children’s voices best capture the brightness and warmth of life around us. Here is a performance of All Things Bright and Beautiful that I know will bring you joy! You can also view the performance on YouTube. The performers are the young Minnesingers of the Lenoir-Rhyne Youth Chorus, Hickory, NC. My wife, Florence Jowers, is the conductor and Freda Herrell, the pianist.

May God’s warmth and cheerfulness fill your life and everything around you this summer!

Music of Prayer & Devotion

View from Mar-Lu-Ridge Summer Camp, Jefferson, Maryland

Our Father, based on a haunting Slovak chant of the Lord’s Prayer, memorializes all who have died from violence and tragedy, and includes a word of Jesus from the cross. As we pray for healing, there is no better place to begin than with this prayer.  The performance is by Yale vocal artists. 

The Beatitudes always bring comfort, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, we are blessed. The SATB anthem Blessed is available from MorningStar Music as well as in an a cappella version for SSAA, and an edition for unison treble voices with strings.   

When You Pass through the Waters depicts one of my favorite biblical passages of comfort from Isaiah 43.  It was composed in memory of a kind and caring music professor of mine. There are versions for unison, two-part, and SATB ensembles at MorningStar Music.