Music Notes – Sunday, July 18th:
This Sunday’s musician is UUCC Pianist Karin Tooley
Offertory:
Fug al-Kakhal – Uthman al-Mawsili, arr. Karin Tooley and Lamma Bada Yatathanna – Salim al-Masri, arr. Karin Tooley
This week’s offertory music will be a mini-medley of two songs from Middle Eastern composers: the first is “Fug al-Kakhal” by Uthman al-Mawsili (1845-1923), an Iraqi composer and performer who was celebrated during his lifetime for the beauty and expressiveness of his singing voice. The second piece is “Lamma Bada Yatathanna” an ancient Syrian song believed to have been composed by Salim al-Masri.
Closing Hymn: Wake Now, My Senses – Irish folk tune/Mikelson
#298 in Singing the Living Tradition, “Wake Now, My Senses” is a setting of “Slane”, an Irish folk song that is most commonly associated with “Be Thou My Vision” (which is also in our hymnal as #20). “Slane” is named for a hill in County Meath, Ireland, where St. Patrick’s lighting of an Easter fire – an act of defiance against the 5th Century pagan king Loegaire – led to his unlimited freedom to preach the gospel in Ireland. Musicologists believe the tune was first associated with the Irish ballad “With My Love on the Road”. The words you’ll be hearing – and singing along with – this Sunday were written by the Rev. Thomas Mikelson (1936-2020), a UU Minister and native of Iowa who was also an educator and activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights.
Postlude: Al-Ghajariyyah – Salman Shukur, arr. Karin Tooley
“Al- Ghajariyyah” is a song by Iraqi composer, performer and music educator Salman Shukur (1921-2007). Shukur spent 30 years teaching at the Baghdad Conservatory and also served as the Artistic Advisor for the Iraqi Ministry of Information. He only recorded one album, but performed frequently for Iraqi radio and television, and often performed internationally in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director