Music Notes – Sunday, October 20th:
This Sunday’s musician is UUCC Pianist Karin Tooley
Prelude: Find a Stillness – Seaburg
#352 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, “Find a Stillness” is based on a traditional Transylvanian hymn tune, with words by Carl G. Seaburg (1922-1998), a UU Minister and historian who spent several years as president of the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society and is responsible for seven of the hymns in Singing the Living Tradition, including #124 “Be That Guide” and #338 “I Seek the Spirit of a Child”.
Song: Breaths – Barnwell/Diop
“Breaths” (#1001 in Singing the Journey) is adapted from the poem of the same title by Senegalese poet Birago Diop. The music was written by Ysaye Barnwell (b. 1946), a UU songwriter, activist and former member of the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock. In Barnwell’s own words: “Hearing this poem…affirmed my world view which includes and reveres my ancestors. When I heard the poem a second time years later, it began to sing itself to me, and I am glad that I have been able to share what I heard with you. (from uua.org)
Centering Music: Reflection – Winston
American pianist and composer George Winston (b. 1949) is known mostly for folk and jazz, although he has written and performed in a wide range of styles. Winston’s contemplative “Reflection” was released on his 1982 album Winter into Spring.
Offertory Music: Arpa – Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was a Russian pianist, composer, and conductor, and is recognized as one of the great composers of the 20th century. He is best known for works such as the opera The Love for Three Oranges, the Lieutenant Kijé Suite, the ballet Romeo and Juliet and the children’s symphonic poem Peter and the Wolf. “Arpa” is the 7th movement from Visions Fugitives (Op. 22), a cycle of twenty piano miniatures Prokofiev which composed between 1906-1917. Originally titled “Pittoresco” (Picturesque), this movement is commonly referred to as “Arpa” today because of the harp-like qualities of the music. The piece has subsequently been published for harp, and is often performed as a solo work for that instrument.
Closing Song: Let Love Continue Long – Ireland/Berkley
#129 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, “Let Love Continue Long” is built around a hymn tune called “Love Unknown” by English composer and music educator John Ireland (1879-1962), who was mostly known for his piano and vocal/choral works. The words for this hymn were written by UU Minister and musician Rev. Berkley Moore (1932-2018), a native of Youngstown, Ohio who served congregations in Vermont, Minnesota, and Illinois in a career than spanned more than 30 years.
Postlude: Prelude in C Sharp Minor – Gonzales
Grammy-Award winner Chilly Gonzales (b. 1972 as Jason Charles Beck) is a Canadian pianist and composer. His compositional style blends elements of classical, jazz, and pop music and has earned him international success and acclaim. He has collaborated with an eclectic mix of other artists, including Daft Punk, Peaches, Drake, and the Kaiser Quartett. “Prelude in C Sharp Minor” is from Gonzales’ 2018 album Solo Piano III.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director