Music Notes – Sunday, August 18th:
This Sunday’s musicians are Leon Michaud, Pam Schenk, and UUCC Music Director Mike Carney
Prelude: Theme from Professor T. – De Maeyer
Hannes De Maeyer (b. 1986) is one of Belgium’s most versatile composers, best known for his collaboration with director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Rebel, Black, Gangsta) and his score to the recent ITV primetime drama Professor T. His work ranges from contemporary electronic scores with pop and hip-hop influences, to rich, orchestral and symphonic works (from hannesdemaeyer.com). De Maeyer’s most recognizable work to American audiences is likely the theme to the British television crime drama Professor T., which originally aired on Britbox and ITV but was picked up by PBS in 2021.
Song: Meditation on Breathing – Jones
#1009 in our Singing the Journey hymnbook, “Meditation on Breathing” is more of an interactive mantra and centering than it is a hymn in the traditional sense. There are three written parts in the score, but participants are also encouraged to improvise and branch off to find their own way within the group meditation. UU musician and songwriter Sarah Dan Jones (b. 1962) composed “Meditation on Breathing” in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Centering Music: Air – Arelius
Music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Arelius (aka Wayne Wilkins) was born in London and trained at the Royal Academy of Music. He has written and produced music for dozens of artists, including The Corrs, Natasha Bedingfield, Jordin Sparks, and Beyoncé. Written in 2020 and released on Arelius’s Elements EP, “Air” is a piece for solo piano which the composer describes as “a musical tribute to the lightness and freedom that this element represents.”
Offertory Music: Propagation – Michaud
“Propagation” is an original song for voice and guitar by UUCC’s own Leon Michaud. In Leon’s own words:
When I first heard the theme for this service was “I am Air”, my mind immediately went to the gaseous representation of the air surrounding us. I’ve sometimes wondered what would happen if the molecules around us suddenly became denser, and we had to propel ourselves through it like fish through water. Or the fact that everyone is in constant contact with air molecules, but do not necessarily sense it on their skin. In writing the song ‘Propagation’, my mind jumped to air as a medium to carry sounds, specifically spoken words, and how we rely upon them to approximate communication.
I do not know about you, the reader, but I have been gifted with a unique neural decoding strategy, which can make for interesting conversation and reactions. Clarity of communication is also affected by the many cultural interpretations of language we are exposed to every day in our micro and macro communities. This is constantly going on around us, and yet many of us still attempt close relationships. Pass me your dictionary, please.
Closing Song: Open the Window – Witt, inspired by a Georgia Sea Islands Spiritual
Composed in 1997 in Cuzzago, Italy, this is the title song from the 8th recording on the EMWorld Records label by Elise Witt (b. 1953). “Open the Window” was inspired by a Spiritual from the Georgia Sea Islands called “Heist the Window, Noah”. Though Elise’s version uses only one phrase from the original Spiritual, it keeps the intention of naming situations in our lives, personal and global, that need opening for the dove to fly in, for us to find peace (from uua.org).
Postlude: Respira – Doco
Natalia Doco (b. 1982) is an Argentine singer/songwriter who currently lives and works in France. Written and performed by Doco, and “Respira” (“Breathe”) is a song about continuing to persevere and breathe through life’s challenges and unpredictability. The song was originally released as part of Doco’s 2017 album El Buen Gualicho.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director