Music Notes – Sunday, February 13th:
This Sunday’s musicians are The Chancel Choir, Aaron Burkle, Anne Sanford, Steve Sanford, and UUCC Music Director Mike Carney.
Opening Hymn: #134 Our World Is One World – Taylor
#134 in Singing the Living Tradition, “Our World Is One World” was written by British author, poet and hymnist Cecily Taylor (b. 1930), who is most famously known for Contact, her 1972 collection of poetry.
Centering Music: I Am Loved as I Love – Barrett, arr. Carney
“I Am Loved as I Love” is a hymn from the Shaker tradition. The song is credited to Elder Andrew Dana Barrett (1838-1917), who was a leader in the Shaker community of Union Village, Ohio, and later co-founded the first Shaker settlements in Florida.
Meditation Response: #1031 Filled with Loving Kindness – Hayes/Riddell
Based on a traditional Buddhist meditation, “Filled with Loving Kindness” was written in 2001 by UU Minister and Musician Ian Riddell (b.1968) for the installation of Rev. Mark W. Hayes (b. 1949) at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County in State College, Pennsylvania. The song is #1031 in our Singing the Journey hymnbook.
Offertory music: A Pawnee Prayer – Shaw/Traditional Native American
Dr. Kirby Shaw (b. 1942) is an internationally known choral composer, arranger, educator, and conductor with over 2,000 published works to his name. His compositions have received commissions from dozens of choral groups, including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and earned him numerous awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). In the composer’s own words: “’A Pawnee Prayer’ emphasizes our deep connection to the web of life on this planet”. The song, which is based on a traditional Native American prayer, was first published in 2005.
Closing Hymn: We Are Not Our Own – Hurd/Wren
“We Are Not Our Own” (#317) is one of the lesser-known hymns in Singing the Living Tradition. The words come from British poet, theologist and prolific hymn writer Brian Wren (b. 1936), who is the author of several other hymns in Singing the Living Tradition, including “Name Unnamed”, “Joyful Is the Dark”, and “Love Makes a Bridge”. The arching, hopeful tune for “We Are Not Our Own” was written by Dr. David Hurd (b. 1950), a composer, organist, and educator who currently serves as the Director of Music at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Times Square, New York City.
Postlude: Whatever Circles Comes from the Center – Gayny
“Whatever Circles Comes from the Center” is a song by poet, songwriter and educator Barbara Gayny. The song was recorded in 2000 on Libana’s album Night Passage. Libana is a self-described “group of women sharing a passion for international music, dance, and women’s issues. Inspired by Judy Chicago’s groundbreaking exhibit The Dinner Party, Libana took their name from a woman honored by the artist—a 10th century Moorish poet, philosopher, and musician—symbolizing women’s creativity, vision and spirit throughout time.”
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director