Musical musings:
Thank you to everyone who was a part of the drive-in concert at UUCC on May 30th! The event went beautifully, and I’m very happy to say that Moises and Jen reached their fundraising goal. It was great seeing so many of you there and many thanks to everyone who supported the project!
As you probably know already, UUCC will be holding an outdoor, in-person service at 11 a.m. this coming Sunday, June 6th, which will be led by our ministerial candidate, Rev. Dr. Randy Partain. Come and enjoy the beautiful summer weather and listen to some wisdom, some words of love and hope, and of course, some great music this Sunday morning! Read on for this week’s Music Notes…
Music Notes – Sunday, June 6th:
This Sunday’s musicians are Becky Burns, Molly Watkins, Sophie Watkins, and UUCC Music Director Mike Carney
Offertory music: Transit of Venus from Once Around the Sun – Talbot
Joby Talbot (b. 1971) is a British composer who has written works for chorus, instrumental solos and ensembles, dance, and opera. In 2005 the British classical music station Classic FM named Talbot as its first ever resident composer, with the understanding that Talbot would compose a new work for each month of the calendar year, each of which would premier on Classic FM. “Transit of Venus” was the original piece that Talbot wrote for the June portion of that project, which would become a twelve-movement work titled Once Around the Sun. This Sunday, “Transit of Venus” will be played by UUCC Music Director Mike Carney.
Special Music: Blackbird – McCartney
“Blackbird” was originally written and performed as a solo effort by Paul McCartney (b. 1942) and was featured on the 1968 album The Beatles (commonly known as The White Album). Although it did not chart, “Blackbird” has become one of the Beatles’ most memorable songs and has been covered by dozens of other artists, including Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Sarah McLachlan, and Carly Simon. Paul McCartney has stated in interviews that his distinctive guitar part was inspired by the Baroque lute piece “Bourrée in E minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). The piano adaptation and performance you’ll hear this Sunday is by UUCC Music Director Mike Carney.
Postlude: What a Wonderful World – Weiss & Thiele
“What a Wonderful World” was written in 1967 by record producer Bob Thiele (1922-1996) and songwriter George David Weiss (1921-2010). The song was first offered to Tony Bennett, who turned it down, and it was subsequently recorded by Louis Armstrong. Armstrong’s now-famous recording did not initially receive much attention or airplay in the United States, although it became a #1 hit in the United Kingdom. Over the years, “What a Wonderful World” has become one of the best-known and beloved standards in American popular music, having been recorded by dozens of other artists (including one Mr. Tony Bennett) and featured on the soundtracks of numerous movies and television shows. In our service this Sunday, “What a Wonderful World” will be performed by three talented musicians who span three generations of the same family: Becky Burns, Molly Watkins, and Sophie Watkins.
–Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director