". . . little shall I grace my cause

In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver . . ."

(William Shakespeare's Othello, I.iii.88-90)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Christmas in August

Hey, you. Yeah, you with the computer and to-do list a mile long. Stop what you're doing and listen to this. It's a video of the attendees at this weekend's Doxology retreat in Schuyler, Nebraska, singing Lutheran Service Book 384, "Of the Father's Love Begotten." Yes, I know. It's a Christmas hymn, and here we are with almost a month left of summer. But the message of this hymn--one of my all-time favorites--knows no season. So give yourself a 4-minute breather and hear of the love of the Father for you, His precious child. (By the way, that's my hubby singing the first stanza and providing piano accompaniment throughout. Notice what happens in the piano on the final, doxological stanza. It's as if the piano breaks out into its own, spontaneous song, leaving the singers to carry the melody on their own. I think they do a pretty good job of it, don't you?)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Cheryl! I needed that.
Jeannette

Leah said...

Very beautiful. And yes, the piano on the last verse definitely sounds "inspired".

Daniel said...

Cheryl,

Is the music Phil is playing in the YouTube video available for purchase?

If so, is it at one of these links with Phil's music?

http://www.cph.org/p-5163-hymns-for-the-contemporary-ensemble-advent-christmas-epiphany.aspx

http://www.liturgysolutions.com/products/productfiles/Divinum%20Mysterium.pdf

http://www.liturgysolutions.com/pieces/stanzas_advenChristmasEpiphany.asp?pcat=44

Thanks. Dan Witte

Cheryl said...

Hi Dan,

Sorry I am just now getting around to answering you. I didn't see your question until today because it went into moderation and I missed it for a few days. I do not think Phillip has written out this arrangement of "Of the Father's Love Begotten." But I'll double check with him and let you know!