Monday Music: A Marian Hymn

My former classmate. Samford alum, and Samford music professor, Timothy Banks has set a Marian hymn to the Sacred Harp tune, "Fairfield." The result is a beautiful arrangement that I think sounds more Eastern Orthodox than Roman Catholic. Here is what he said about it:

A challenge: Can a tune from the SACRED HARP be successfully set as a Marian Hymn? My answer is sung here by the fabulous Schola of the Eternal Word Television Network, my arrangement of FAIRFIELD to an anonymous Marian Hymn, celebrating the Nativity of the Virgin Mary today in the Daily Mass.
(The third stanza, with an altered version of the original Sacred Harp harmonization, is my favorite. I learned my "Alice Parker arrangement style" long ago!)

 

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Announcing a New Blog Site for Music

Back in September I decided to launch a new project that I am calling “The Music of the Spheres.” It is a new blog site for the sole purpose of presenting music. I do not anticipate that it will interfere with or take away from what I am doing at Not Dark Yet. As I mention on the new blog page: 

“On my other blog, Not Dark Yet, there is a "Monday Music" feature which each week offers a variety of music including pop, folk, jazz, rock, classical, and sacred. This site is dedicated to sacred music. The music will not be confined to any one faith. I look for music that speaks deeply to the soul.”

So far, I have featured music from Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Tibetan, and Jewish traditions. Some of the more frequently viewed sites so far:

• Pilgrim's hymn
• What Was Said to the Rose
• Come Down O Love Divine
• Siyahamba (Zulu Hymn)
• Te Deum Laudamus (with saxophone) 

If you are interested in music, or things that speak deeply to the soul, I hope you will pay the site a visit. It is at http://musicofthespheres-commentary.blogspot.com.

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