Music Notes - April 24

These insightful words from David Hurd, Episcopal organist, choirmaster, composer and former music professor at General Seminary make the obvious explicit- why we sing and what is the nature of our liturgy’s music…

“…music is integral to worship. It’s not just something that’s drizzled over the top ornamentally; historically — and not even limited to Jewish and Christian life — music has been an integral aspect of human expression and certainly of the Church’s life…(again historically), the words and music were experienced together as a vital aspect of corporate worship. We now have, in our day, resources in the Prayer Book and the hymnal that are so intentionally interdependent that there is ample material for making all of worship a musically, holistically rich experience.”

We all sing, by the way, David’s musical setting of Psalm 148, Laudate Dominum. At the offertory, the choir sings Mozart’s wonderful setting of the same text. It would seem that this Sunday’s theme is this Psalm, “Praise the Lord all the nations,” but isn’t this every Sunday’s theme? - And what a pleasure to amplify that theme with great music of praise!

We offer a treasure of concerts this month!

This Sunday April 24 at 1:30 pm

Linger at coffee hour or go out a grab a lunch and return for a short recital by Bryan Sable and Ellen Fast, piano duo. Entitled, “Come dance with Me.” the four-hand recital of piano duets will feature dance music by Gwyneth Walker, John Corigliano, Antonin Dvorak and Peter Warlock, plus Mozart and Poulenc. It will be very uplifting!

A free-will offering will be asked at the door.

One week later…

On Sunday, May 1 at 7:00 pm, The Carnegie Mellon School of Music Lila Ensemble, students of our very own Tommy Thompson, Allyson Edington, clarinet, Brian Gilling, piano, Mimi Jung, violin, and Will Teegarden, cello, will perform the magnificent Quatuor pour la fin du temp (Quartet for the End of Time) by Olivier Messiaen. Lila will be recording Quatuor pour la fin du temps at the Vlahakis Recording Studio and giving performances of the work in Pittsburgh, New York, and Boston. The work is about 50 minutes long. The students will give short lecture on the work’s significance before the performance thus rounding out the program to an hour. A free-will offering will be asked at the door.

Finally…

Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 4:00 pm, Our Vocal Artist-in-Residence Katy Williams, Soprano presents, “A Tribute to Madeline Kahn!” Come and listen to Katy singing the famous repertoire of the late and great singer/actress, Madeline Kahn. Her most famous roles were from the motion pictures Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, but did you know she was a classically trained lyric coloratura soprano? Join Katy for a tribute Madeline’s musical repertoire and learn of her great gifts that we still enjoy today. Guest appearance by Rich Williams, her favorite tenor. Rebekah Hill accompanies with great delicacy and fervor. Suggested Donation at the Door is $10.