Category Archives: Inspirational Music

“Christ the Lord is Risen Today” #Easter #Music

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Charles Wesley’s well-known hymn is based on an older Bohemian hymn, whose author is unknown. The version we know today was written by Wesley, co-founder of the Methodist movement, in 1739. The original Bohemian title was “Jesus Christ is Risen Today,” while Wesley’s title was “Hymn for Easter Day.” More recently, it’s most often known by its first line, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.”

Enjoy this lovely hymn, played on lyre, and have a blessed and happy Easter!

“Dayenu” It Is Enough! #Passover #Music #Mp3

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Here is a Passover song, popular at Jewish-American seders. It’s arranged for a small, 15-string zither, and you may
contact me
for a free tutorial if you want to learn it by ear.

I first heard this song in an Elementary School music class. At the time I didn’t know its significance, but I loved it. The next time I heard it was during a self-study Hebrew course, when I purchased CD’s of Jewish children’s music. I’ve always found music and singing to be helpful in learning languages. I’d forgotten about the song in the intervening years, but it showed up again when I was looking for Passover music. My heart leapt, “I remember that song!”

As this
history
points out, “It’s rare to hear people say, when commenting on a blessing in their lives, “It’s enough.”

Don’t miss this fun version by the Maccabeats:

Whether you’re celebrating Passover or not, may you realize, not intellectually but spiritually, that wherever you are and whatever you have right now, it’s enough!

For the Birds #Poem #Music #Meditation

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Here’s a musical meditation on zither, and a Tritina (poem) that is as much for us as it is for the birds!

Through your singing you speak
Sharing peace, hope and love
With your tweets and warbles.

But it’s not just your warbles
It’s the message you speak
Can it teach me to love?

Do you know hate? No, love!
Must I learn your warbles
So I can gently speak?

Or can I speak love without warbles?

“This Is My Father’s World” #Music #Mp3

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You’ve probably heard this well-known hymn in praise of the vast world of nature that God created. Maltbie Davenport Babcock, a minister, wrote the lyrics as a 16-stanza poem. It was first published in 1901, after his death.

In 1915, Franklin L. Sheppard chose 3 verses for the hymn and set them to the tune “Terra Beata,” meaning “Blessed Earth” in Latin.

Please enjoy my lyre arrangement, and feel free to download and share the mp3!

Palm Sunday Playlist #Music

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Here are 4 original songs I posted when I wrote them. Two are definitely Palm Sunday offerings, while the other two are a little more obscure. “Love Is a Coconut” is a fun song about the one thing that opens and lifts hearts or anything else–love. “So It Goes” is a song about time . Good times, bad times, in between times, time is a constant, and it constantly passes! Something we’d do well to remember right now. Please enjoy these tunes, and have a blessed and peaceful Palm Sunday!

“I Dream of County Carolan” #Music #Mp3

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One last nod to St. Patrick’s Day and the theme of Irish music–at least, for now.

Here is a medley played on zither, alto recorder (called treble in the UK and elsewhere), and lyre. It contains “Star of the County Down,” which is a traditional Irish tune, and “Carolan’s Dream,” written by
Turlough O’Carolan.

I call this “I Dream of County Carolan,” as a way of bringing the titles together. There is really no such county in Ireland. 🙂

“Star of the County Down” is played on zither. “Carolan’s Dream” begins with recorder and is then played on lyre. This is great for relaxation, stress relief, and meditation.

I hope you enjoy this, and feel free to download and share the mp3 above!

“Friendship” #Music

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I wrote this song in 2002 as part of my Senior Graduation Project, a CD of 12 songs in 4 languages. My original version had lyrics in German and English, with guitar, pennywhistle, and hand percussion accompaniment.

Here’s an instrumental version on zither. Look out, it goes by quickly!

Also, check out my dream of writing a round (a musical round, that is),
here.

“Down by the Salley Gardens” #Music #Mp3

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This melody is the setting to
a poem
by William Butler Yeats, first published in 1889. It’s Irish title is “Gort na Saileán.”

In 1909 Herbert Hughes set the poem to the traditional tune “The Maids of Mourne Shore.” Though other composers have set it to different music, this is perhaps the best known melody, and “Down by the Salley Gardens” is still a popular song today.

I hope you enjoy hearing it on zither, arranged for 15 strings.

If you want to learn this tune, please feel free to
contact me
for a free tutorial, and don’t forget to download the performance mp3 above.