Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. Wherever you live, this can be a time to reflect on and express gratitude and thankfulness. Gratitude is the inner feeling that you have received kindness. Thankfulness is the expression of that feeling. Both are positive and, though seemingly small, add so much to our lives. After all, if we don’t acknowledge the good things we already have, how can we receive more? The feeling of gratitude opens us to more positive feelings, including kindness and compassion toward ourselves and others.
“Angel” is a piece I wrote in 2003, on keyboard and harmonica. I hope you enjoy hearing it on lyre, Oriole soprano recorder, Oriole Dolce Duo (a double flute), and viola. Putting this together was a labor of love!
I wish each one of you a blessed, happy, hopeful, peaceful, and safe Thanksgiving, and many moments of gratitude and thankfulness now and every day!
“Trentham” was composed by the British organist, Robert Jackson, in 1878. It is one of several musical settings for the hymn, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God.”
The lyrics were written by Edwin Hatch, also in 1878. They are based on John 20:21-22, which read, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” [King James Version (KJV)]
This is a hymn for Pentocost, but this being the coming of the Holy Spirit, it is a beautiful hymn at any time of year.
I hope you enjoy this arrangement played on alto (UK treble) recorder and zither!
I wrote this song in June. You can listen to the lyre arrangement with lyrics here.
Today you’re hearing alto recorder, then lyre and zither played together. The melody is on zither, with accompaniment on lyre. Note the bell-like ringing in this arrangement, made possible by having two sets of strings.
The next time you hear mention of double strung something, it will be a harp! I’ve had fun and learned a lot while arranging and playing this series, but I will also be glad to sit in a chair and play! I’ve been sitting cross-legged on the floor to make room for holding the lyre and zither balanced precariously on my lap!
I hope you enjoy this piece, and as always, I appreciate any comments and feedback you want to share!
I wrote this piece in 2010, on a small Celtic lap harp on which I took a few lessons. I’ve lost that old harp recording, but you can listen to a ukulele version with lyrics here.
Now you can hear the piece as if it had two voices. That is, the melody is echoed, and two sets of strings put the echo in the same octave, similar to the ukulele version, instead of one being an octave higher than the other.
If this makes your head spin, pay it no mind, and just enjoy listening! You will understand. 🙂
If you’ve read and listened this far, I really appreciate it! I’d also love to know if you have a favorite out of the versions I’ve linked here!
When you feel broken, you can mend.
When you have fallen, take these wings.
They carry you on weightless strings,
For music is a trusted friend.
As notes and words and voices blend,
Your soul is free and mind is clear.
Your heart refuses now to fear.
In time your body knows the wealth
Of perfect love and joyous health
From Spirit’s music given here.
We wonder if serenity is real.
Can it be found in ever changing life,
Despite the negativity we feel,
Beneath the rolling boil of strain and strife?
Serenity is really in plain view,
A Purloined Letter*, right before our eyes.
So simple that we think it can’t be true
And close enough to touch, but in disguise.
Serenity is deep within the mind,
At center where the heart and soul are one.
As nature does, it’s something we can find,
Returning through the gate from which we’ve come.
Our birth right, we have only to un-learn
The concept that serenity is earned.
*Purloined Letter: Reference to the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe.
I didn’t use the paint chip words as colors, because as a blind person, I know them as things instead. Also, only my last poem really follows the “future” theme. But I did follow Linda’s example and write 3 poems using the angel card words from the challenge. Finally, for those of you who haven’t heard my lyre yet, please have a listen. Hope you enjoy! ❤
Yesterday I had every intention of creating and submitting a (hopefully musical) entry for the Weekly Photo Prompt from Sue at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo.
It’s become such an inspiration and positive routine for me that I start looking forward to it on Tuesday!
Well, as the saying goes, “Crystal plans, God laughs!” I was hit with a migraine last night that did not let up, didn’t sleep well, and then awoke to find the migraine turned to a full-blown thing, nausea and all. I’ll spare you the details, except to say that even walking and eating were extremely difficult. I do have chronic pain of other kinds, every day, but don’t get migraines like that very often. Suffice it to say that when I do, it is not fun! In fact, it’s debilitating!
This ruined my day and other things I had planned, ruined my husband’s plans, and had us worried for a while. I can still feel dull pounding (Is there really such a thing?) in my temples, but I bring you “The Arran Boat (Song)” for a reason.
The reason is harp therapy, or zither therapy, in this case. This traditional Scottish tune, first published in the 1880s, is often used as a calming, grounding piece. I’d been meaning to learn it for some time, and started practicing and arranging it a few days ago. This evening, after the pain subsided enough to think, I picked up little Ripply,
my 2-3 LB. zither/lap harp, and played this piece while I was laying down. On my back with my head propped on pillows and my knees up, I propped the zither against my thighs. I played the piece a few times before recording it and was surprised, though I shouldn’t have been, to find how comforting it was.
I share “The Arran Boat” or “Highland Boat Song” with you now in hopes that it will calm, comfort, and ground you as well!
Mystical Strings 
You must be logged in to post a comment.