Here is another traditional Scottish folk song, called “The Bluebells of Scotland.” Dora Jordan, an English actress and writer, wrote this song, which was first published in 1801. It remains popular today, both in Scotland and elsewhere.
I hope you enjoy hearing this lovely melody on zither!
Instruments, silent
While music rings joyfully
In another realm!
—
Written for
Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille: Death Poem,
contemplating my own transition from earth.
Original Song on Ukulele
When I wrote this song 3 years ago, my nephew said, “I’m gonna sing this at your funeral!” It wasn’t as morbid as it might sound. I laughed and felt good, because I want to be remembered fondly!
The lyrics to “Going Home” were written by William Arms Fisher (1861-1948). The melody, however, is not the African-American spiritual many people believe it to be. In reality, the melody is taken from Bohemian composer Antonin Dvorak’s “Largo” theme, from his Symphony No. 9 (From the New World), Op. 95. In the symphony this theme is played on English horn. Dvorak was not involved in writing the lyrics or arrangement that later became “Going Home.”
I hope you enjoy hearing Dvorak’s “Largo” theme played on lyre!
Original Lyre Music
This is not a lyre.
It looks like one, if you know what a lyre looks like.
It has a rounded soundbox from which two arms reach to the sky.
One arm is shorter than the other,
but it has no disadvantage.
The top of the lyre comes to a point
that, on this one that is not,
faces away from the player.
From the point, the long arm slopes sharply toward the player,
almost like a sliding board.
Along this arm are tuning pins.
You guessed it–
the strings are attached to these
and tied to a bridge on the lower part of the soundbox.
Yes, it looks like a lyre.
Yet this is not a lyre.
It is a music box to say the least,
a magic box,
a mystical box,
the bottle containing
the alchemist’s elixir of immortality.
It won’t make you immortal.
But think about it.
Would you really want to be
immortal, ever remaining in your current form?
I didn’t think so!
But the music
of the mystical,
magical,
musical box
can lead you
to your immortal soul.
This is not a lyre,
but you might misconstrue its unassuming form,
if you didn’t know better.
But you, dear reader,
know better!
This
is not
a lyre…
—
An object poem for
dVerse.
Not to be confused with Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” a classical piece I love, this one is an 18th-century French folk song. The title literally means “By the Light of the Moon.” Its author is unknown, but the melody reigns supreme when anyone learns a musical instrument. In fact, it was one of the first songs I learned to play when I took violin lessons.
Today you’re hearing alto recorder, viola rather than violin, and Oriole soprano recorder, accompanied by ukulele. I hope you enjoy this catchy melody!
Here is a traditional Scottish folk song, so well known that most of us have heard it. I heard it as a child and wondered who Bonnie was. Well, Bonnie may refer to “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” but it may have other meanings as well. The song’s origin is unclear, but it remains popular in Western culture and even as a children’s song, much to my delight.
My arrangement contains viola and alto recorder, with ukulele accompaniment. I hope you enjoy it!
There are times when we could all use a filter, especially when we feel tired and run down or in pain.
Maybe it’s a coffee filter; these days it’s probably a mask, or even a mask with a filtering element.
Whatever you use and whatever you need, I pray that yours is a filter of hope!
Not to prevent hope–oh no–but to prevent some negativity from entering your heart, mind, soul, and outlook!
Here is a medley of two pieces I composed years ago, “Hard Times” and “Hope.”
May this meditation with zither, alto recorder, and Oriole soprano recorder be a hopeful filter for you during these difficult times!
—
Written for
#SixSentenceStories: Filter
and
Tale Weaver #310: Tired and Run Down.
Annie Hawks wrote the poem, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” in 1872. Her pastor, Dr. Robert Lowry, wrote the refrain and the music. Though Annie Hawks wrote over 400 hymn texts, this is the only one continually published and sung today.
I hope you enjoy this arrangement with ukulele, viola, and alto recorder!
Also known as “Bonnie Charlie,” this is a traditional Scottish folk tune, author unknown. The lyrics, however, are not traditional, in the sense that they were written in one time period, about another time period which their author did not witness, and they imitate a particular style of song. The author of the poem is known; you can read more about the poem and its place in history
here.
I hope you enjoy this arrangement played on lyre, viola, Oriole (soprano) and Yamaha alto recorder!
Yes, I know that Christmas is either over, or hasn’t arrived yet, depending on how you look at it! But, today is Three Kings Day, when the Adoration of the Magi is celebrated in many countries. Children wake up this morning to find they have received gifts from the Three Kings. It sounds like a fun celebration to me!
This well-known carol was written in 1857. The melody and lyrics were both written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., with the lyrics based on Matthew 2:1, which reads: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,[.]”
–King James Version (KJV)
I love the refrain! I also hope you enjoy listening to “We Three Kings” played on alto recorder, viola, and zither!
Mystical Strings 
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