Category: Hymn

Reflections on “Jesus Loves Me” W. Zeitler “Jesus Loves Me” Improvisation The verses to ‘Jesus Loves Me’ were written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915). Anna’s father was Henry Warner, a wealthy New York City lawyer. When he lost most of his fortune in the 1837 depression, the family was forced to move to their summer…

On December 24th 1818 then assistant priest Joseph Mohr at the newly established parish of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf gave the organist Franz Gruber (also school teacher in Arnsdorf) a poem titled “Silent Night,” asking him to write a melody for two solo voices, choir and guitar. Later that day Gruber gave Mohr his composition.…

Ricercar W. Zeitler “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Improvisation Robert Robinson (1735-1790) had a rough beginning. His father died when he was aged five, but his maternal grandfather, Robert Wilkin, a wealthy gentleman of Mildenhall, who had never reconciled himself to his daughter’s lowly marriage, disinherited his grandson with an inheritance amounting to couch…

Improvisation on “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” “Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven” Improvisation Lelia (Mrs. C.H.) Morris (1862-1929) was born in Pennsville, Morgan County, Ohio. When her family moved to Malta on the Muskingum River she and her sister and mother had a millinery shop in McConnelsville. She and her husband…

Greensleves                Traditional Susan Addington, Flute Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Improvisation Greensleeves is traditionally ascribed to King Henry VIII. However, the piece is based on an Italian style of composition that did not reach England until after Henry’s death, making it more likely Elizabethan in origin. In Shakespeare’s…

Three Variations on a Solitary Theme W. Zeitler “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” Extemporization Isaac Watts (1674–1748) was an English logician, Christian theologian, and the author of some 750 hymn texts, including “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”. Watts was brought up in the home of a committed religious Nonconformist; his father,…

Symphonic Meditation on “Of The Father’s Love Begotten”      W. Zeitler [ORGAN] “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” Improvisation One of the thing I like about the older hymns is that they tend to emphasize the Mystery of Advent/Christmas more than modern ones (in my humble opinion), and there’s something wonder-full about a Christmas song that…

Nun Danket Alle Gott (Now Thank We All Our God) W. Zeitler A YouTube is here The Reformation of course had its dark side: many political powers-that-be didn’t care about Luther’s or Calvin’s reforms, but saw them as an opportunity to end their political and financial servitude to Rome. And so war erupted, perhaps most…

Chorale Prelude on “Blest Be the Tie that Bind” Minuet from the “Notebook for Anna Magdelena Bach” C. Petzold (1677-1733) George Frederick Root (1820-1895) was born at Sheffield, Massachusetts, and named after the better known George Frederick Handel. Root had real talent for music, and by age 13 he could play 13 different instruments (one…