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Prelude Op.28 No.15 “Raindrop” F. Chopin (1810-1849) “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” This week we continue our series of preludes on ’water’ themes to coordinate with the sermon series on the same. (Last week, you’ll recall, was “Air” from Handel’s “Water Music”). “When I am gone,” said Chopin to some of his musical friends,…

“Air” from “The Water Music” G. Handel (1685-1759) “As Deer Long for the Streams” Improvisation The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717, in response to King George I’s request for a concert on the River Thames. The…

Intermezzo, Op.118, No.2 “Andante Teneramente” J. Brahms (1833–1897) [PIANO] “The Church’s One Foundation” Improvisation Brahms knew and was well known to all the children of the neighborhood, and when starting on his long walks would fill his pockets with candies, and amuse himself with the eagerness of the children, who knew his ways and would run…

Rhosymedre R. Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) [Organ] Concerto in G, Adagio W. Mozart (1756-1791) [Anthem] Susan Addington — Flute “Spirit of the Living God” Improvisation Michael Haydn (1737–1806), younger brother of the more famous Joseph Haydn, had been ordered by the Archbishop to compose some duets for violin and tenor, perhaps for his special use. Haydn,…

Theme & Variations on “My Country ’Tis of Thee”   L. Beethoven (1770-1827) In Beethoven’s day a popular musical form was “Theme and Variations”. The template was to take a popular tune of the day — the ‘theme’ — which the composer states rather simply, and follow it with ‘variations’ which displayed the composer’s imaginative…

Rhosymedre     R. Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) It so happens that the great uncle of the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) was none other than Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Ralph’s grandmother taught Ralph to read using the same primer with which she had taught her younger brother Charles. Later there was a great kerfuffle among…

Trio Sonata Op.1 No. 3: Allegro con Brio       L. Beethoven (1770-1827) Laura Rosky-Santoni, Violin Ana Maria Maldonado, Cello Andante cantabile con Variazioni [‘Anthem’, tender and noble, longer] Minuetto [‘Offertory’, tongue-in-cheek onery but charming, shorter] Prestissimo For Trinity Sunday I thought I’d feature a piece in which ‘Three’ figures prominently. And so we…

“Eternally Starlit Sandstone” W. Zeitler [Piano] “Eternally Starlit Sandstone” is a piece which Don Dudley commissioned me to write as a present for his wife Earleen’s 60th birthday. The title refers to a particularly magical trip they took by train through the desert – a mood which the piece tries to reflect. In previous Music…

Andantino, quasi Allegretto        Enrique Granados (1867-1916) “Spirit of the Living God” Improvisation Granados was delighted to come to New York to see his opera Goyescas at the Metropolitan, but it was done so poorly that it gave him more pain than pleasure. He was, however, quite happy with the money he received…

An open letter to a loved one: One idea upon which I've come in the course of my life is the "Great Chain of Being" (an idea that goes back millenia): that ALL of Creation is ensouled: humans have 'souls' of course, but animals have their own degree of 'soul', and so do plants (though less…