Passion Music: Risen!

Happy Easter! We wish you a day of hope and celebration and offer these two favourite Easter anthems as a musical start to their day.

Passion Music: Surely, He Hath Borne Our Griefs

Handel's Messiah is usually sung at Christmas but every time I have played or sung it, I strengthen my belief that it's actually a piece that celebrates Easter. One of my favourite parts is this setting of Isaiah 53:4-6, which creates a bridge between yesterday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday tomorrow. 

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded

For our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the

Chastisement of our peace was upon Him

And the Lord hath laid on Him, the iniquity of us all. 

Passion Music: Salvation is Created

Today is Good Friday. The message and meaning of this day is captured succinctly and beautifully by Pavel Chesnokov's Spaséñiye Sodélal (Salvation is Created), sung here by the incomperable Salt Lake Vocal Artists.

Russian Text: Cпасение coдeлaл еси посреде земли, Боже. Аллилуия.
Spaséñiye, sodélal yesí posredé ziemlí, Bózhe. Allilúiya.

English Translation: Salvation is created, in midst of the earth, O God, O our God. Alleluia.

Passion Music: Bach Chorale

My favourite Bach chorale is "Wer Hat Dich So Geschlagen" from the St. John Passion. The text (translated below) paired with the music and sung by the Mondeverdi Choir - exquisite.

Who has struck you thus,

my Savior, and with torments

so evilly used You?

You are not at all a sinner

like us and our children,

You know nothing of transgressions.

I, I and my sins,

that can be found like the grains

of sand by the sea,

these have brought You

this misery that assails You,

and this tormenting martyrdom

I highly recommend the full St. John Passion, sung by the Monteverdi Choir and conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. 

Passion Music: Look What They Doin'

No choir sings the spiritual "Look What They Doin' To Jesus" better than the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Breathtaking.

Passion Music: He Was Despised

My choice of music today is an arrangement of Karl Graun's (1704-1759) "He Was Despised". The arranger, William David Young, updated the string and harpsichord accompaniment last year- I love that he did not compromise the baroque character of the piece. The text, from Isaiah 53, is such a contrast to the jubilant Hosannas of Palm Sunday and sets the tone for the remainder of Passion Week.

Click here and press play to hear it 

"Christ Falls on the Way to Calvary" painted by Raphael in 1516

Passion Music: Born to Die

After our rousing "Hosanna" yesterday, I thought I'd continue with a piece of music every day this Passion week. My choice today is "Born To Die" sung by the Stellenberg Girl's Choir from South Africa. This piece is probably more fitting for after Easter but I thought it would be a great start to this week of music.

Hosanna

While searching for a "Hosanna" song to teach an age 3-4 Sunday School class for Palm Sunday today, I came across a new piece that Jeff and I just can't get out of our heads. Composed by Victor Johnson last year, "Let the People Sing" is the Hosanna we're singing today.

Click here to hear it

"Palm Sunday" by Kai Althoff