A Lovely Song

A reader sent me the link to this song and I have added it to my playlist. My first thought upon listening to it and reading the lyrics on the screen is how much this song would comfort and encourage any young person struggling with the issues or fighting the world's values. It is a personal type of song; the kind that someone might sing alone.

The Banjo

This is the same young woman, a friend of mine,  who played the harp in the previous post. She also plays the banjo.

Harp

This is a piece that a dear friend, played on her harp and posted on youtube. I hope you enjoy it. It was also added to my playlist at the top of the list.

Sunday Singing

Although I am not familiar with this hymn, I found the harmonious blend of voices most pleasing, and I like the fact that this station puts the words on the screen so you can follow along.

Butterfly Lovers Concerto

Rhododendrons and Butterflies in a Field

by Marion Ellis Rowan

I was listening to classical radio while on a car trip and heard a long, long piece, lasting what seemed an hour, and I found part of it to post here. I've added to my playlist also.




Listen to  a short piece  of this music here.

Listen to another part of this beautiful, Oriental melody 


Part 1 of a longer version




Part 2





 There are many parts to this music, and you might be able to find several of them online to listen to, including quite a lively clip here,  so be sure to check it out after you hear  the following, which is easy listening.

This is a most famous Chinese concerto.

Slumber My Darling

Sweet and Low by Jessie Wilcox-Smith

I've added another song to my playlist,  a Stephen Foster (1826-1864) lullaby called "Slumber My Darling."  I hope you will go listen to it here.

A Mother's Joy

by Besse Pease Guttmann

Here are the words:

Slumber, my darling, thy mother is near,

Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.

Sweet visions attend thy sleep,
Fondest, dearest to me,
While others their revels keep,
I will watch over thee. 

Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm. 

Slumber, my darling, till morn's blushing ray
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day;
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight--
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight,
Thy pillow shall sacred be
From all outward alarms;
Thou, thou are the world to me
In thine innocent charms. 

Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.

On the upper left of this blog is place where you can see a sample of a lovely Jacquie Lawson animated card for free, each month. Be sure and go look, because the art is so pretty and the scenes uplifting and traditional. I love the way she paints scenes from a table looking out a window onto the meadow or the sea. It is hard to believe she is in England, as she does so many cards for American holidays and they are just as sentimental and inspiring as we would have them.

A new heart for a lady who loves purple. It has a little purple clothespin glued on, holding a card with her name.  I prefer pink and red, myself, but this lady is in her 70's and loves lavender and purple best. These lace cards are supposed to be similar to the Victorian Valentines, using paper scraps and bits of sewing notions.

The table is being set for the Ladies Bible Class Tea and Lunch. Pink chargers are available quite cheaply at Michaels and can be purchased separately for about $1.50 upwards to $2.00 apiece depending on the sales. There are a lot of other colors too.

If you want to make a nice setting without buying things, try cutting huge pink hearts from scrapbook paper or construction paper, and using them underneath the plates.

Playlist

Gustave_Léonard_de_Jonghe_-_woman_at_the_piano_with_Cockatoo


Go Here to See My Complete Playlist. You can click on the particular ones you want to hear.

The Music Lesson

by Marguerite Gerard

On the left there is a playlist of some favorite music, including classical and hymns, which you can turn on when you read this blog.  You have to push the play button first, and then,  there is a little square that appears on the bar on the lower part of the window. If you click on it, you can go backwards or forwards and hear the tunes you like the best. Just click on the picture of the one you want.  Please look at the previous post for my favorites, and note that I have included "Northbound Train" from the final scene of the BBC movie "North and South."  I think it is similar to the other two pieces by Beethoven, that are included on the playlist.

Be patient for the next on the list to play, as there are pauses between the pieces of music.

The piece I chose was the only one I could find and it had a video on it already, from the film.

Also, I added Laudate Dominum, with Ave Verum by Mozart, so be sure and listen to these spendid chorale operas. If you are a beginner or just want to give your homeschool children a taste of classical, this is good exposure to some of the most pleasing sounds of that type of music.

The Music Lesson

by John George Brown

Included is Schubert's "Trout", a tune with instrumental variations. I always imagine watching a lively trout in a stream as it swirls around revealing its pretty colors. One way to learn about classical music is to enjoy it with the "view" in mind, of the composer. Beethoven loved the woods and often composed his music while on a walk. He tried to replicate rain, storms, and the calm over a pasture after a storm.  Think of snowflakes, or the wind blowing the autumn leaves, the fog lifting, the sun bursting from behind a cloud, or the ocean with the gulls and sand pipers and all the foaming waves. Think of an evening at home where everyone is sitting in their own place, drinking tea, or just play the music and then later, connect it with the memory of when you first heard it.  If you take your children outside and stand near a tree, particularly an aspen, you can "hear" it jingle a musical note or two.

 Some of the composers used traditional folk tunes for their music, and others were inspired by an experience.  Beethoven at first loved the things Napoleon stood for, and wrote an entire symphony in praise of him. Later, when he saw the wreckage of his armies around him, he declared him a tyrant and would no longer perform the music dedicated to Napoleon.  If you want to see a good film about Beethoven, produced by a German/English company, watch, "The Magnificent Rebel."  If you are in the U.S. it will not work on your player unless you use the special international play feature on your computer. Most computers and laptops these days allow you a limited number of "plays" for foreign dvd's.

Rubenstein's Melody in F is great for introduction in classical music, as it is predictable and grows from a simple melody, adding more sounds as it progresses. This is a great one to hear during Afternoon Tea with your children.

Playlist in order presented on the left sidebar:

1. Northbound Train
2. Beethoven - Triple Concerto in C
3. Beethoven - Romance #2 in F major
4. Acapella hymn - Til the Storm Passes Over
5. Mozart Ave Verum - choral
6. Acapella hymn - Who Am I?
7. Mozart "Laudate Dominum" from various Psalms
8.Schubert - Piano Concerto "The Trout"
9. Rubenstein - Melody in F
10. A Beethoven piece used in the 1995 movie "Pride and Prejudice
11. Another Beethoven used in Pride and Prejudice 1995
12.  O Mio Caro Babbino,  sung by Kiri Te Kanawa, of New Zealand
13.  Theme from 1995 movie "Emma" by Rachel Portman
14. Were You There? Acapella hymn by Welsh male choir.
15: Acapella hymn: God Leads Us Along
16.  "     The Love of God
17. "       Til the Storm Passes By
18  "       Softly and Tenderly .
19  "       Meet Me There
20.  Waldstein, sonata by Beethoven:  I always liked this because it seemed so soft and pensive in the beginning and the theme gets used in various ways, both loud and soft. It brings to mind a walk in autumn in wind, rain, soft sunshine.
21. Italian Athem by Verdi. You can find the words to this on some of the youtube posts.  I always loved the music to this and it reminds me of one of the princesses, known as "Sissi" (also made into a movie) who respectfully stood up during the singing of this song, even when it was not considered politically to her advantage at the time.

22. His Yoke Is Easy and His Burden is Light: one of the many songs from Handel's Messiah. Handel used only the words in Psalms and Isaiah for some of the songs in his "Messiah."
23. Sleepers Awake by J.S. Bach
24. Sheep May Safely Graze  by J.S. Bach
25. Comfort Ye My People, and  Every Valley Shall  Be Exalted,  both from Handel's Messiah, with words from the scriptures.
26. Serenade by Schubert, piano and violin
27. Serenade by Franz Schubert
28. Adagio in G minor
29. Meet Me There acapella hymn
30. Sheep May Safely Graze, Bach
31. Deux Arabesque by Debussy
32. Piano Concerto No. 21 by Mozart
33. Nocturne by Chopin
34. Beethoven Piano Sonata #3 In C Major, Op. 2, No. 3 - 2. Adagio by Daniel Barenboim
35. Iduema - Acapella song from The Sacred Harp

36. I'm Going Home - acapella hymn from The Sacred Harp - scroll down to the words. 

37. In That Great Gettin' Up Morning,   acapella 

38. Our God, He is Alive,   sung in  a Philippine language

39. Will You Meet Me in Heaven Someday   - Johnny Cash
40. Cowboy Logic -Michael Martin Murphey
41. Walk in the Light, sung by Boston Camerata


Lyrics to "Going Home" from the songbook "The Sacred Harp"
Farewell, vain world! I'm going home!
My savior smiles and bids me come,
And I don't care to stay here long!
Sweet angels beckon me away,
To sing God's praise in endless day,
And I don't care to stay here long!

(Chorus:)
Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,
O, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long.

I'm glad that I am born to die,
From grief and woe my soul shall fly,
And I don't care to stay here long!
Bright angels shall convey me home,
Away to New Jerusalem,
And I don't care to stay here long!

(Chorus:)
Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,
O, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long.

(Chorus:)
Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,
O, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long

The Strings of the Voice

The Three Marys at the Tomb

by William Adolphe Bouguereau

 France, 1825-1905

The voice is a beautiful instrument, as you can hear in this acapella  recording.  I will post a copy of the sheet music for "The Sands of Time" in case you want to learn to sing it yourself. When the song has ended, I would highly recommend you click on "Meet Me There." The video is beautiful.



The song was written by Ann Ross Cousin, who was born in Hull, England in 1824  and lived in Scotland.

Here is one you might enjoy, called "Dare to Be Like Joshua" sung by a group of Christians that gather each year for a singing session.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ70Nn2QIxA&feature=related    I do not know the words to this song but they sound like they might be something you would like to teach children.

It's A Sin to Tell A Lie; I Can't Go On This Way; Shame on You

Country Inn

Some of you might remember the Bob Wills band from Texas: well, here is a young sisters group that sings those songs in a very nice way.


"Its A Sin to Tell A Lie"





"I Can't Go On This Way"



"Shame on You"



This group can be heard on November 20th on the Prairee Home Companion radio program, which you can also listen to online after the broadcast.  Go here to listen to Georgia, and  Roly Poly, sung by the Quebe Sisters.