Watts concert

This Nov. 24, the last Sunday before Advent, I led a concert focused on Isaac Watts (1674-1748)  hymns.  He's pretty much captured the high ground of global hymnody with Joy to the World, Jesus Shall Reign, When I survey, Alas and Did, The Lord my Shepherd Is, et. al.

Supporting the congregational voices I had the Bravura Brass Quintet, a select vocal ensemble, me on the organ a few times, and Patricia Martin on piano for three songs.  The brass preluded and interluded the event with pieces written by contemporaries of Watts (e.g. Bach, Handel, Albinoni) and one piece by me, the third of the offertory.  I also wrote all the brass parts accompanying the hymns.  If you want to hear the 52 minutes of just the music, click here.  Here's one view of the event.

flute solo audio file, Dec. 16

Yesterday Brynn Godshall played flute for an arrangement I made of "My soul proclaims with wonder" (Hymnal a worship book #181).  I played the organ.  I captured the performance (2:45 min.) on my H2 recorder.  Lovely flute.  Thanks, Brynn.  Listen here:

https://www.box.com/s/3vwexe2a7ptvy72tlmv1

The tune was written in 1990 by J. Harold Moyer, a long-time prof at Bethel College, Kansas.  One of his hymn tunes, FAITH, has gotten a lot of mileage in several hymnals, "I sought the Lord."

Taylor's trombone pipes out a medley

The flash made annoying shadows on the photo, but you can see a good image of the trombone and Taylor holding it, after the worship service July 8.  (That me on the right).  He played a set of three hymns, all in our hymnals, and all on the theme of walking with God:  Trust and Obey (when we walk with the Lord), We Will Walk in the Valley ("...Jesus himself will be our leader...), and Just a Closer Walk with Thee.

Sure, more often it's a trumpet that plays solo in church, but Taylor had the advantage of low notes a trumpet could never dream of, almost two octaves below middle C, and his beautiful mellow range a half octave above middle C, to take our thoughts from reflective introspection to jubilant high beauty.

Thanks, Taylor.