Gladys Knight Sings "Sweet Little Jesus Boy"

One of the many joys of being a professional musician and a musicologist is listening to many different renditions of the same songs and pieces of music. I have a version of this on my own You Tube Channel with a 82-y.o. man singing it at an assisted living home where my own mother is. Listening to a performance like this is truly a spiritual experience for me and brings me ever closer to the Higher Power I choose to call God. I hope it's meaningful for you too.

Advent is here with all its beautiful music!

Advent is possibly my favorite time of year and once reason is because of all the beautiful music. For decades I have loved the music that comes from the English composers and sung by the English choirs and choirboys. I believe that is is a great way for us to get into Advent today! William Dutton on BBC Songs Of Praise (Advent Sunday, 2 December, 2007).

Will sings the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and there is a short interview by Aled Jones, followed by a solo performance from Will of The Truth From Above.

Will is a member of The Choirboys whose new CD, The Carols Album, has just been released.

One of my favorite hymns by one of my favorite choirs

This has always been one of my favorite hymns and when it's performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir it will take you straight up to Heaven...metaphorically speaking, of course!

What are some of your favorites?

Songs from Sunday School

When I was a little girl, I loved going to Sunday School. One of the reasons was because of all the songs we sang; songs that had hand motions and were fun and also had a positive message. Here's one of ones I remember!

John Rutter and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

. For me, music has always been a path to the God of my understanding. I've always loved the performances of the Mormon tabernacle Choir and I've always loved the music of John Rutter. Hope you'll enjoy this performance of both of these!

Connecting to Spirit through Music

Each day we all need to recharge our spiritual battery, otherwise the light of our consciousness becomes dim, thoughts become fuzzy, and decisions are impregnated with doubt. Power is available inside and outside. 

Inside us we have a spiritual center, at the core of our consciousness, pure radiant spiritual light. This is what we are. However it is now blocked by our attachments, the record of all our life experiences and many learned beliefs and perceptions. 

Outside us we have the sun of spirit, the source, invisible to our physical eyes but only one second away when we are able to quieten and focus our mind. Meditation connects us to both sources of power - that's why meditation is the way to access the real vitamins and the minerals that spirit craves. The vitamin of pure love and the minerals of truth and wisdom. 

Take time to empower yourself today. Sit quietly and connect your mind to each source and allow yourself to recharge and renew.   Soft music in the background can speed the calming and the journey inward.

Do you know the Faure Requiem?

Tonight I went to a Lenten concert at my church and the choir, a string orchestra and another church choir performed the beautiful and ethereal "Requiem" by Gabriel Faure. My favorite movement was the "Libera Me" which featured a beautiful tenor solo, sung tonight by our own Edward Carruthers! This YouTube video is not my church choir, but I think you'll enjoy it! Enjoy all the beautiful music of this Lenten Season. Alice

"A Child Most Eager to Belong"

Yesterday morning at my church, Highland Presbyterian Church, one of our several children's choirs sang a beautiful anthem with very touching words. I wanted to share these with you:
A child, most eager to belong, observed an elder lost in song. She asked a timeless thing: "Please tell me now, why do you sing?" "Because we can," the elder said, "to know that we're alive, not dead, to feel that God is near, to free us from the things we fear. A song unites us with our past, reminds us of the truths that last. And now, the most profound: God's love is working in the sound."
The child in us still wants to know why tunes can cause our hearts to grow. In truth, we cannot say, and so, with humble hearts we pray. Creator God, conduct each phrase, inspire the beat, renew our praise so singing in this place
reflects your rich, transforming grace.
Have a wonderful week!

A beautiful song for the New Year and for manifesting your resolutions!

The holidays have been filled with the most beautiful music this year. I've heard concerts all over the city and on TV and radio. On this peaceful New Year's Day, I'd like to share this beautiful rendition of "Still, Still, Still." You might want to try closing your eyes as you listen to this and visualize your New Years resolutions being accomplished! Happy New Year!!

"Lift High the Cross"

Today I attended the funeral of a very dear man, a man who loved music and a man who loved God and his church. This gentleman, a retired clergyman, had planned his entire funeral service, including all of the music. "Bing" loved music of all kinds and had told me many times that he hoped when "the Lord calls me home" thathe would have a better voice in Heaven than he had on Earth, but still he loved to sing in the shower and he loved to sing hymns. Please enjoy this beautiful hymn that is also a favorite hymn of mine. It's called "Lift High the Cross." Do you know it?

What kind of music did you hear in your place of worship?

I believe that growing up in church gave me a huge advantage in life. The fact that my father was the minister made it even better. I loved going to church as a little girl and seeing my Daddy in his robes and stole, preaching to a congregation that obviously loved and respected him very much. I also loved the music that I heard from the organ, the choir and the congregational hymns. All of this meshed together to make me feel very loved by God and my fellow Christians. It all made me love God very much too and want to please Him. I think I learned the most about God and His love from the music I heard and the hymns that we sang every Sunday morning and every Sunday night.
I'd be interested to know what music you heard on Sunday mornings in your House of Worship. Please write to me by responding to this blog by posting a comment and share your childhood music. Thanks!

The voice of a tiny angel!

To me, hearing the small, clear voice of a child singing, is a spritual experience. Tonight I had the experience of hearing a little 4 y.o. girl sing so beautifully that she seemed almost like an angel See what you think.

The African-American Spiritual

I've always loved spirituals. I believe that this body of music will connect you to spirit about as fast as any music out there. Listen to this beautiful example of two fabulous African-American singers singing "There is a Balm in Gilead" and tell me what you think!

Enjoy!

Hebrew letters of the Bible translated into music

Recently I wrote a Father's Day post in another blog of mine. A few hours later I received a wonderful gift from a man...a link to this article about how the Hebrew letters have been translated into musical notes and performed. Please watch this fascinating video and follow the link to the article!

Welcome to Spirituality Through Music

Music is my life. I can't imagine living in a world where music didn't exist because music feeds my spirit and my soul in a way that nothing else can. My earliest memories involve music and how happy and peaceful I felt listening to music. As the daughter of a minister I went to church a lot. My favorite part was always the music. I learned about how to live and how to treat other people through music. I learned about who God is and how he loves me and all of his creation unconditionally. I look forward to this blog being a forum for others' experiences about feeling connected to Spirit through music.