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By Lisa Bond
Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise God in his mighty heavens.
Praise him with the strings and pipe… From Psalm 150
(and bowls and spoons???)
Come and worship! This Sunday, May 5, we will be celebrating Choral Music Sunday at the 9 and 10:30 a.m. worship. Kenilworth Union Church’s Chancel Choir has been working diligently to bring their best to God and to our congregation. Our musical offerings include the masterwork by British composer Benjamin Britten, Rejoice in the Lamb. This choral cantata accompanied by organ is known the world over for Britten’s brilliant pairing of spirited text and music. The poem, Jubilate Agno, was written beginning in 1756, while devout poet Christopher Smart was in an insane asylum. With his cat Jeoffry and rampant mice as his only company, Smart created a half-mad narrative filled with gratitude for God’s magnificence, and reverence for all living creatures.
We will also be singing the mystical composition Stars by Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. This ethereal choral work will be accompanied by crystal singing bowls played by the Adult Bell Choir members. The text is from Sara Teasdale’s poem, Flame and Shadow (1920). Frequently described as a state of permanent ecstasy, Stars represents the journey from this world to Heaven.
Our final musical offering will be the Appalachian spiritual Unclouded Day featuring a spoon player from Chicago’s Oldtown School of Folk Music. Yes, we will praise the Lord with pipes, bowls, and spoons! So let’s pack the pews to hear the good news! Invite your friends to worship and be surrounded by God’s light and love.
Click the link below for an early preview of Rejoice in the Lamb, performed by King’s College Choir from Cambridge.