Prayers from me: Recent Episodes
Donna Marie Hartley
My prayer is to use this as a way to show my gratitude for all the wonderful people I’ve had the privilege to meet and share God’s gift of music.
This is a request that I decided to record and post this week. Shortly before his death in 1980, Lennon commented that "Although the lyrics don't resolve into any sense, they're good lines. They certainly work ... but if you read the whole song, it doesn't say anything" and added the song was "beautiful – and I never wished I'd written it". Still it has remained the fourth most successful song of all time in terms of royalties paid. I hope you enjoy it.
Adelaide Addison Pollard was known as a remarkable, saintly woman but one who lived the life of a mystic. She was born on November 27, 1862, at Bloomfield, Iowa. She was named, Sarah, by her parents, but because of her later dislike for this name, she adopted the name, Adelaide. After an early training in elocution and physical culture, she moved to Chicago, Illinois, during the 1880’s and taught in several girls’ schools. During this time, she became rather well-known as an itinerant Bible teacher. Later, she became involved in the evangelistic ministry of Alexander Dowie, assisting him in his healing services. She, herself, claimed to have been healed of diabetes in this manner. Still later, she became involved in the ministry of another evangelist named Sanford, who was emphasizing the imminent return of Christ. Miss Pollard desired to travel and minister in Africa, but when these plans failed to materialize, she spent several years teaching at the Missionary Training School at Nyack-on-the-Hudson. She finally got to Africa for a short time, just prior to World War I and then spent most of the war years in Scotland. Following the war, she returned to America and continued to minister throughout New England, even though by now she was very frail and in poor health. Miss Pollard wrote a number of other hymn texts throughout her life, although no one knows exactly how many, since she never wanted any recognition for her accomplishments. Most of her writings were signed simply AAP. “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” is her only hymn still in use today.
This is a request that I get frequently. Irving Gordon was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family, and later lived on Coney Island. He was named Israel Goldener but later changed his name to Irving Gordon. As a child, he studied violin. This is his most famous song.
Frederick Atkinson (1841-1897) wrote the Victorian tune Morecambe, named after a town in England’s Midland district. The composer’s intent was to provide a musical setting for Henry Francis Lyte’s famous hymn, “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide” (The UM Hymnal, No. 700). Indeed the rhythm is identical between Eventide, the tune associated with “Abide with me,” and Morecambe. Morecambe is well suited for “Spirit of God” as well. In the first stanza, a descending melody accompanies the words, “descend upon my heart.” Tedd Smith, who arranged this, was the pianist for Billy Graham for years and years. It's my favorite arrangement and I'm so grateful for him.
Every week our pastor has me play an introit on the organ or piano as part of the opening of the service. This week we have a former pastor preaching who now has an important position in the Methodist Church. And I know that our congregation is happy to see and hear her again. And I chose that introit as a reminder of our gratitude for her.
And since I hadn't put that on the website, and I know that there are so many of us who are praying for others that we don't see very often. I do want others to know how grateful I am for so many, even though I don't have the opportunity to see them.
This is a piece that I've been playing for years, at Nordstrom and now at Mayo Hospital. It's a wonderful reminder that we have SO MUCH to be thankful for.
Many people have requested me to play this, and it's still in my book, so I play it as I go through the book alphabetically, both at Mayo Hospital and at church in Fellowship Hall. It's from the well known play, "Cats". When it comes to memories, they sure do seem to fade away as we get older. The reason that I chose it is because the meds that I had been taking for brain memory gave me stomach issues and haven't helped me a lot. Eventually I was told not to take some them, so I've stopped my former memory meds and am on a new one that really seems to be helping me. Solutions to this problem of fading memories are few and far in between, with very low chance of success, but maybe this song will help bring back some of those memories you may have of loved ones or a good experience you've had.
A woman came up to me last Tuesday and asked if I had any music from Phantom of the Opera, so I turned to this under the letter "P", where I keep things in my music book alphabetically. I was really glad to find it for her, and she was happy about it. I hope you enjoy it as well.
This hymn is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. It is enjoyed by many, so I thought I'd share this arrangement.
The sheet music for this piece also says Extrait de "Suite Bergamasque", which means it is taken from a suite of pieces, this one being the third or slow piece. Debussy actually wrote three ‘Clair De Lunes’. The idea is from a poem by Paul Verlaine in his collection entitled Fêtes Galantes, themselves inspired by the paintings of Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). Debussy set six of these poems to music, including this one, first in 1882, then again in 1891. The piano piece dates originally from 1890 and was revised in 1905. Originally the piece had a completely different title, which was ‘Promenade Sentimentale’, but eventually Debussy decided to switch to the more descriptive and precise ‘Clair De Lune’.
This is a request of a song that was initially written from the perspective of a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him". The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour", a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. It is a popular choice for couples as the song for the first dance at their wedding, and was a top of the charts song recorded by Elvis Presley. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a request that I am playing. Simon wrote it as "a little hymn." Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee thought it was more epic, and convinced him to write a third verse. His "little hymn" thus got a grand production, and after hearing it, he thought it was too long, too slow and too orchestral to be a hit single. However, Clive Davis at Columbia Records heard the commercial appeal of the song, and insisted they put a lot of marketing budget behind it use it as the album title. The song's title concept was inspired by Claude Jeter's line 'I'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in me', which Jeter sang with his group, the Swan Silvertones, in the 1958 song 'Mary Don't You Weep'. According to gospel historian Anthony Heilbut, Simon later acknowledged his debt to Jeter in person, and even handed Jeter a check. Simon also named Johann Sebastian Bach's 'O Sacred Head, Now Wounded' as a source of inspiration for certain parts of the melody. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a common request that I get at Mayo clinic and I would also get it at Nordstrom. It's a popular wedding song and many know it through Celine Dion. The emotions in this song are reflected by the singer, who thanks a loyal loved one for guiding, encouraging, and protecting her throughout her life, and making her who she is today.
This is a piece in a book titled "Dino Great Is The Lord Piano Solos", which consists of Dino Kartsonakis arrangements. Also listed under his hame are Nathan Di Gesare and Randy Wright. I think that they helped him. Recently Dino purchased a Ravenscroft piano here in Scottsdale. It looks beautiful. The lyrics for this piece are also nice. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a request of a visitor at Mayo Hospital. Many people still remember and enjoy the Beatles. This simple but stirring and gentle ballad showed for the first time the variance of what Lennon and McCartney could conjure up within the confines of this album called "Something New". They would be later known for their "highs and lows," "peaks and valleys" on their albums, such as the range of genres on the "White Album" (from "Helter Skelter" to "Blackbird" to "Honey Pie"). While the gentleness of "A Taste Of Honey" and "Till There Was You" from their first two albums were evidences of this, they resorted to cover songs to display the variance. With "And I Love Her" they display that they have this capability right in their own arsenal. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a very popular song from the "The Threepenny Opera", The Beggar's Opera by John Gay starting with its first production back in 1728. The Beggar's Opera is a comic ballad opera, an original concept when it came out, conjuring up the thoughts and ideas of the anti-hero, Robin Hood types, and quotes of the likes of Bob Dylan, such as "Steal a little and they throw you in jail: steal a lot and they make you a king". It was the first musical play produced in colonial New York. George Washington enjoyed it. The original lyrics went through some transformations for the European audience and were cleaned up a bit by Blitstein, which allowed it to gain much more fame. This song was request of one of the employees or volunteers at Mayo Hospital. I hope you enjoy it.
Since it is the 4th of July weekend I figured this would be a good song to play. Hugh S. Livingston, Jr. grew up in Tennessee and served in music ministries there as well as in Indiana, and Ohio, providing his talents as a choral director, pianist, organist, and trumpeter. He remained active as a church musician, and shared his musical gifts with hundreds of people in assisted living and nursing homes. Many of his unpublished manuscripts were discovered after his death in October 2014. I hope you enjoy this song of his.
This is a piece that was requested for me to play. It is a great arrangement by Dino Kartsonakis and I've enjoyed playing it for quite some time now. The words were arranged to a piece of music arranged by William Hays called "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane". This is a standard gospel song that has appeared in many protestant hymnals. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a piece requested not only by Nordstrom customers, but also people at Mayo Clinic.
It's written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You and produced by Jack Daugherty.
It is still possible today, to walk the path where Jesus walked while he was carrying the cross. This is a hymn that can be correlated with that, but also symbolically in a way that one can try to be like him. I really like the lyrics, because it's great to keep being reminded of the way Jesus walked and struggled. I hope you enjoy it.
Since I became a pianist for a Nordstrom store in Chicago many years ago, I've been playing that song for many years. And now that I play every week at the Mayo Hospital here, there are many others here from Chicago. I am so thankful to be living where I am now, but also very, very thankful for the millions of blessings that I received growing up in the Chicago area. And there are many who visit the hospital who appreciate Chicago also.
This a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel that was written in 1945. I was 8 years old when this came out, and I started accompanying the high school choir with that piece in 1950, when I was 12, starting high school, because I had skipped 2 grades in grade school. I've always enjoyed the lyrics, reminding me that God is with me every minute of the day. And I'm so thankful for that!
A quote from Matheson about writing the lyrics for this hymn is, "My hymn was composed in the manse of Innellan on the evening of the 6th of June, 1882. Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression rather of having it dictated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high. I have never been able to gain once more the same fervor in verse." It's as if he were touched by an angel. Hopefully you enjoy this arrangement.
The lyrics for this hymn were written as a processional hymn for children walking from Horbury Bridge, where Baring-Gould was curate, to Horbury St Peter's Church near Wakefield, Yorkshire, at Whitsuntide in 1865. It was originally entitled, "Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners." According to the Centre for Church Music, Baring-Gould reportedly wrote "Onward, Christian Soldiers" in about 15 minutes, later apologising, "It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the lines are faulty." He later allowed hymn-book compilers to alter the lyrics. For example, The Fellowship Hymn Book, with his permission, changed the phrase "one in hope and doctrine" to "one in hope and purpose." For the 1909 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, he changed the fifth line of the same verse from "We are not divided" to "Though divisions harass." However, Baring-Gould’s original words are used in most modern hymnals. I don't know the arranger of this piano version that I'm playing, but it is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it.
This is from The Paramount Pictures Production, "Breakfast at Tiffany's". It's a piece that a volunteer who saw me walking to the parking lot where I had parked to play at the Mayo Hospital said to me, "I never hear you play 'Moon River' anymore." He was right, it wasn't even in my book. So I decided that not only should it be in my Mayo book, I should play it so he could see it whenever he pleased.
I found this in one of my music books, that I used to play at Nordstrom, and decided to play it a Mayo Clinic. After playing it, some lady came up to me and said "I'm so thankful you played this because my father sang that when I was young, and that's what encouraged me to be a Christian". She was there to visit her father, so it was touching. This song is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole. The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest". It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition. There is a long list of versions and renditions of it. I hope you enjoy it.
This hymn was fully composed at a workshop at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Stassen is claimed to have come up with the tune while taking a shower, before taking the tune to the workshop. This hymn has been used as a protest song which was sung by many Christians and non-Christians during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. I was asked to play the new church piano for 10 minutes before the beginning of the Easter service, so I played the Hallelujah Chorus and then this piece. It's a good reminder that we need to keep thanking God for sending Jesus, letting him be hung on a cross, and then raising him from the dead. I hope you enjoy it.
George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany in 1685. Handel’s crowning achievement, Messiah, was not an immediate success. In 1741, Handel was heavily in debt following a string of musical failures. He had previously worked with Charles Jennens and wrote a string of operas that celebrated the lives of biblical characters using the King James translation of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. The Church was not receptive. Handel was preached against, the promotional posters were torn down, and they soon became bankrupt. Living alone he had a minor stroke and was dogged with depression. After this, there were two events that coincided and miraculously changed his life. First, he got a letter from Jennens who suggested they compose an oratorio about the Divinity of Christ. He sent Handel a compilation of Old and New Testament texts. Second, Handel received a letter from a musical admirer in Dublin who asked him to compose a work to raise money to free men out of Dublin’s debtor’s prison, and to support two hospitals. Handel accepted both challenges and set out to produce a musical work that could be performed to raise money for charities. He buried himself in the Scriptures, prayed and composed. The exercise would be a spiritual epiphany for him. One day a friend who brought him his meals walked in on Handel and found him physically and emotionally exhausted. He had just completed the “Hallelujah Chorus.” The teary composer told him he had had a vision: “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself!” Like the Psalmist, like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and St John, Handel had had a vision of the throne room of God! And so he drenched the Chorus with praise. This is the accompaniment that Handel wrote for that piece. I started playing it when I was very young, but even without the voices, it gives the message. Many blessings to you all on this special day.
This is a piece given to me by my high school piano teacher when I was 13 years old. For most of it the left hand has triplets while the right hand has sixteenth notes. It was a fun piece for me to play and may be the reason that I was chosen to be the accompanist for the Lake County Philharmonic when I was only 14 years old. However, the very best piano teacher I had, had been a Julliard piano professor but he got sick and was unable to play, so he transferred to DePauw University in Indiana. I was at Eastman School of Music then and a graduate of DePauw was getting her Master's degree at Eastman and told me about him. So I transferred there my junior year. He was super good! He made me count out loud when I played, and if I played louder than I counted he would yell at me - "Count louder! Count louder!" Consequently that loud counting enabled me to play much better. So not long ago I decided to go back to Fantaisie Impromptu and COUNT OUT LOUD. That really helped me play it even better than I had when I was young. So I've been playing it at Mayo and I played it on the new piano that we have at church and many people have appreciated it.
The claims are that it was Artur Rubinstein himself who put Chopin’s original on the map. Ernst Oster explained that the Fantaisie-Impromptu draws many of its harmonic and tonal elements from Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which is also in C♯ minor, and from the third movement in particular. He continues that The Fantaisie-Impromptu is perhaps the only instance where one genius discloses to us—if only by means of a composition of his own—what he actually hears in the work of another genius.
This hymn was originally titled “The name of Jesus” in its first printing. I was included in Sacred Poems and Prose (1861), by its author, Frederick Whitfield (1829-1904). The earliest evidence of the lyrics are claimed to be in Goodman’s Village Hymn Book (1864). There are different tunes that became associated with these lyrics, Dwight Moody used a different tune in his Gospel Hymns (1896), so it is unclear when the lyrics and music for this hymn were originally combined. This arrangement by Fred Bock is very nice. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a really good arrangement of this hymn by Bob Walters. Thomas O. Chisholm wrote the lyrics of this hymn in 1923 about God's faithfulness over his lifetime. Chisholm sent the song to William Runyan in Kansas, who was affiliated with both the Moody Bible Institute and Hope Publishing Company. Runyan set the poem to music, and it was published that same year by Hope Publishing Company and became popular among church congregations. Chisholm's lyrics reference the Bible verses of Lamentations 3:22-23. The hymn gained a wide audience after becoming successful with Dr. William Henry Houghton of the Moody Bible Institute and Billy Graham, who used the song frequently on his international crusades. Since the mid-20th century, this song has been the university hymn of Cairn University which was previously Philadelphia Biblical University after being Philadelphia College of Bible, established in 1913. I enjoy it very much and hope you can enjoy it as well.
The origins of this folk hymn, appropriate for Holy Week, are shrouded in obscurity. It first appeared in U.S.A. hymnals during the second half of the twentieth century. Its frequency of inclusion increased by the end of the last century and continues into the current one. Although listed as an American folk hymn in most hymnals, it appears that its origins may be found in a conflation of the Appalachian folk song tradition and the African American spiritual. The song, known as part of a group under the theme of “journey songs,” appears in The Faith We Sing as one of many variants, much simplified and adapted both in text and melody. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a popular song first recorded by Kamahl in 1982 for a country and western album he was recording. It wasn't commercially released because it was felt he did not suit the country and western style. So eventually it was also recorded by others, including Roger Whittaker, Sheena Easton and Lee Greenwood. It is a popular request at Mayo Clinic. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a piece I used to sing a lot when I was young. The words are likely inspired by Psalm 45:8, in which Christ is pictured "coming out of the ivory palaces of heaven to redeem the world, clothed in garments that are perfumed with myrrh for beauty, with aloes for bitterness, and with cassia for healing, the fragrance of which remains to tell of His near presence". The arranger of this version is a bit of a mystery. It only shows his first name and there does not seem to be much out there on the internet. This is a great arrangement though. I hope you enjoy it.
I memorized this as a kid, so for me it's very important. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing". I hope you enjoy it.
The arranger of this hymn is known as Clara Harriett Fiske Jones Scott, born in Elk Grove, IL. She was the daughter of a farmer, and the family moved to Chicago in 1856. Clara was the first woman to publish a volume of anthems, ‘The Royal anthem book’ in 1882. Horatio Palmer, a friend, helped her publish her songs. In 1897, she died in a horse-drawn buggy accident and her funeral was well-attended by music writers, teachers, professors, publishers, and friends. This hymn has a bit of a dancing theme that joins with the lyrics to help us, as we learn to see, hear and speak the truth from our hearts. I hope you enjoy it.
Alex North wrote the music for this song as a theme for a mostly unknown 1955 prison film called, Unchained. Eventually it became one of the most recorded songs, famously recorded by the Righteous Brothers in 1965. I am playing this, as it was a request from someone at Mayo Clinic. I hope you are all well and enjoy this recording.
The family of Joanne Estelle Carleton asked me to play it for her memorial service a few weeks ago. And I wanted to put it on the web site so that her family could hear it whenever they wanted. The song is performed by MercyMe and has become quite popular. Much love to the Carleton family. I hope you enjoy this piano version of it.
There was a wonderful couple that I would play this for at the Marquesa, every time they came in. Eventually the Marquesa lost their piano, but I still play this frequently at Mayo Clinic. Her husband passed away, but I'm still very thankful for them and how kind they were. This one is for them. It's my own arrangement. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a request from someone at Mayo Clinic. It's a song by the American rock band, the Eagles and was based on a song Henley originally wrote about a friend named Leo. The original began with "Leo, my God, why don't you come to your senses..." Eventually this song was written together with Henley inspired by Ray Charles, Stephen Foster and the Southern Gothic style. They just made it a bit more Western. This was the start of Frey and Henley's songwriting partnership. I hope you enjoy it.
This is a hymn, by Mabel Johnston Camp, that was written in the setting of Mendelssohn's song, Without Words, op.19, no.1. The lyrics have a bit of a story behind it because they were written by Jean Perry, who gave Mabel the poem, but Mabel did not like the poem, tore it up, and tossed it in the trash. Mabel's husband, Norman Camp, salvaged the poem and thought it was fitting, so he convinced Mabel to have it published.
Lyrics:
I know of a name,
A beautiful name,
That angels brought down to earth;
They whispered it low,
One night long ago,
To a maiden of lowly birth.
That beautiful Name,
That beautiful Name,
From sin has power to free us!
That beautiful Name,
That wonderful Name,
That matchless Name is Jesus!
I know of a Name,
A beautiful Name,
That unto a Babe was given;
The stars glittered bright
Throughout that glad night,
And angels praised God in Heav'n.
That beautiful Name,
That beautiful Name,
From sin has power to free us!
That beautiful Name,
That wonderful Name,
That matchless Name is Jesus!
The One of that Name,
My Savior became,
My Savior of Calvary.
My sins nailed Him there;
My burdens He bare.
He suffered all this for me.
That beautiful Name,
That beautiful Name,
From sin has power to free us!
That beautiful Name,
That wonderful Name,
That matchless Name is Jesus!
I love that blest Name,
that wonderful Name,
Made higher than all in Heav'n
'Twas whispered, I know,
In my heart long ago
To Jesus my life I've giv’n.
That beautiful Name,
That beautiful Name,
From sin has power to free us!
That beautiful Name,
That wonderful Name,
That matchless Name is Jesus!
First of all, I'm so thankful that God created music! Birds sing, the handbell choir gave me a beautiful poster that says, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." And every week when I start playing the piano at Mayo Hospital I begin with music from "Sound of Music" that includes pieces about all kinds of music and blessings that God has given us. Many scriptures have had music added to them - The Hallelujah Chorus and lots of others. And I really enjoy singing those Bible verses. But I looked and looked and didn't find any music for Proverbs 3:5 and 6. And those verses are very important to me -
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." And Pastor Leah Bergstrom, our assistant pastor, had given me a beautiful stone figure with a cross and the first verse of that as a gift when I had my pacemaker implant. So after looking for quite a while, I decided to compose for myself music to go with those verses.
It's only eight measures long, and I transposed it so that you can sing it in a higher or lower key, but I sing it often, every day as a reminder that God will direct my paths - if I ask and allow Him. And His mind is so much greater than mine!
One of the gentlemen from my church, David McBride, came to help me with recording these videos after my son moved to Germany. Sadly he has recently passed away, and I am sending many prayers out to him and his family for what a blessing he has been.
"Gesù Bambino" is Italian and it translates to baby Jesus. This is an Italian Christmas carol composed back in 1917. It shares a melody with an English Christmas carol "When Blossoms Flowered 'mid the Snows" and is similar to "O Come All Ye Faithful". Hopefully you are enjoying the holiday season.
It is now coming close to the end of the year. The Holidays are upon us, and many of us who celebrate Christmas are communing and gathering together as best we can, in worship. This is a hymn that speaks not only of the Lord’s birth, but of the responsibility of telling others about the message we hold dear in our hearts of salvation that is free to all. It can be considered a wake up call and a reminder to stay focused on helping everyone towards salvation.
This is a popular Christmas song that was introduced in the 1944 musical "Meet Me in St. Louis", and also recorded by Frank Sinatra. I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and spending quality time with your loved ones.
The father-in-law of my son has recently passed away, and this song was requested, since it was the song I played at his wedding. This is to honor the father of the bride, Rodolfo. He captured the hearts of many with his charisma and playful heart. This song was a favorite of his. He will be missed. Many prayers and much love to all the family and friends.
This is part of the "Nutcracker Suite" that Tschaikowsky composed for Christmas. It is a ballet based on the German Christmas story by ETA Hoffmann The Nutcracker and The Mouse King. At the time he wrote this, Tchaikovsky was experiencing some emotional turmoil after the death of his sister. While at sea, Tchaikovsky penned much of the music for "The Nutcracker", and often struggled for inspiration. He used the love he had for his sister to create the iconic melodies from Waltz of the Flowers. This is the final dance of the ballet, where all the Sugar Plum Fairy’s sweets celebrate Clara and the prince.
After playing Away in a Manger, and being reminded that Jesus didn't even have a roof over his head, I thought that Silent Night would be a good reminder of what Jesus and his family went through. The lyrics encourage that.
Many of us struggle with tough situations, but can you imagine having your baby lying in a manger? And that wasn't even in a barn! The stars were looking down on him. Some of our struggles are because we didn't follow Jesus, but Jesus is with us always, and he had many struggles, including this!
Proverbs 3:5 and 6 are still two of my favorite verses - no matter what.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
Jesus struggled many times! But pleading with God to help us honor Him, the most we can, is so worth it!
This is a combination of the piece "Liebestraum" by Franz Liszt and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan, arranged by Dino Kartsonakis. It's a combination of a love dream from a Hungarian composer and a hymn based on the old testament that merges quite well. I'm actually playing this piece for our church offertory today. I hope you enjoy it.
This African American spiritual appears in various hymnals with slight melodic and rhythmic variations. I really enjoy the lyrics of this hymn. Some have pointed out that it is interesting how the enslaved people did not speak in this spiritual of the physical abuse that they faced in their bondage, but of a spiritual illness, the “sin-sick soul.” It might be they heard this alliterative phrase in some of the hymns being sung at that time. There are some parallels in this hymn between the enslaved Africans in North America and the exiled Jews from the book of Jeremiah, who were forced to live in a "far country". John Wesley elaborates on the text of this spiritual with this point, "This question, as here proposed by the Prophet, relates only to a particular people, - the children of Israel. But I would here consider it in a general sense, with relation to all mankind. I would seriously inquire, Why has Christianity done so little good in the world? Is it not the balm, the outward means, which the great Physician has given to men, to restore their spiritual health? Why then is it not restored? You say, Because of the deep and universal corruption of human nature". Perhaps this could be considered the cause for the inefficacy of Christianity. Perhaps through prayer comes the revival of the soul.
A friend from the church of my eldest son, saw the website and told him to ask me to play "God Only Knows." I don't think I've ever played this, but I found that I had a copy of the music. I thought I'd give it a try, so this is for him. This is a song from The Beach Boys, and the lyrics at the end go on and on - "God only knows what I'd be with-out you," again and again. I hope you enjoy it.
My daughter Cheri told me that this was her husband, Jack's, favorite song. I'm so thankful for all the ways that Jack is helping my daughter. In one of the hymnals where I found this hymn, under the title it says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." Rev. 3:20. It was a decent arrangement, but I wanted to make an arrangement especially for him.
A prelude is a performance, action or event, preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter. I played the Raindrop Prelude when I was a kid and in Illinois, I thought that raindrops were sort of a nuisance, but now that I'm older and live here, I realize much better what a great blessing raindrops are. They feed all kinds of blessed flowers and plants, and even help provide water for us to drink. This piece was requested as a favorite of Dawn. She is the lovely wife of Mark who has been tuning my piano lately. Dawn does the scheduling and Mark drives all over to tune pianos. One interesting thing about these 24 preludes that Chopin wrote is that he dedicates them to Joseph Christoph Kessler, a German pianist and composer, who 10 years earlier, had dedicated his own set of 24 Preludes, Op. 31, to Chopin. Kessler's Prelude in E Minor is also a favorite that many people enjoy.
I met Judy White when I came back to Illinois after college. She was a member of the Waukegan Methodist Church, where my parents were going. She not only played the trumpet, and was the only other female in the Waukegan Municipal Band, but she also babysat for my oldest kid, when I went to school for my Master's degree. This is a piece she wrote, and it's a way to thank her for the blessing that she has been to me.
There were two songs I was going to play for my cousin Rita's friend, who's husband had a stroke. One was "Like A River Glorious", which I played a while back and this was the other one. For this piece I only had an organ and piano duet arrangement, so I had to order the music. When I got it, my printer was also not working. Now that I finally got it and figured out how to print it, I've recorded it for her. This is a hymn that has been used around the globe and across denominational lines. It was also incorporated in two of the most televised services of the last two decades, the funeral of Princess Diana of Wales (1977) and the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (2011). The author of this hymn never intended to be a minister, and instead wished to be a doctor. Eventually after hearing the preaching of Howell Harris, he made the decision to pursue ordination in the Established Church. He became a well known writer of Welsh Methodism, with beautiful imagery, and this hymn contains traces of the hardships he experienced as a traveling minister. I hope you enjoy it.
The most familiar tune for this hymn was written by Charles Converse, but there is a bit of a mystery as to the origin of this hymn. It involves a book of poems by Joseph Scriven, which was missing eight lines of text. The present location of this book is unknown. Scriven spent the last years of his life in the home of James Sackville, near Rice Lake and Port Hope, Ontario. Sackville claims that this hymn was never published by Scriven in any book or paper. He claims that Scriven only sent a copy to his mother and Sackville's mother. The current location of the Sackville manuscript is also unknown. Some suggest it was printed in Dublin, while Converse credits the text to the "Genevan Presbyterian Church (of Brooklyn) Collection". Others believe Converse learned of Scriven's hymn from a salesperson visiting the Burdette Organ Company in Erie, Pennsylvania. The story is that Scriven was so touched by the words that he rushed to find an organ to craft a melody. H. L. Hastings published this hymn for the first time in 1865, and included a fourth stanza. Hastings credited it to Scriven, which made it seem that the additional stanza was not new. Early printings of this hymn were attributed to Horatius Bonar as well. An alternate tune was composed by Frederick G. Carter, and The editors of the Companion to Church Hymnal (2000) called Carter's tune "a fresh, effective, and eminently congregational tune that is well suited to the text," whereas with the tune by Converse, they said, "not much can be done to relieve the dull boredom of this tune, which is all too typical of gospel tunes of the period". This is why I like the Fred Bock arrangement of this hymn so much. He did a wonderful job arranging this tune, and making it a beautiful piece of piano music.
This hymn was written in 1758, and it was the first hymn in a collection of hymns for the user of the Church of Christ. Nettleton is the name of the tune composed for this hymn, by John Wyeth. Fred Bock was an organist in California who played and arranged both piano and organ music. In one of his books he tells that he enjoyed playing the piano more than the organ. That's where I am too. Someone asked me about that, saying that organists have to use their feet a lot, like their whole body. But I said, "Yes, but when you press an organ key, either hard or soft, it comes out the same, depending on the pipes you chose, but on the piano you can play each key 20 different ways, and I enjoy working at that. Plus you still use your feet.
This is Luther’s most famous hymn. I chose it because I was so blessed to get to go to a Billy Graham celebration in Chicago years ago, and I'm so thankful that his son, Franklin Graham, is making a trip down Route 66 starting on Sunday, to help more people trust Jesus. I don't have money to help, but hopefully that song, arranged by the man who played the piano at Billy Graham festivals will encourage more people. From the records of 19th-century hymnologists we know that there were a few hymnals that contained “A Mighty Fortress” before 1533, but these hymnals were destroyed in the bombing of Dresden during World War II. Most scholars think Luther wrote the hymn between 1521 and 1529, with the majority of scholars settling on 1527–28. What many of us might not realize is that the Festival of the Reformation was not celebrated during Luther’s lifetime. It is unknown what prompted Luther to write the hymn. Scholars have suggested a number of events during these dark years in his life when it was written. There was the death of a man who followed Luther's teachings, a plague that broke out in Wittenberg, Luther's daughter had also died. He was struggling mentally and spiritually. There were also issues within the Roman church, and Luther felt that his family, reputation, and work for the Reformation, was all at stake. Not only is this hymn known as the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation", but also as a battle cry against the pope and Rome. Yet, when Luther likely wrote the hymn, his greatest challenge arose from other groups that had broken away from Rome. There were people who claimed to follow the Bible who wanted to revolt against the government, something Luther did not approve of. Others questioned whether pastors were necessary. They believed anyone could proclaim the Word of God. Some doubted whether infants should be baptized. The greatest and most divisive controversy among the reformers also took place during these years. It is known as the Sacramentarian Controversy, or the fight over the Lord’s Supper. Luther saw this controversy as directly related to the proclamation of the Gospel. He believed that the literal words of Jesus needed to be confessed and defended.
This is a 19th-century English hymn. The words were written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865, and the music was composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1871. Sullivan named the tune "St. Gertrude," after the wife of his friend Ernest Clay Ker Seymer, at whose country home he composed the tune. The Salvation Army adopted the hymn as its favored processional. The piece became Sullivan's most popular hymn. The lyric was written as a processional hymn for children walking from Horbury Bridge to Horbury St Peter's Church near Wakefield, Yorkshire, at Whitsuntide in 1865. It was originally entitled, "Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners." According to the Centre for Church Music, Baring-Gould reportedly wrote "Onward, Christian Soldiers" in about 15 minutes, later apologizing, "It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the lines are faulty." He later allowed hymn-book compilers to alter the lyrics.
Recently I received a text from my cousin, Rita, who asked if I would play "Like a River Glorious" for her friend, Janelle. Janelle's husband had a major stroke. Many prayers for Janelle and her husband.
When Frances Havergal was vacationing in the south of Wales, 1876, she caught a severe cold, accompanied by inflammation of the lungs. Hearing how ill she was, and that she might die, she replied, "If I am really going, it is too good to be true". Her friends were amazed at how peacefully she received this information. She did survive that illness, and later that year she wrote the hymn "Like a River Glorious". It echoes Isaiah in which God promises peace like a river. Peace is yours already, purchased for you, made for you, sealed for you, pledged to you.
This is a hymn with multiple levels of meaning that reflects not only on how much time the sun shines throughout our day, but the cycles of time, and also upon how much time we have on this planet. Along with this, times are changing and we will experience increased persecution and limits on our freedoms in the years ahead. It helps us prioritize the importance of the things we do every day. This arrangement is from John Schaum who for many years wrote books for children to learn how to play the piano.
This is a famous hymn that has many arrangements. Whitney Houston sings a version of this for a film called Sparkle, although it is most associated with actress-singer Ethel Waters. Mahalia Jackson's recording of the song received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2010. This gospel hymn was inspired by scriptures in Psalms and Matthew. In Psalms a verse reads, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." In 1904, Civilla Martin was visiting an ill, bedridden friend. Although discouraged and sick, her friend remembered that God was watching over each little sparrow and would certainly watch after her. This is the inspiration as it relates to Matthew. Don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
This is a request that I got for an ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) 1978 hit. At the time, Jeff Lynne broke out of a creative block and invented a musical superhero that many of us learned to relish and sing along with. It was originally recorded in Munich, Germany and the electric voice of this superhero was inspired by Sparky's Magic Piano, an old children's record. In the original song, Mr. Blue Sky introduces himself in the second bridge, via a vocoder. "Thou shalt not number seven" was the original working title and this song is considered one of the most uplifting or happiest songs ever recorded. It was used in various ads for multiple companies, in movies, and on spacecraft (space shuttle Endeavor & space shuttle Atlantis) as the wakeup call for the astronauts. A piano solo version of this song may not do it justice, but it is a reminder of the original that people enjoy when I play at Mayo clinic.
This is a piece that gets requested a lot. Leonard Cohen was Canadian, and when he wrote this, it initially didn’t have much success. After some following recordings by John Cale, Jeff Buckley and a feature in the movie Shrek, it gained much popularity. Many of us ask ourselves what the meaning of Hallelujah is, but probably every thesis is wrong and right at the same time, since music is subjective and everyone can attribute different meanings to it. Cohen is quoted as saying, “This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can… reconcile and embrace the whole mess, and that’s what I mean by ‘Hallelujah’. The song explains that many kinds of hallelujahs do exist, and all the perfect and broken hallelujahs have equal value. It’s a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.”
I have so much to be thankful for, that I don't know where to start, but maybe I should start with the 5th Commandment, in Exodus 20. "Honor your father and your mother." I'm so grateful that both my parents and grandparents were Christians. In fact, one of my great-grandfathers was miraculously healed of cancer through the prayer of a pastor in Zion, IL. That's why we lived near there.
One day, while playing the piano at Mayo Hospital, a man came up when I finished and thanked me. He also told me that he had gone to Bible school with Dino Kartsonakis, and helped Dino with some of his piano arrangements. Later I learned that the workers at Ravenscroft Pianos, nearby, are building a special piano for Dino. You can hear one of their pianos if you go to my website and click on "Music". I was able to play one for a previous concert I did. They're wonderful pianos! I like this arrangement because it starts with a serious, sad classic and then jumps to a spiritual. The lyrics are so good! How can I not be thankful?
Kurt Kaiser, from Chicago, IL, wrote this piece in about 10 to 15 minutes. It is one that is requested a lot. Kurt is a great musician who would listen to phrases that people said and write them down. Every now and then he would revisit his collection of phrases and came across "Oh how he loves you and me". This triggered the idea of this piece and it all came rushing to him. He originally only wrote one verse, and when he sent it to the Copyright Office in Washington, they said that there was not enough original lyric to warrant the granting of a copyright. Therefore, he wrote a second companion verse and finally it was approved.
I'm dedicating this piece to a couple who live near me. They are going through some tough times as the husband's dad just went on hospice while he is transitioning to a new job and struggling to make ends meet. The wife reached out to me and asked me to pray, as her husband also got news that he needs to have heart surgery because of an enlarged valve. I'm praying for you, Stesha, and hope that your family pulls through all of this. Much love.
This hymn is often called the "National Anthem of Christendom." The lyrics were written by Edward Perronet in 1779 and are based on Philippians 2:11. The song has been set to several tunes. The most popular tune used is "Coronation" (Oliver Holden, 1793). However, it has also been set to "Miles Lane" (William Shrubsole, 1779) and "Diadem" (James Ellor, 1838). This version contains excerpts from the "Hallelujah Chorus" (Handel). A number of modifications have been made from the original text. The original hymn text dates from 1779 and 1780, and was first printed in November 1779 in the Gospel Magazine, a publication by “Rock of Ages” composer Augustus M. Toplady. An eight-stanza version appeared just a year later in the same magazine titled, “On the Resurrection. The Lord is King.” Perronet (1726-1792) was born in Sundridge, England, and died in Canterbury. His family came from the Huguenots of Switzerland, and according to The UM Hymnal editor Carlton Young, “was closely associated with and esteemed by the Wesleys.” Against the desires of John Wesley, Perronet promoted the idea that Methodist preachers should be able to administer the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. In another controversial act, Perronet published a satire on the Church of England, The Mitre, angering the Countess of Huntingdon in whose chapel he served. As a result, he left to become a minister in the independent chapel in Canterbury.
There is history with this hymn that is covered in a magazine called The Church Pianist, "The Pianist's Companion for the Church Year - Larry F. Pugh, Editor", dated July/August 2012. Concerning "Fantasia on Come, Thou Fount" Larry wrote.
With his father dead and his mother unable to discipline him, Robert Robinson's mother sent him to London to learn barbering, where he also learned "the ways of the world." One night, following a disturbing incident with a fortuneteller, Robert went to hear evangelist, George Whitefield, an experience that changed the direction of his life. The transformation took a while, but by the time he was 20 years old he was on his way to becoming a minister. On Pentecost Sunday three years later, the now Rev. Robinson wrote this hymn to go with that day's sermon. The composer of the Nettleton tune is not known, but we do know it was named for another well-known evangelist at the time, Ahasel Nettleton. John Purifoy enhances his stirring arrangement with a succession of fanfares and, as he instructs the pianist, "with great energy."
I previously recorded a Dino Kartsonakis arrangement of this hymn, for Easter. Now I decided to play this Mark Hayes version, because it is enjoyed by many at Mayo Clinic. Some have even stopped what they're doing to clap. One gentleman went so far as to find me on the internet and send me this message...
"I happened to be at Mayo Clinic today because my wife was having an MRI to followup on spine surgery she had there 2 yrs ago. In the past, I waited for her just outside the imaging area but with the pandemic, I had to wait in the lobby. I thoroughly enjoyed your arrangements of music I hadn't heard for years. A lady behind me was humming along with many of the tunes, so maybe she didn't hear that I was humming with them, too. Suddenly you started to play an introduction to something I identified in 3 notes. I worked as a part-time volunteer announcer for Family Life Radio, KFLR, for 11 years and grew up in the Chicago area listening to Moody Radio so I've heard numerous renditions of "How Great Thou Art," but I've never heard it done with a greater sensitivity. You led us in worship and I'm writing to express my sincere thanks."
I am grateful for that. Much love.
This hymn, which had been produced in 1641 and modeled after a love song by Heinrich Albert that began, “Flora, meine Freunde, meiner Seelen Weide,” using the same structure, was first published with six stanzas in Cruger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica, fifth edition, of 1653. The tune comes from a traditional German melody and it was arranged in 1655 by Cruger's friend, Christoph Peter for his Andachts Zymbeln, and further arranged and harmonized in 1723 by Bach.
Dawn, the wife of my latest piano tuner, has told me how much she really enjoys our website, and she told me that her favorite piece is this hymn. I looked in my library and found it in 6 or 8 hymnals and they were all about the same. I didn't have a piano arrangement of it though, so I worked at making my own. I wasn't happy with the arrangement I had made, so I went online and bought this arrangement. It only has one verse, and it's an unusual arrangement, with interesting chord progressions. I hope you enjoy it and I'm thankful for Dawn's husband for helping me sound better when I play!
This hymn uses a sentimental popular song form with a verse/chorus pattern in 6,8 time. The excerpt from the composer says, "Although this hymn is a sentimental favorite of many, the subject of the cross is far from pleasant. As I read through this hymn text, I opted to set the first two verses in a minor key to underscore the agony of the cross. This arrangement starts in the style of the great romantics, like Rachmaninoff, and needs to be played with great passion as well as nuance throughout. I wrote in an orchestral fashion, using the full range of the piano. When the key center shifts to C major at measure 82, it comes as a welcome relief, partly because of the heaviness of the minor sound that precedes it." This hymn is one of the favorites of my friend, Wavalee. She and her husband helped found North Scottsdale United Methodist Church, where they have the great digital organ that my assistant, Duane, has worked many, many hours updating. I hope you enjoy it.
When I moved from the Chicago area to Scottsdale for the opening of the Nordstrom store here, I looked at houses near the store, and I found nothing that I liked, so one day the realtor brought me up farther north. When we got to the house that he wanted me to see, I fell in love with it! I was so happy! Not only did I like the house, but the neighbors next door were awesome! They did so many kind things for me. Every year, when it was time to trim the palm trees, they paid for mine too. Chuck enjoyed working with wood, so he fixed wooden things for Jimmy and me. His kindness was very much appreciated, and we have enjoyed many years as neighbors. Sadly Chuck just passed away, and they played music from my website for his memorial. Linda has a favorite piece that she asked me to play. It's "Fly" sung by Celine Dion. We are putting this out on the internet for you. Millions of blessings to each of you!
This song was requested from a family member who didn't want us to say who they were. The reunion for this tv show happened towards the end of last month. An interesting fact is that this song almost didn't make it as the theme song, and it was almost "Shiny Happy People". I hope all is well and that you enjoy this song.
This is another favorite that was requested from a valet person at Mayo Clinic. It's also a good accompaniment if you wish to practice singing it. Celine Dion originally didn't like this song, and the version used in the movie is a demo track that was done in one take, while Celine wasn't feeling well. The movie producer, James Cameron, also thought the song wasn't needed because he felt his movie was already good without needing a song to help. It all came together with fruition though, as the world embraced this song and the movie. I hope you enjoy this version.
I play the piano at Mayo Hospital every Tuesday morning, and sometimes the employees ask me if I could play their favorites. That's why I bought the sheet music for this song and started playing it. This is an ode to the power of positive thinking, faith and believing in your dream. It is from "The Greatest Showman" and is a way to let the employees know that I'm so grateful for them. A few weeks later another employee said, "Oh, I heard you play 'A Million Dreams' and that's my favorite." So I'm hoping that there are others who enjoy it too.
This comes from "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", an opera composed in 1899-1900. It's a popular piece that closes Act II, Tableau 1, where the magic Swan-Bird changes the prince into an insect so that he can fly away to visit his father. In the opera, the swan actually sings during the first part of the flight, but this is removed for most arrangements. I still enjoy playing this piece, but my fingers don't work like they used to in my youth. Hopefully you enjoy it.
This was Crosby's first hymn set to music by Lowry. A frequently told story about this hymn relates that it came to Fanny as a result of a prayer. Struggling financially, she desperately needed some money. As her usual custom, Fanny began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. I chose this song, not only because I love it and the lyrics, but also because years ago I was privileged to attend a big Billy Graham Crusade Service in Chicago and it was wonderful! Tedd Smith, who arranged this piece was a pianist for Billy Graham. A reminder of how good God has been to me!
People come to Mayo Clinic from around the world. One day a couple came up, and started recording a video of me playing. I asked where they were from and they said, "Ghana". It's amazing how far people travel to come to Mayo Clinic. Many of them from outside the country have been to New York, so I'm guessing that's why so many are happy when I play that song. This is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York (1977). The composers Kander and Ebb have stated that they attribute the song's success to actor Robert De Niro, who rejected their original theme for the film, because he thought it was "too weak". The song did not become a popular hit until it was picked up in concert by Frank Sinatra during his performances at Radio City Music Hall in October 1978. This is the accompaniment that I usually play, and if you wanted to sing along, the lyrics are below.
José Gomes de Abreu, better known as Zequinha de Abreu (September 19, 1880 – January 22, 1935) was a Brazilian musician and composer. Abreu was born in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro. The title refers to a bird that got into the cornmeal, but we can imagine the same kind of grousing over morning coffee at the office. It was composed in 1917 but Hollywood attention made it popular in 1937 and there are many American-style covers. In Brazilian music, "Tico-Tico" is actually a choro, which is basically a song that typically shrugs off misfortune with good humor, good tunes and fast tempos.
This piece, "Wave", is a favorite not just because it has Bossa Nova rhythm (every other measure is syncopated), but also because it's a reminder of the Bible verse in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them". It is also known as "Vou Te Contar" in Portuguese and was recorded as an instrumental in 1967. Jobim also wrote the lyrics himself.
On Tuesday, when I finished playing at Mayo, one of the employees told me that I don't have to play one of her weekly requests, but "How about a Beatles song?" So I'll play "Here Comes the Sun" for her. As winter turns to spring, this is a good piece that represents the current season change.
One time a guy came up to me while playing at Mayo Clinic, thanking me for my playing, and he said that he was one of Dino's assistant. He was from New York, and had come all the way to Arizona to go to Mayo Clinic. He told me that he went to college with Dino, but he didn't tell me his name. It was nice to meet someone who was so close to this arranger who I appreciate so much. I play a lot of his arrangments. This hymn is based on a Swedish traditional melody and a poem written by Carl Boberg in Mönsterås, Sweden, in 1885. It was translated into German and then into Russian. Then it was translated into English from the Russian by English missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own. It was popularised by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during the Billy Graham crusades. This is also something I wanted to play for the family of Jeffrey D'Aleo. He passed away at the age of 58, on February 4, 2021. His wife Michelle Turner is my cousin. Many thoughts and prayers to her and her family. As we come upon Easter, this piece is a good reminder that God not only sent Jesus here and let him be crucified on a cross, but then he raised Him from the dead!
Augie Otto was a very famous, important person in Sandwich, Illinois. He not only ran a large farm, but he spent years as a member of the school board, and he also built steam engines, that helped him on his farm, and he made a train for the Sandwich fair. He also loved music and had a pipe organ installed in his home. At a concert in his home he invited me to play the Maple Leaf Rag. It was written for piano by Scott Joplin. The dream of Scott Joplin was to carve out of sound a truly American and truly classic music, respectful of but not subservient to European music, a racially balanced music truthfully reporting American life, its tempo, and its temper. This arrangement says "Tempo di Marcia", which means to play it as if it were marching music. I've been playing it faster, trying to jazz it up, and just realized that it doesn't want me to do this. Hopefully you'll enjoy it.
There was a man who used to work at Mayo Clinic, I think he was there as an assistant in building three. He told me that this is his favorite song, and I still remember his excitement when I played it. It's a piece written by Felix Arndt, who is related to Napoleon III. Felix wanted to play something about the girl who he loved so much, his fiancee, later wife, and her name was Nola Locke. This was his engagement gift to her. The sheet music I have for this piece has a date written on it of 12-27-49 by my piano teacher. I was 11 when I started playing it. I'll put a copy of it on my blog, so you can see it. My teacher at that time was the grandmother of a friend, Karen, who is now here in Scottsdale, and she plays the violin.
This piece is special to me because it's a good reminder that everyone of us is valuable. The history is that this was a hymn written by Elizabeth Clephane, but she was unknown to anyone, and she sang it for kids to remember the story. The text of her poem appeared in the newspaper where Ira Sankey saw it and kept it in his pocket. During a meeting the next day, he heard the story of "The Good Shepherd", and asked if he could perform a final hymn at the end of the service. He composed the melody on the spot as he sung this poem. It is a story where a shepherd loses one sheep from his herd of 100, and goes out to find it. He has to leave the other 99 behind, and fight through many challenges to find the lost sheep, who eventually was sick, helpless and ready to die. When he finally finds it he rejoices, and there is a celebration when he gets back.
I volunteer to play at Mayo Clinic. When there, I'm playing in the area where patients may be waiting for the doctor to see them. Nowadays, they are only allowed one other person to be with them as a visitor, because of COVID. About a week ago, a distinguished man came up to the piano, and thanked me for my playing. I'm not sure if he was a patient or visitor, but he appeared to be of African American descent. He asked me if there is anything I know how to play, that he may know. Well I had been working on a medley to play for Black History Month, since it was February, and so I thought I should play something that I was practicing. Once I started playing, he immediately recognized the songs, and started singing along. It was a great moment that we got to share together.
A great friend, Judy, who helped babysit my first kid, has also requested that I play something special for this month, and she told me how many of the old spirituals played in those days were played with just the black keys on the piano, so I should use this scale as well. In music this creates a pentatonic scale. The black keys on a piano keyboard comprise a G-flat major (or equivalently, F-sharp major) comprised of five keys. It is our final recording for February on my podcast, and this is my tribute to the ASNLH. In 1976, fifty years after the first celebration, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), started in part by Carter G. Woodson, used its influence to institutionalize the study and celebration of black history. I hope you enjoy it.
The "Pachelbel Canon" is a piece, sometimes called Canon and Gigue in D or Canon in D, and in 1982, pianist George Winston included his "Variations on the Kanon by Johann Pachelbel" with his solo piano album in December. When I first started playing in Phoenix, the Assistant Pastor at the Historic First Presbyterian Church of Phoenix asked me to play for their wedding. This is a church that had a really big pipe organ. When I went there to practice, the pastor came down and said, "Well, do you want the organ job?". So I took the job and played there for some time. It's funny though because at that time, George Winston hadn't written the music to this piece yet, so I had to write it out by hand. I'm still using my version of it this day, and it isn't too different from what George Winston published, so I never got around to getting his official version. You can see it in the video and I'll post it on the blog page, in my website. Hopefully you enjoy it.
This is a song that my mother had taught me when I was a little girl, and I still sing it almost every night when I go to bed. Diane Bish, who arranged this as an organ solo, is a very famous organist in Florida. I think it's encouraging that she would take the time to arrange this piece. This song, from the children's fairy tale, conjures so many powerful emotions and nuances, and it talks about fourteen angels. The fourteen angels, as it turns out, are a group of collectively venerated saints in Roman Catholicism. Their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially against certain diseases. I hope you enjoy it.
There were a few pieces I was thinking of playing for this day, but I eventually decided to play "My Funny Valentine". "Come Into My Heart" is another good one, but I've already recorded it on this blog. You can watch the video on my website. It's a piece I've been playing since I was six years old. I hope you have a blessed day today.
Ron Turner died on February 1st, at the age of 66, from a heart attack. He was plagued with bad cholesterol, similar to his mother Naomi, and even though he was very fit for his age, this congenital issue took its toll. Ron ran the Turner Funeral Home in Somonauk, IL, and his mother was my aunt. She was always so awesome to me, and our families shared many pleasant moments. I'm playing this version of "It Is Well" for him. Many prayers to the family and may he rest in peace.
We all have our own storms in life to deal with. Around the world we see the effects of war, famine, and disease. There are many stories of storms and cataclysmic events from historical texts, and across all religions as well. This hymn reflects upon this rage and destruction, and it brings forth the burning question of how such rage and destruction can exist if there truly is a Master or God who cares about us. It also acknowledges the peace that follows the biblical storm, or the metaphorical storms in our lives. It presents the idea that some lessons can be very tough to learn, but may be necessary, and after getting through it all, a brighter light may shine upon you. Love and peace will endure.
Brenda is a member of our church who teaches at Paradise Valley Community College. She told me that her favorite hymn in our hymnal is "Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore", or "Tu Has Venido a la Orilla", and our hymnal has the lyrics in both Spanish and English. She also has a very favorite hymn that isn't in our hymnal. It's "We Have An Anchor", and I found that in my library at home. So I'm playing a couple versus of each for her, because she is much appreciated.
We are all praying for Rodolfo Tan Senior. He was hospitalized last week and is still trying to recover. Much love and positive energy to Rodolfo and the family. This is a favorite song of his, and it is a piece I played at my son's wedding, when our families united. I hope you enjoy it.
As the new year begins, this hymn can serve as a reminder that even through all the bad times, conflict, turmoil and suffering, we should take time to count our blessings. My kids have heard me play this many times when they were growing up, and they suggested I should play it again.
This is a popular Christmas song, addressing Mary, mother of Jesus. Mark Lowry inspired by some things his mother Bev told him, came up with the idea for this piece, put together some lyrics, and pitched it to Buddy Greene. Buddy came up with the tune that fit the lyrics perfectly, and this is how "Mary, Did you Know?" was born. Mark Lowry's mother brought up the point that if anyone knew Jesus was virgin born, it was Mary, and her silence at the cross is proof. It is a wonderful reminder of who Jesus is and the great responsibility that Mary had raising him. Playing it is a way that I hope others are reminded of how awesome that was. It is also a tribute to the responsibilities and importance of a mother. Much love and many prayers for all the mothers of the world.
This is a piece that my piano teacher gave me when I was 10 years old. He used to write the date at the top of the first page, and mine says 11-23-48. One of his granddaughters also lives here in Scottsdale. She plays the violin, and played with me in the last church that I was in.
The pieces include 3 Christmas carols, arranged by Dudley Ryder, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "Adeste Fideles" (O Come, All Ye Faithful), and "Christmas Tree". There's just one verse for each piece.
There's a long history to the hymn, "Joy to the World". It is based on Psalm 98, 96:11–12 and Genesis 3:17–18, and there are older versions created as early as 1832. This is an arrangement that I created quite some time ago. Typically I do not write my own arrangements, but the Director of Music at the First Evangelical Free Church in Moline, Illinois requested that I create a music arrangement. This was someone I taught how to sing as a child, so I couldn't say no. I'm happy to still be able to play it fairly well for you. It was never completely written out and I still haven't finalized the whole thing, but it's still a fun piece to play. Maybe one day I can have it officially released, so others may try to play it. I wish you all many blessings throughout the holiday season.
When I was in high school, my piano teacher had me learn Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu." It's a fun piece where the left hand plays triplets while the right hand plays sixteenth notes. It may be what enabled me to be the youngest student ever accepted into the Eastman School of Music. There's a recording of me playing this in the "music" section of my website. So it's been especially meaningful for me to play this arrangement of "Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus". The original song was written by Rowland H. Prichard. This arrangement was written by Carolyne M. Taylor "For a special friend, Violet Gail Tobey."
Andrae Crouch served for many years as the Senior Pastor at a church founded by his parents, the New Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ, located in San Fernando, California. He passed sadly in 2015 after having been hospitalized for a heart attack. God has been so good to me, that these lyrics fit me so well, and Dino is such a great arranger. How can this not be one of my very favorite pieces? Millions of blessings to you!
"Dizzy Fingers" by Zez Confrey was another favorite of some of Bub and His Boys' band. And it's super fun to play. My fingers keep doing different things! It's the holiday season so I hope you are all doing well and are having fun yourselves. Enjoy!!!!!!!
My podcast hadn't started until after one of our church choir tenors, Bill Gant, passed away. I was told that his favorite hymn was "It Is Well with My Soul."
I have a few arrangements of this in my library, but one is by Dino Kartsonakis that is arranged for piano and orchestra, and includes portions of Pachelbel's "Canon in D". The word "canon" was used for Biblical rules. Things like the Ten Commandments. Even though I don't have an orchestra to help me, I love this arrangement, because it's such a great reminder that if we're striving to follow the Bible, "It Is Well" will keep taking place in our lives forever and always, no matter what. I'm playing it while trying to combine the orchestral parts, as best I can.
Title: Here I am Lord
Composer: Dan Schutte
In September, when I called Dana, a choir alto, to wish her a Happy Birthday, I told her about this website and asked if she had a favorite that she would like me to play. She told me that "Here I Am, Lord" is her favorite hymn. It was written in 1981 by Dan Schutte. I don't have an arrangement of it so I am playing it in rounds, filling things in more each time. I really enjoy the lyrics to this hymn. Some people may know this hymn as "I, the Lord of sea and sky", from the first line. How grateful I am for this reminder of how much God loves us!
A quick search will show that there's an interesting back story about how Dan Schutte wrote this hymn. He sketched it out over the course of two days, after having the flu for three days, and was even making edits while walking to deliver it. He turned to the stories of prophets to come up with this one.
Title: O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
Lyrics: Washington Gladden
Music: H. Percy Smith
Arrangement: Michael Cox
This one is for our choir directory who has fought through covid. One day, while preparing organ hymn accompaniments that the Pastor had chosen for our Zoom services, Darin told me that "O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee" was his favorite hymn. I found this arrangement in my library. So this is for Darin, so proud and thankful for him.
Lyrics:
O Master, let me walk with Thee,
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.
-
Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way. -
Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee
In closer, dearer, company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong. -
In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future’s broadening way,
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.
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Many piano students have to play this piece at some time, and this is one that I made my kids play when I was teaching piano, so they say it's only fair that I play it. It was described by Mozart himself in his own thematic catalog as "for beginners". This piece made me look into the meaning of sonata versus cantata. In a way, this could be considered a cantata for the piano, but without the supporting instruments. I pray that this may help others who are learning this piece, to play better.
My daughter requested a piece that she remembers from childhood, that I would play on the organ. I decided to share that this week, for her. It has some fun lyrics. Maybe you remember some of these stories.
Lyrics:
David had his giants,
Old 'Zekiel had dem bones.
Daniel had the den of lines,
Stephen had his stones.
But to every one of us,
Whether great or small,
He gives the courage to be brave.
He watches over all.
David up and slew his giants,
'Zekiel's bones just walked away.
Lock jaw stopped those hungry lions,
Stephen's gonna wear a crown some day.
So, to every one of us,
Whether great or small,
He gives the courage to be brave.
He'll never let you fall.
He watches over all.
He will never let you fall.
In the bible, the stories of Abraham, Moses, and Joshua are examples of people who obeyed God and were striving to be the best they could be. In the case of Joshua, he walked with followers around the city of Jericho, shouting and playing trumpets. This piece is about that story, and the origin is unknown. I chose to copy the arrangement performed by Mahalia Jackson, and added transpositions. It is an encouraging piece for me, to strive hard to follow God.
Genesis Chapter 2 talks about God creating gardens, and in Isaiah 58:12, God says if we are generous and giving, he'll make us like a well watered garden.
I'm playing "In the Garden" arranged by Mark Hayes. It was requested by Sara, who is a lovely soprano from church. We've performed this together and she asked if I would play it.
Lyrics:
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
Going back to when I was a child, I started taking piano lessons from the Pastor's wife, and a couple years later, I started playing for the weekly Sunday School services. Looking back at this, I think it is the best gift that I've ever received. "Into my heart", by Harry Clark, is one of the songs I would play, as well as "Thank you Lord", by Seth Sykes. It's because if these two songs, I've always worked to follow Jesus the best I can. I'm still reading and studying my bible every morning, and following the Navigator System of reviewing the last twenty one verses I've memorized. I'll play "Thank you Lord". Thanks for listening.
This week I chose to play "The Entertainer", because it has been a favorite of many, while I played at Nordstrom. I am reminded of how great God is, from the highs, lows, and repeats in this piece. He has given us the gift of music, with all it's variety, and even when birds sing, we can be reminded of God's love. In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine. You are the branches". I hope this branch reaches out to you.
After accepting Jesus into my heart at the age of six, a favorite Bible verse of mine has always been John 3:16. Along with this John also wrote, "God is love", in a letter. I chose to play "Love Dream" by Franz Liszt, because it reminds me of this, and helps me strive to follow Jesus the best I possibly can. I hope this encourages you to do the same.
As the cooler weather of autumn approaches, we often are reminded of the loved ones that we have lost. Romans 8:28 talks about what happens to people when they are called according to God's purpose. It explains that everything will come together for good, for those who love him. I am thankful for the many wonderful people I have met in my life, and how wonderful it will be to see them all in Heaven. For this I will play, "Autumn Leaves".
There are people you may know who are kind and giving, and make sacrifices in order to help others. This is what Hebrews 13:16 is about. If you are interested in reading, and learning more about the bible, I like to use the Navigator Bible Memory system. I also like "The Message" translation of the bible, from Bible gateway. It helps me gain a clearer understanding of how to serve God. This verse reminds me of Doug and Susan, at our church, who are examples of people who provide acts of worship, in the form of kindness, giving and sacrifice. This song is for Doug. It is a favorite of his.
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This week I chose to share Proverbs 4:13 which talks about strength, encouragement, and talent, but I also think it is so great how along with all of this, God gives us taste buds. It allows us a sense of uniqueness and playfulness, but can make us seem very different. Just remember, God loves us each one of us very much. An example is the great composer Robert Schumann, who one day decided to just compose a simple 20 measure piece called "Happy Farmer". I chose to play that today. May the Lord bless you greatly in all your talents.
I've been playing the Moonlight Sonata since I was 12 or 13 years old, but not long ago I found lyrics that had later been written to that solo. The lyrics are based on Matthew Chapter 11, verses 28 to 30. This helps me pay much more attention to Beethoven's dynamics
When I was a pianist in the Oak Brook (Chicago) store, they chose me from all the Nordstrom pianists in the United States, to play at the new Scottsdale store, once it opened. During the first days of being at the Scottsdale store, I met a good man named James Hartley, who became my husband. This song, “Together again”, was his favorite. Psalm 149, verse 5, in The Message says, "Let true lovers break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting”. This one is for him.
I once lived in a small town, Sandwich, IL, and played with a country band called Bub and His Boys. A favorite song of Bub is “Last Date”. This is a slow, sad themed song, that is played using the “slip note” technique, which is a Nashville style. As a sad song, it reminds us that we all can have a bad day. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed”. If you are having a bad day, I pray that tomorrow will be brighter day for you.
This is for my friend, Maxine, who likes this hymn, "Great is thy faithfulness", and it relates to Psalm 119, Verse 90. This is a Dino Kartsonakis arrangement, which begins and ends with music from Liebestraum, Franz Liszt's "Dreams of Love".
Sharing John 3:16 and playing "I Think, When I Read That Sweet Story of Old", which is played with the left hand alone. I still have a hand written copy of this from 70 years ago. Similar to John 3:16, this piece is also about Jesus and his love. It's a favorite, and another recording of me playing this piece on a Ravenscroft, is in the "Music" section of my website.
There is a song we used to sing, and I would accompany, at church as a kid. It is called "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam". I thought I would share it this week, with a rendition I made up.
I went to the emergency room when I wasn’t feeling well, and a doctor there, Dr. Scott, suggested that I go through the Maze Procedure, since I had atrial fibrillation. This changed my life and I am truly grateful. I am playing this song in honor of Dr. Scott, who is from Brazil.
John 13:14 reveals how we are to love each other in the same way that Jesus loves us. “Fur Elise” is Beethoven’s gift, and expression of love, to his friend Elise. May we all continue to show God’s love in whatever ways we can.
John Newton wrote "Amazing Grace", and the piano arrangement of this, that I chose to play, is by Dino Kartsonakis. It's very meaningful to me. I read through the verses that I enjoy.
Jesus told us to pray “Thy will be done”, as we covered last week. He also says “Forgive us our sins, debts, trespasses, as we forgive those who sin against us”. For me that is super important, especially during these trying times. We all want our sins forgiven, but we really need to forgive everyone else. I chose to play “Jesus Loves Me” to play today, by Fred Bock. It includes parts of “Claire de Lune”.
In christian families we were told to honour our father and mother. We know what our parents did, but in “The Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus says “Thy will be done”, God’s will. I like to start every day by memorizing a Bible. I’m thankful for the people who encouraged me to do this, so I can better understand “God’s will”. There is a navigator system, from Dawson Trotman, that I follow, to memorize a new Bible verse every day, and reviewing 21 verses. It helps me focus on “Thy will be done”. “Soli Deo Gloria” were the words that Bach would write at the end of each one of his compositions. This means “Only to God be the Glory”. My favorite piece by Bach is “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. This is what I will play this week.
Focusing on, what to me is the most important verses in the Bible, “The Lord’s Prayer”. It’s in Matthew 6, and it’s where Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray. For me that means it a way for me to be praying still. It’s also the piece I will be playing, written to those lyrics.
Every week I want to talk about the Bible verses that I’m reading. Dr. Peterson has a translation of the Bible, that I like. It’s called “The Message”. I’m grateful that he’s made a translation that work for our time in our language. I know that translations may not be considered good if it isn’t worked on by a whole committee. You can go to Bible Gateway online and learn more about it. The man who reads it does a phenomenal job. I chose to play “Bumble Boogie”, because we were talking about creation last week, with “The Sound of Music”. I thought it was cute that someone put this piece together referencing bumble bees with a boogie, and it’s a favorite of many people.
The first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”, and I’m so grateful that music is a part of that creation. This is the message of movie “The Sound of Music”, and last summer when I accompanied our church choir to sing in Europe, in cathedrals, I even had the privilege of performing on the pipe organ where that wedding was filmed. God has been so good to me. Thanks to all for the wonderful blessing you have been to me.