Of all Christmas carols, “O Holy Night” has one of the most fascinating stories. It is a rather unlikely carol in that the poem was written by an avowed atheist (albeit one well-versed in Christian theology) and the tune composed by a practicing Jew who did not observe Christmas. It was first sung by a Parisian opera singer, but soon… Read More »
Fuga 4 a 5 from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, Book I (WTC I) is not only an amazing piece of music, but also appears to be a powerful statement by Bach of his personal faith. Watch the video below to hear this fugue and see it unfold. One would not expect to find statements of faith… Read More »
The hymn “My Song is Love Unknown” features a text from the 1600s coupled with a melody composed in the early 1900s by the English composer and church musician John Ireland (1879-1962). This haunting and beautiful melody was apparently composed casually one day over lunch at the suggestion of fellow church musician and composer Geoffrey Shaw (1879-1943). The… Read More »