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Here is another lyrical composition by the gifted musician, Ólafur Arnalds. The piece is entitled “Tomorrow’s Song,” from his 2011 release, “Living Room Songs.”  I have been exploring music for the classical guitar to use in liturgical settings and this piece fits quite well in that endeavor.  Thanks to Matthew Cochran for his excellent arrangement.

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“The starting point of contemporary Christian faith is an experienced liberation from hatred, greed and ignorance, brought about by a vision of transcendent goodness in and through the risen Christ. Such a liberating apprehension needs to be worked out tentatively yet creatively in relation to the modern scientific and historical worldview. That is the view of a long cosmic evolutionary process within which the divine life can be expressed and become the matrix of a transformation of the cosmos itself to participate in the life of the eternal God. That expression, that matrix, and that goal to which all creation strives, is Christ. To be a Christian is to place all your faith in that vision and that goal”.

Ward, Keith. Re-thinking Christianity (p. 180). Oneworld Publications. Kindle Edition.

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This past week, I worked on a beautiful composition by the gifted musician, Ólafur Arnalds. The piece is entitled “Saman,” from an Icelandic word meaning “together.” Ólafur is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. He incorporates strings and prepared piano with loops and natural field recordings to develop a singular sound that might, if you have to use labels, be described as ambient/atmospheric or simply, contemplative. He has composed original film scores for such TV series as “Broadchurch,” and for the Apple TV series “Defending Jacob.” To me, his music is expansive, soulful, and transcendent in nature. Great background for contemplative walks and silent prayer.

This song is part of his 2018 album: “re:member.” I have taken the basic piano arrangement and adapted it for the classical guitar. The guitar does not have a pedal mechanism as a piano to lengthen the time of sustained notes, so I chose fingerings that could best take advantage of fixed fingers and open strings. The original key is in C minor, but I think it works well in B minor with a capo on the second fret.

This video includes camera angles that show my home studio where I study, practice, and produce the performance videos I create for this web-site and YouTube channel. As an aging boomer, I am amazed by the advancement of pro-audio video and recording gear and how with a bit of determination and time, one can develop some very decent results.  Hope you enjoy it.

You can download my arrangement here.

 

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“Immature religion creates a high degree of cognitively rigid people or very hateful and attacking people—and often both. It is almost the public image of Christianity today, yet God’s goal is exactly the opposite.”

—Richard Rohr

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There are two things you have to look out for, two extremes:
On the one hand, an impractical realism,
and on the other hand, a sort of passive realism.
The impractical idealism is the kind that says, 
“I’ve worked it out beforehand, and that’s the way it’s got to be.”

Both these views are basically static.  They never get anywhere.
In between, there is a wholistic view, which is:

“In the reality which I have and am now, there is a possibility for 
growth which God has put there.  There’s a seed God has planted
there and is going to make grow, and what I have to provide is 
the love and assent that’s going to permit it to grow.”

On the other hand, the passive kind of realism says,
“Well, this is the way it is, what can I do?”
And just does nothing.

—Thomas Merton

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The origins of “Shenandoah,” perhaps one of America’s most recognizable folk tunes, are not easily determined. It is generally agreed that it was composed no later than the Civil War and become very popular both on land and sea.

There are a number of distinctive versions and texts that have incorporated this beautiful melody. Some believe that the song refers to the river of the same name. Others suggest that it is of African-American origin, for it tells the tale of Sally, the daughter of the Indian Chief Shenandoah, who is courted for seven years by a white Missouri river trader. No matter what text you prefer this song will remain an American classic.

The wonderful teacher/guitarist/arranger Gary Ryan who is on the academic staff of the Royal College of Music in London, has arranged a number of traditional folks songs for the classical guitar. I recently came across his arrangement of “Shenandoah” and decided to perform it for a recent workshop of the Classical Guitar Corner Academy

For those who like the technical stuff, here is the gear involved in making this video:

Cedar Double Top by Michael Thames (2022)
Augustine Imperial Red Strings
Recorded with 2 Line Audio CM4’s
Earthworks 1022 Preamp
Audient ID44
Audio edited in Reaper
Video and Audio edited in DaVinci Resolve
Filmed with Canon 90D with Sigma 18-35 Lens

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Here are four short pieces I recently performed for the “DC Corner” group of Classical Guitar players who gather monthly to play for each other and gain some performance experience.  The first piece is by Alexander Scriabin – Prelude, Op. 16, No. 4, in E flat minor (for piano). Scriabin went on to write a whole set of variations on this theme dedicated to Andrew Segovia in 1972.  Here I play just the theme arranged in A minor by guitarist Matt Palmer.

I follow the Prelude with three short pieces by Gulli Björnsson titled Landslög – (landscapes) from a set of 11 pieces for solo guitar drawing inspiration from Icelandic landscapes. These three pieces work well together and are atmospheric in style. Björnsson is a young musician/composer who often combines electric instruments and visuals in his performances. I have really enjoyed exploring his music.

I am using two new microphones in this recording – Line Audio CM4s. They are well balanced across all frequencies which is essential when trying capture such a sensitive and delicate instrument as the classical guitar.  Enjoy.

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Apart from being an appreciative student of the classical guitar, I am fortunate to serve part-time in a local Episcopal community of faith, St. Paul’s in Ivy, Virginia. This week, I was asked to offer a prelude for the virtual YouTube service on Sunday.

In this time of social distancing, my position has been somewhat “repurposed” as video editor for all of St. Paul’s online liturgies. This is an unedited performance of Prelude 3 by Heitor Villa Lobos. This video will open the liturgy of Morning Prayer on Sunday (Aug. 23). I put this video together in the spirit of “Visio Divina” – “sacred seeing,” an ancient form of mindfulness that encourages the heart and imagination to enter into image, music, and silence as a way of opening to the experience of beauty, to what seems transcendent in our current experience. This is a distinctively human capacity we all share.

I’m grateful to offer this extraordinary Prelude by Villa-Lobos in the context of a community gathered online for prayer. You just never know where the guitar might take you.