Sunday, May 29, 2016

Guano - Music Story

Greed brings out the worst in … (you think I’m going to say “people,” don’t you?)
Robin on fence
Robins!
Robins in nest
Especially the ones that raise their young under our neighbor’s eaves.
Serviceberry by deck
When the serviceberry tree by our deck is in bloom, the robins lay their eggs.
Robins in nest
The chicks are voracious eaters and soon fledge.
Robin food
Not long after they fledge our serviceberry tree is covered with bright red berries. And robin greed kicks in!

This sordid music story is a robin tale about greed. From the album “Paper Book Colors - Songs from Nature” this video is scrolling playback of the song.
Kathy


You can get print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML™) sheet music for Guano.
Guano













Guano
Click here for digital sheet music.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML™ files.)








Thursday, May 12, 2016

This Is Our Prayer - Music Story

While he was in prison the Apostle Paul wrote to his friends at Philippi. He was in chains simply because he was a Christian. Now his friends at Philippi were facing chains. Paul prayed for them, that their love would overflow more and more. That they would grow spiritually, discerning and doing what is right, leading blameless lives to the glory of God.

At the same time that our life group was studying this, our pastor was preaching a sermon series on the meme “coexist.”

According to coexist.org, “There is a crisis of understanding that tears at the social fabric of societies around the world. Globalization has outpaced our understanding of one another, creating divisions that plague communities with prejudice, hate and violence.”

I wonder. Does understanding each other break the cycle of prejudice, hate, and violence? Was it a “crisis of understanding” that put Paul in chains? Or was Paul in chains because his enemies wanted to suppress Christianity?

You could understand the people you live and work with and still hate them. But when you love with the love of Jesus, you are patient and kind, not arrogant or rude, not irritable or resentful, not selfish, not glad about injustice done to anyone. Paul prayed that his friends would love those who want to suppress Christianity, be irreproachable in their treatment of them, and continue to share Jesus.

Christians face persecution in over 60 countries in the world. It is a crisis of love that tears at the fabric of society! Our pastor said that because the love of Jesus can break the cycle of prejudice, hate, and violence, the world needs more of the Gospel, not less.

I want Paul’s prayer to be my prayer. So I put the first chapter of Philippians to song. From the album “Main Street – Songs for Today” this video is scrolling playback of the song.

Kathy

Print (PDF) and digital (MusicXML™) sheet music for This Is Our Prayer is available at the MusicStories shop on Etsy.com.
This Is Our Prayer
Click here for "This Is Our Prayer" at MusicStories.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Holy Is My King - Music Story

They said their vows and exchanged rings. My daughter was glowing. I had never seen her so happy. My son-in-law adored her, calling her his angel. He called himself a pagan.

He spent his formative years on a Native American reservation where his mother was a nurse. He grew up bare footed, with dirt floors, surrounded by poverty. But that didn’t matter because the community offered love and support. Everyone was his mother or father, sister or brother.

I had written a song for each person in my family. Now it was time to write a song for Joe. Could I write one that honored his childhood yet reflected a biblical worldview? Native Americans pass on their heritage through storytelling, singing, and dancing accompanied by drums. The drumbeat is powerful, full of emotion, and is described as haunting and beautiful. Joe’s song had to be based on Native American drum music.

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah had a powerful, emotional encounter with beauty that haunted him the rest of his life. He saw God. Then he saw himself as God saw him. That encounter changed his identity and his view of the world. I wrote this song for Joe hoping that one day he, too, would encounter the God of the Bible. The story line is Isaiah’s. The music is inspired by Native American drum music.

With a pentatonic melody for vibrato voice, the song has three pushes. The lead singer in the drum introduces each push. The rest of the drum, called the second, repeats the lead. All sing the chorus, or main theme of the song. The chorus is followed by three accented drum beats called honor beats and the chorus is repeated. At the end of the last chorus the final five beats are accented. You’ll need speakers with a subwoofer to feel the power of the drums. No subwoofer? Use earphones!

From the album “Main Street – Songs for Today” this video is scrolling playback of the song.

Kathy

You can get print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML™) sheet music for Holy Is my King.
Holy Is My King

Holy Is My King

(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML™ files.)