This is #2 in a series of lead-up pieces to the Christmas in July Zoom, the fun Yuletide song, “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.” On July 24, Lakewood UCC will have a Zoom gathering with the theme: Christmas in July. This series of daily Advent and Christmas songs is from my collection of organ pieces, published by Concordia Press: “9 Seasonal Voluntaries. These recordings were all made at the Bayshore Baptist Church in Tampa, FL, back in 1993. Click on the following link to listen via free, no-download listening: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/02-god-rest-ye-merry-gentlemen.
Author: Hilton Kean Jones
Composer and performer, retired college music professor, lyricist.
Lead-up #1 to Christmas in July: Come, O Come, Emmanuel
On July 24, Lakewood UCC will have a Zoom gathering with the theme: Christmas in July. All this week, there will be a series of daily Advent and Christmas songs from my collection of organ pieces, published by Concordia Press: “9 Seasonal Voluntaries. This is #1 of these lead-up pieces to the Christmas in July Zoom, the magnificent Advent hymn, “Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” These recordings were all made at the Bayshore Baptist Church in Tampa, FL, back in 1993. Click on the following link to listen via free, no-download listening: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/06-o-come-o-come-emmanuel.
Filled with the Spirit’s Power
This is an absolutely gorgeous hymn. One of those things one wishes one could have written oneself. It’s beautiful. If you congregation doesn’t know it, badger your music director and pastor to program it. It deserves to become a classic. I’ve presented it here, exactly as written, with just the sounds of a string orchestra. It speaks for itself. It’s the third in a series of hymns presented as part of our Pentecost celebration.
The hymn tune name is SHELDONIAN, by Cyril V. Taylor, and the words and music are with Hope Publishing Company. It’s #266 in the New Century Hymnal. You can read about it at https://hymnary.org/text/filled_with_the_spirits_power_with_one.
QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
Online Devotionals: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon Texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
Posts containing music: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/music/
For all links, please note “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.
For a free streaming of just the music go to https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood
Come, O Spirit, with Your Sound
This is the second in a series of Pentecost hymn-tune posts. In the New Century Hymnal, it’s #265. The hymn tune is BOUNDLESS MERCY from the Union Harmony, 1837. The harmonization is by Hilton Rufty (1934), but the flute obbligato in the 2nd verse is mine. Copyright restrictions don’t permit a text to sing from, but if you have a NCH there’s a four-bar organ intro; then, start singing with the flute entrance. The author of the text is John A. Dalles.
You’re probably heard of the Southern Harmony, source of many famous hymns tunes such as Amazing Grace. The Union Harmony is equally interesting.
A reminder that all the music I’ve put together for Lakewood UCC since we began the covid-19 lockdown is available as a free streaming playlist at https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood.
Hail, O Festival Day
This coming Sunday is Pentecost, a major church feast day. In its honor, I’m going to post a couple hymns prior to Sunday and a couple the days after. The first is this one, Hail, O Festival Day. You are definitely welcome to sing along. The intro is organ only; start singing when the brass come in.
The respresentative text may be found at https://hymnary.org/text/lo_the_fair_beauty_of_earth_englishhymna (or in the New Century Hymnal #262). Notice that a couple of the verses are for Ascension, a couple for Easter, and the rest–the ones you should sing–for Pentecost.
The author is Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (https://hymnary.org/person/Fortunatus_VHC). I’ve always like my own name, all three of ’em, but Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus is definitely a name to envy!
So, here’s the first of some Pentecost hymns. You’ll be able to find it, and all the other music I’ve posted for Lakewood UCC since beginning the covid-19 lockdown at https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 