I am delighted to finally have this music available on Amazon, iTunes, and other digital services (Spotify etc)
This music is dedicated to refugee families from all over the world, especially those fleeing the violence and the poverty of their nations of origin. Like Joseph, Mary, and Jesus who were refugees to Egypt over 2000 years ago, they seek to find a safe, secure, peaceful place in which to raise their families.
With the exception of Psalm Offering 8, “In the beginning was the Word”, much of this music was composed when I was the music/liturgy director of St Hubert Catholic Community in Chanhassen, Minnesota over 40 years ago. At that time, the majority of this music was composed for four-part choir. During the summer months, I would look over the readings for the upcoming season of Advent and Christmas and plan the music for my choirs and cantors to sing. I composed a number of Advent and Christmas hymns and motets, largely based on those liturgical readings of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Some of the hymns are based on psalms, some on the prophetic texts of Isaiah, and others based on the Gospels of Christmas.
In this Opus I have taken the choral arrangements of these Advent/Christmas Psalm settings and motets and reimagined them exclusively for piano. In the past, some of these choral motets and psalms were offered up as a prayer for specific people or peoples. As stated in the opening paragraph, I have chosen to rededicate these reimagined songs to all migrant families fleeing the poverty and dangers of their native countries.
While the prayer intent of these songs is somber and serious, the music of this opus reflects the wonder and the joy of the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas. The light of Christ pierced the darkness of Judea at the time of his birth. May Christ’s light pierce the darkness of our present age and lead us to the light and peace that His birth promised over 2000 years ago.
Here are 2 songs from the album.
