Soul Music

As we approach Thanksgiving, I continue to be amazed at how early we see signs of Christmas.  The Halloween jack-o-lanterns are like bright orange gifts under the artificial Christmas trees at Home Depot.  The broadcast Christmas music is right behind with multiple XM stations to choose from including Traditional, Holiday Pop and Christmas Soul.   

Music has always been a big part of my life.  I sang in the children’s choir at First Presbyterian Church in Columbus.  I participated in musical theater at the Springer Opera House, with my role as Winthrop in The Music Man being my largest role.  It was in that show that I was presented with a trumpet that we only pretended to play during performances.  That was enough for me to want to learn to play it “for real” in the sixth grade.  My wife and I were in  school band together, and I have always loved church music – from the traditional hymns to contemporary worship music. 

In trying to connect my soul to music, I couldn’t find a better way to do it than with Morten Lauridsen’s choral arrangement of O Magnum Mysterium performed by the Kings College Choir in the Cambridge Chapel.  The translated Latin is simple and perfect for the season approaching: 

O great mystery and wondrous sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in their Manger!

Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia! 

Please don’t be in a hurry.  Find a time when you can be still for six and a half minutes, then click here. 

For more about how the text and visual art inspired Lauridsen to arrange this composition, read more here.