Hymns/Songs for 11th October 2020

[Rev Tony Newnham]

Hi

Here's this week's selection - 3 worship songs chosen by the visiting preacher, and a couple of bonus tracks.

First up is my opening voluntary from the service last week, recorded live (audio direct from the organ). It's rather shorter than I intended, and I don't try this sort of thing very often. It's an improvisation based on the old hymn "Safe in the arms of Jesus".



The opening songs is "Open our eyes, Lord" All 3 songs for the service this week are recorded on piano.



Next up is "Be Still for the Presence of the Lord"



The closing song is "Lord, I lift Your Name on high".



The bonus track comes from my archive, and is the Hallelujah Chorus played in a concert many years ago on a Debain Harmonium



Apologies for the tech/nical quality of the last track.

Every Blessing

Tony

[Carloss]

Reverend Tony, your live performance was really cool. The arpeggios show the total independence of your hands, as well as the consistency of the block chords in perfect harmony. Now, I had to research Debain Harmonium. Very, very cool.
Carloss

[Rev Tony Newnham]

Thanks Carloss

Debain were a French firm of instrument makers who invented (and patented) the Harmonium - a pressure operated reed organ with the specific disposition of 4 ranks of reeds each in treble & bass halves of the keyboard, and a split at f#-g above middle C. The term "Harmonium" was a registered trademark of Debain, but, like "Hoover" has become the generic term for the general type of instrument.

This one is an early example (around 1850 from memory), fully restored by Phil Fluke here in the UK, and it forms part of his collection. Before it closed, I used to play demonstration recitals at his Reed Organ Museum.

I could go on - the organ has no swell mechanism, dynamics coming from the player's manipulation of the blowing pedals with the reservoir cut out - not the easiest technique to master! Elsewhere on my You Tube channel are recordings of a Mustel Harmonium - the "Rolls Royce" of reed organs - again from the Fluke collection.

Every Blessing

Tony

[JohnT]

Hi Tony. A lovely selection for this Sunday. The only one I can recall is Be still. Nice playing of the piano. Liked the Hallelujah such a rousing piece. Keep the coming and above all keep safe. John

[Rev Tony Newnham]

Thanks John

Even though we're back at church (the improvisation was recorded there just over a week ago) it looks like recordings will continue for quite some time yet.

Every Blessing

Tony