Music: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Posted by Joe Thorn - 26/11/08

I’ve been listening to the score of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - a movie I am more than curious about myself. The music is beautiful and haunting. You can listen to it in its entirety for free at the Warner Brothers site promoting the film for BAFTA consideration.

The two-disc soundtrack will officially release on December 16th, 2008.

Sojourn Music, Watts, and Advent

Posted by Joe Thorn - 25/10/08

The worship band from Sojourn Community Church lead us on day two of the Acts 29 Bootcamp and Lead for the City Conference. It was God and gospel centered worship - amazing stuff. They led us in singing a few of Isaac Watts lesser known material. I talked to a few people from Sojourn and apparently they are releasing two CDs featuring Watts’ stuff. If what I heard at the conference is any indication of what to expect - it will be stellar. One of the songs we sang was Watts treatment on Psalm 3.

My God, how many are my fears!
How fast my foes increase!
Conspiring my eternal death,
They break my present peace.

The lying tempter would persuade
There’s no relief in heaven;
And all my swelling sins appear
Too big to be forgiven.

But thou, my glory and my strength,
Shalt on the tempter tread,
Shalt silence all my threatening guilt,
And raise my drooping head.

[I cried, and from his holy hill
He bowed a listening ear;
I called my Father, and my God,
And he subdued my fear.

He shed soft slumbers on mine eyes,
In spite of all my foes;
I woke, and wondered at the grace
That guarded my repose.]

What though the hosts of death and hell
All armed against me stood,
Terrors no more shall shake my soul;
My refuge is my God.

Arise, O Lord, fulfil thy grace,
While I thy glory sing;
My God has broke the serpent’s teeth,
And death has lost his sting.

Salvation to the Lord belongs;
His arm alone can save:
Blessings attend thy people here,
And reach beyond the grave.

While we’re waiting for Sojourn Music to release their CD’s featuring Watts stuff, be sure to check out their fantastic Advent Songs.

All The Saints: RF Music

Posted by Joe Thorn - 16/07/08

We have three great worship leaders at Redeemer Fellowship. Recently Chris Walke (one of the three) has been digging up the less familiar hymns and sharing them with the church either for corporate singing, or as a meditative song to accompany the sermon. Below is a hymn he sang a few weeks ago during worship called For All The Saints. It was written in the 19th century by Ralph Vaughn Williams William How. The melody here is not the one most commonly used. Chris played acoustic and sang, and one of our musicians, Aaron, accompanied him on the electric guitar. Unfortunately, you can’t really hear Aaron’s subtle work. Anyway, give it a listen below. I love hymns, but had never heard this one.

For All The Saints

For all the saints who from their labours rest,
Who thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blessed
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou in the darkness drear their one true light:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win, with them, the victor’s crown of gold:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one within your great design.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph-song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

But lo there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array:
The King of Glory passes on his way:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Powered by WordPress with GimpStyle Theme design by Horacio Bella.
Entries and comments feeds. Valid XHTML and CSS.