Music
Hear what I’m up to.
“Sometimes a Light Surprises”
This arrangement for baritone voice sets William Cowper’s 1779 text “Sometimes a Light Surprises” with the traditional Irish tune SALLEY GARDENS.
Cowper was an Anglican hymnwriter who experienced pronounced mental illness that resulted in his institutionalization. Despite suspicions of his own eternal damnation, Cowper was a prolific writer who penned texts in support of the Abolition movement and originated the phrase “God moves in mysterious ways.”
Setting of HENDON
Most familiar to audiences as the tune of “Take My Life and Let It Be,” the lyrical and flowing qualities of HENDON make it a natural fit for a setting for piano. Audiences familiar with “Take My Life and Let It Be” might find themselves following along with its text. This piece is an appropriate choice for an offertory or prelude.
GENEVAN 47 for Four Hands
GENEVAN 47 is a centuries-old tune that remains relatively unfamiliar to congregations. Its lyrical melody is accompanied by bold, exciting rhythms that evoke images of dancing and merriment that capture the joy of Psalm 47: “Clap your hands, all you peoples, shout to God with loud songs of joy!”
Freebies
“Creation”
The Office of the Chapel at Princeton Seminary asked me to compose a short piece to capture elements of the first creation narrative found in Genesis 1. This is an improvisation on the narrative, a form that captures the creative, free-flowing, Spirit-inspired work of God.
The Office of the Chapel created this short video with the work. The Rev. Dr. Nancy Lammers Gross, Professor of Speech Communication in Ministry, provided narration for the video.