Prayers from me

This is a request that I decided to record and post this week. Shortly before his death in 1980, Lennon commented that "Although the lyrics don't resolve into any sense, they're good lines. They certainly work ... but if you read the whole song, it doesn't say anything" and added the song was "beautiful – and I never wished I'd written it". Still it has remained the fourth most successful song of all time in terms of royalties paid. I hope you enjoy it.

Adelaide Addison Pollard was known as a remarkable, saintly woman but one who lived the life of a mystic. She was born on November 27, 1862, at Bloomfield, Iowa. She was named, Sarah, by her parents, but because of her later dislike for this name, she adopted the name, Adelaide. After an early training in elocution and physical culture, she moved to Chicago, Illinois, during the 1880's and taught in several girls' schools. During this time, she became rather well-known as an itinerant Bible teacher. Later, she became involved in the evangelistic ministry of Alexander Dowie, assisting him in his healing services. She, herself, claimed to have been healed of diabetes in this manner. Still later, she became involved in the ministry of another evangelist named Sanford, who was emphasizing the imminent return of Christ. Miss Pollard desired to travel and minister in Africa, but when these plans failed to materialize, she spent several years teaching at the Missionary Training School at Nyack-on-the-Hudson. She finally got to Africa for a short time, just prior to World War I and then spent most of the war years in Scotland. Following the war, she returned to America and continued to minister throughout New England, even though by now she was very frail and in poor health. Miss Pollard wrote a number of other hymn texts throughout her life, although no one knows exactly how many, since she never wanted any recognition for her accomplishments. Most of her writings were signed simply AAP. “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” is her only hymn still in use today.

This is a request that I get frequently. Irving Gordon was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family, and later lived on Coney Island. He was named Israel Goldener but later changed his name to Irving Gordon. As a child, he studied violin. This is his most famous song.

Frederick Atkinson (1841-1897) wrote the Victorian tune Morecambe, named after a town in England's Midland district. The composer's intent was to provide a musical setting for Henry Francis Lyte's famous hymn, “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide” (The UM Hymnal, No. 700). Indeed the rhythm is identical between Eventide, the tune associated with “Abide with me,” and Morecambe. Morecambe is well suited for “Spirit of God” as well. In the first stanza, a descending melody accompanies the words, “descend upon my heart.” Tedd Smith, who arranged this, was the pianist for Billy Graham for years and years. It's my favorite arrangement and I'm so grateful for him.

Every week our pastor has me play an introit on the organ or piano as part of the opening of the service. This week we have a former pastor preaching who now has an important position in the Methodist Church. And I know that our congregation is happy to see and hear her again. And I chose that introit as a reminder of our gratitude for her.And since I hadn't put that on the website, and I know that there are so many of us who are praying for others that we don't see very often. I do want others to know how grateful I am for so many, even though I don't have the opportunity to see them.

This is a piece that I've been playing for years, at Nordstrom and now at Mayo Hospital. It's a wonderful reminder that we have SO MUCH to be thankful for.

Many people have requested me to play this, and it's still in my book, so I play it as I go through the book alphabetically, both at Mayo Hospital and at church in Fellowship Hall. It's from the well known play, "Cats". When it comes to memories, they sure do seem to fade away as we get older. The reason that I chose it is because the meds that I had been taking for brain memory gave me stomach issues and haven't helped me a lot. Eventually I was told not to take some them, so I've stopped my former memory meds and am on a new one that really seems to be helping me. Solutions to this problem of fading memories are few and far in between, with very low chance of success, but maybe this song will help bring back some of those memories you may have of loved ones or a good experience you've had.

A woman came up to me last Tuesday and asked if I had any music from Phantom of the Opera, so I turned to this under the letter "P", where I keep things in my music book alphabetically. I was really glad to find it for her, and she was happy about it. I hope you enjoy it as well.

This hymn is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. It is enjoyed by many, so I thought I'd share this arrangement.

The sheet music for this piece also says Extrait de "Suite Bergamasque", which means it is taken from a suite of pieces, this one being the third or slow piece. Debussy actually wrote three ‘Clair De Lunes'. The idea is from a poem by Paul Verlaine in his collection entitled Fêtes Galantes, themselves inspired by the paintings of Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). Debussy set six of these poems to music, including this one, first in 1882, then again in 1891. The piano piece dates originally from 1890 and was revised in 1905. Originally the piece had a completely different title, which was ‘Promenade Sentimentale', but eventually Debussy decided to switch to the more descriptive and precise ‘Clair De Lune'.

This is a request of a song that was initially written from the perspective of a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him". The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour", a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. It is a popular choice for couples as the song for the first dance at their wedding, and was a top of the charts song recorded by Elvis Presley. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a request that I am playing. Simon wrote it as "a little hymn." Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee thought it was more epic, and convinced him to write a third verse. His "little hymn" thus got a grand production, and after hearing it, he thought it was too long, too slow and too orchestral to be a hit single. However, Clive Davis at Columbia Records heard the commercial appeal of the song, and insisted they put a lot of marketing budget behind it use it as the album title. The song's title concept was inspired by Claude Jeter's line 'I'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in me', which Jeter sang with his group, the Swan Silvertones, in the 1958 song 'Mary Don't You Weep'. According to gospel historian Anthony Heilbut, Simon later acknowledged his debt to Jeter in person, and even handed Jeter a check. Simon also named Johann Sebastian Bach's 'O Sacred Head, Now Wounded' as a source of inspiration for certain parts of the melody. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a common request that I get at Mayo clinic and I would also get it at Nordstrom. It's a popular wedding song and many know it through Celine Dion. The emotions in this song are reflected by the singer, who thanks a loyal loved one for guiding, encouraging, and protecting her throughout her life, and making her who she is today.

This is a piece in a book titled "Dino Great Is The Lord Piano Solos", which consists of Dino Kartsonakis arrangements. Also listed under his hame are Nathan Di Gesare and Randy Wright. I think that they helped him. Recently Dino purchased a Ravenscroft piano here in Scottsdale. It looks beautiful. The lyrics for this piece are also nice. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a request of a visitor at Mayo Hospital. Many people still remember and enjoy the Beatles. This simple but stirring and gentle ballad showed for the first time the variance of what Lennon and McCartney could conjure up within the confines of this album called "Something New". They would be later known for their "highs and lows," "peaks and valleys" on their albums, such as the range of genres on the "White Album" (from "Helter Skelter" to "Blackbird" to "Honey Pie"). While the gentleness of "A Taste Of Honey" and "Till There Was You" from their first two albums were evidences of this, they resorted to cover songs to display the variance. With "And I Love Her" they display that they have this capability right in their own arsenal. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a very popular song from the "The Threepenny Opera", The Beggar's Opera by John Gay starting with its first production back in 1728. The Beggar's Opera is a comic ballad opera, an original concept when it came out, conjuring up the thoughts and ideas of the anti-hero, Robin Hood types, and quotes of the likes of Bob Dylan, such as "Steal a little and they throw you in jail: steal a lot and they make you a king". It was the first musical play produced in colonial New York. George Washington enjoyed it. The original lyrics went through some transformations for the European audience and were cleaned up a bit by Blitstein, which allowed it to gain much more fame. This song was request of one of the employees or volunteers at Mayo Hospital. I hope you enjoy it.

Since it is the 4th of July weekend I figured this would be a good song to play. Hugh S. Livingston, Jr. grew up in Tennessee and served in music ministries there as well as in Indiana, and Ohio, providing his talents as a choral director, pianist, organist, and trumpeter. He remained active as a church musician, and shared his musical gifts with hundreds of people in assisted living and nursing homes. Many of his unpublished manuscripts were discovered after his death in October 2014. I hope you enjoy this song of his.

This is a piece that was requested for me to play. It is a great arrangement by Dino Kartsonakis and I've enjoyed playing it for quite some time now. The words were arranged to a piece of music arranged by William Hays called "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane". This is a standard gospel song that has appeared in many protestant hymnals. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a piece requested not only by Nordstrom customers, but also people at Mayo Clinic.It's written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You and produced by Jack Daugherty.

It is still possible today, to walk the path where Jesus walked while he was carrying the cross. This is a hymn that can be correlated with that, but also symbolically in a way that one can try to be like him. I really like the lyrics, because it's great to keep being reminded of the way Jesus walked and struggled. I hope you enjoy it.

Since I became a pianist for a Nordstrom store in Chicago many years ago, I've been playing that song for many years. And now that I play every week at the Mayo Hospital here, there are many others here from Chicago. I am so thankful to be living where I am now, but also very, very thankful for the millions of blessings that I received growing up in the Chicago area. And there are many who visit the hospital who appreciate Chicago also.

This a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel that was written in 1945. I was 8 years old when this came out, and I started accompanying the high school choir with that piece in 1950, when I was 12, starting high school, because I had skipped 2 grades in grade school. I've always enjoyed the lyrics, reminding me that God is with me every minute of the day. And I'm so thankful for that!

A quote from Matheson about writing the lyrics for this hymn is, "My hymn was composed in the manse of Innellan on the evening of the 6th of June, 1882. Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression rather of having it dictated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high. I have never been able to gain once more the same fervor in verse." It's as if he were touched by an angel. Hopefully you enjoy this arrangement.

The lyrics for this hymn were written as a processional hymn for children walking from Horbury Bridge, where Baring-Gould was curate, to Horbury St Peter's Church near Wakefield, Yorkshire, at Whitsuntide in 1865. It was originally entitled, "Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners." According to the Centre for Church Music, Baring-Gould reportedly wrote "Onward, Christian Soldiers" in about 15 minutes, later apologising, "It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the lines are faulty." He later allowed hymn-book compilers to alter the lyrics. For example, The Fellowship Hymn Book, with his permission, changed the phrase "one in hope and doctrine" to "one in hope and purpose." For the 1909 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, he changed the fifth line of the same verse from "We are not divided" to "Though divisions harass." However, Baring-Gould's original words are used in most modern hymnals. I don't know the arranger of this piano version that I'm playing, but it is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it.

This is from The Paramount Pictures Production, "Breakfast at Tiffany's". It's a piece that a volunteer who saw me walking to the parking lot where I had parked to play at the Mayo Hospital said to me, "I never hear you play 'Moon River' anymore." He was right, it wasn't even in my book. So I decided that not only should it be in my Mayo book, I should play it so he could see it whenever he pleased.

I found this in one of my music books, that I used to play at Nordstrom, and decided to play it a Mayo Clinic. After playing it, some lady came up to me and said "I'm so thankful you played this because my father sang that when I was young, and that's what encouraged me to be a Christian". She was there to visit her father, so it was touching. This song is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole. The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest". It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition. There is a long list of versions and renditions of it. I hope you enjoy it.

This hymn was fully composed at a workshop at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Stassen is claimed to have come up with the tune while taking a shower, before taking the tune to the workshop. This hymn has been used as a protest song which was sung by many Christians and non-Christians during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. I was asked to play the new church piano for 10 minutes before the beginning of the Easter service, so I played the Hallelujah Chorus and then this piece. It's a good reminder that we need to keep thanking God for sending Jesus, letting him be hung on a cross, and then raising him from the dead. I hope you enjoy it.

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany in 1685. Handel's crowning achievement, Messiah, was not an immediate success. In 1741, Handel was heavily in debt following a string of musical failures. He had previously worked with Charles Jennens and wrote a string of operas that celebrated the lives of biblical characters using the King James translation of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. The Church was not receptive. Handel was preached against, the promotional posters were torn down, and they soon became bankrupt. Living alone he had a minor stroke and was dogged with depression. After this, there were two events that coincided and miraculously changed his life. First, he got a letter from Jennens who suggested they compose an oratorio about the Divinity of Christ. He sent Handel a compilation of Old and New Testament texts. Second, Handel received a letter from a musical admirer in Dublin who asked him to compose a work to raise money to free men out of Dublin's debtor's prison, and to support two hospitals. Handel accepted both challenges and set out to produce a musical work that could be performed to raise money for charities. He buried himself in the Scriptures, prayed and composed. The exercise would be a spiritual epiphany for him. One day a friend who brought him his meals walked in on Handel and found him physically and emotionally exhausted. He had just completed the “Hallelujah Chorus.” The teary composer told him he had had a vision: “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself!” Like the Psalmist, like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and St John, Handel had had a vision of the throne room of God! And so he drenched the Chorus with praise. This is the accompaniment that Handel wrote for that piece. I started playing it when I was very young, but even without the voices, it gives the message. Many blessings to you all on this special day.

This is a piece given to me by my high school piano teacher when I was 13 years old. For most of it the left hand has triplets while the right hand has sixteenth notes. It was a fun piece for me to play and may be the reason that I was chosen to be the accompanist for the Lake County Philharmonic when I was only 14 years old. However, the very best piano teacher I had, had been a Julliard piano professor but he got sick and was unable to play, so he transferred to DePauw University in Indiana. I was at Eastman School of Music then and a graduate of DePauw was getting her Master's degree at Eastman and told me about him. So I transferred there my junior year. He was super good! He made me count out loud when I played, and if I played louder than I counted he would yell at me - "Count louder! Count louder!" Consequently that loud counting enabled me to play much better. So not long ago I decided to go back to Fantaisie Impromptu and COUNT OUT LOUD. That really helped me play it even better than I had when I was young. So I've been playing it at Mayo and I played it on the new piano that we have at church and many people have appreciated it.The claims are that it was Artur Rubinstein himself who put Chopin's original on the map. Ernst Oster explained that the Fantaisie-Impromptu draws many of its harmonic and tonal elements from Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which is also in C♯ minor, and from the third movement in particular. He continues that The Fantaisie-Impromptu is perhaps the only instance where one genius discloses to us—if only by means of a composition of his own—what he actually hears in the work of another genius.

This hymn was originally titled “The name of Jesus” in its first printing. I was included in Sacred Poems and Prose (1861), by its author, Frederick Whitfield (1829-1904). The earliest evidence of the lyrics are claimed to be in Goodman's Village Hymn Book (1864). There are different tunes that became associated with these lyrics, Dwight Moody used a different tune in his Gospel Hymns (1896), so it is unclear when the lyrics and music for this hymn were originally combined. This arrangement by Fred Bock is very nice. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a really good arrangement of this hymn by Bob Walters. Thomas O. Chisholm wrote the lyrics of this hymn in 1923 about God's faithfulness over his lifetime. Chisholm sent the song to William Runyan in Kansas, who was affiliated with both the Moody Bible Institute and Hope Publishing Company. Runyan set the poem to music, and it was published that same year by Hope Publishing Company and became popular among church congregations. Chisholm's lyrics reference the Bible verses of Lamentations 3:22-23. The hymn gained a wide audience after becoming successful with Dr. William Henry Houghton of the Moody Bible Institute and Billy Graham, who used the song frequently on his international crusades. Since the mid-20th century, this song has been the university hymn of Cairn University which was previously Philadelphia Biblical University after being Philadelphia College of Bible, established in 1913. I enjoy it very much and hope you can enjoy it as well.

The origins of this folk hymn, appropriate for Holy Week, are shrouded in obscurity. It first appeared in U.S.A. hymnals during the second half of the twentieth century. Its frequency of inclusion increased by the end of the last century and continues into the current one. Although listed as an American folk hymn in most hymnals, it appears that its origins may be found in a conflation of the Appalachian folk song tradition and the African American spiritual. The song, known as part of a group under the theme of “journey songs,” appears in The Faith We Sing as one of many variants, much simplified and adapted both in text and melody. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a popular song first recorded by Kamahl in 1982 for a country and western album he was recording. It wasn't commercially released because it was felt he did not suit the country and western style. So eventually it was also recorded by others, including Roger Whittaker, Sheena Easton and Lee Greenwood. It is a popular request at Mayo Clinic. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a piece I used to sing a lot when I was young. The words are likely inspired by Psalm 45:8, in which Christ is pictured "coming out of the ivory palaces of heaven to redeem the world, clothed in garments that are perfumed with myrrh for beauty, with aloes for bitterness, and with cassia for healing, the fragrance of which remains to tell of His near presence". The arranger of this version is a bit of a mystery. It only shows his first name and there does not seem to be much out there on the internet. This is a great arrangement though. I hope you enjoy it.

The arranger of this hymn is known as Clara Harriett Fiske Jones Scott, born in Elk Grove, IL. She was the daughter of a farmer, and the family moved to Chicago in 1856. Clara was the first woman to publish a volume of anthems, ‘The Royal anthem book' in 1882. Horatio Palmer, a friend, helped her publish her songs. In 1897, she died in a horse-drawn buggy accident and her funeral was well-attended by music writers, teachers, professors, publishers, and friends. This hymn has a bit of a dancing theme that joins with the lyrics to help us, as we learn to see, hear and speak the truth from our hearts. I hope you enjoy it.

Alex North wrote the music for this song as a theme for a mostly unknown 1955 prison film called, Unchained. Eventually it became one of the most recorded songs, famously recorded by the Righteous Brothers in 1965. I am playing this, as it was a request from someone at Mayo Clinic. I hope you are all well and enjoy this recording.

The family of Joanne Estelle Carleton asked me to play it for her memorial service a few weeks ago. And I wanted to put it on the web site so that her family could hear it whenever they wanted. The song is performed by MercyMe and has become quite popular. Much love to the Carleton family. I hope you enjoy this piano version of it.

There was a wonderful couple that I would play this for at the Marquesa, every time they came in. Eventually the Marquesa lost their piano, but I still play this frequently at Mayo Clinic. Her husband passed away, but I'm still very thankful for them and how kind they were. This one is for them. It's my own arrangement. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a request from someone at Mayo Clinic. It's a song by the American rock band, the Eagles and was based on a song Henley originally wrote about a friend named Leo. The original began with "Leo, my God, why don't you come to your senses..." Eventually this song was written together with Henley inspired by Ray Charles, Stephen Foster and the Southern Gothic style. They just made it a bit more Western. This was the start of Frey and Henley's songwriting partnership. I hope you enjoy it.

This is a hymn, by Mabel Johnston Camp, that was written in the setting of Mendelssohn's song, Without Words, op.19, no.1. The lyrics have a bit of a story behind it because they were written by Jean Perry, who gave Mabel the poem, but Mabel did not like the poem, tore it up, and tossed it in the trash. Mabel's husband, Norman Camp, salvaged the poem and thought it was fitting, so he convinced Mabel to have it published.Lyrics:I know of a name,A beautiful name,That angels brought down to earth;They whispered it low,One night long ago,To a maiden of lowly birth.That beautiful Name,That beautiful Name,From sin has power to free us!That beautiful Name,That wonderful Name,That matchless Name is Jesus!I know of a Name,A beautiful Name,That unto a Babe was given;The stars glittered brightThroughout that glad night,And angels praised God in Heav'n.That beautiful Name,That beautiful Name,From sin has power to free us!That beautiful Name,That wonderful Name,That matchless Name is Jesus!The One of that Name,My Savior became,My Savior of Calvary.My sins nailed Him there;My burdens He bare.He suffered all this for me.That beautiful Name,That beautiful Name,From sin has power to free us!That beautiful Name,That wonderful Name,That matchless Name is Jesus!I love that blest Name,that wonderful Name,Made higher than all in Heav'n'Twas whispered, I know,In my heart long agoTo Jesus my life I've giv'n.That beautiful Name,That beautiful Name,From sin has power to free us!That beautiful Name,That wonderful Name,That matchless Name is Jesus!

First of all, I'm so thankful that God created music! Birds sing, the handbell choir gave me a beautiful poster that says, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." And every week when I start playing the piano at Mayo Hospital I begin with music from "Sound of Music" that includes pieces about all kinds of music and blessings that God has given us. Many scriptures have had music added to them - The Hallelujah Chorus and lots of others. And I really enjoy singing those Bible verses. But I looked and looked and didn't find any music for Proverbs 3:5 and 6. And those verses are very important to me -"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." And Pastor Leah Bergstrom, our assistant pastor, had given me a beautiful stone figure with a cross and the first verse of that as a gift when I had my pacemaker implant. So after looking for quite a while, I decided to compose for myself music to go with those verses.It's only eight measures long, and I transposed it so that you can sing it in a higher or lower key, but I sing it often, every day as a reminder that God will direct my paths - if I ask and allow Him. And His mind is so much greater than mine!One of the gentlemen from my church, David McBride, came to help me with recording these videos after my son moved to Germany. Sadly he has recently passed away, and I am sending many prayers out to him and his family for what a blessing he has been.

"Gesù Bambino" is Italian and it translates to baby Jesus. This is an Italian Christmas carol composed back in 1917. It shares a melody with an English Christmas carol "When Blossoms Flowered 'mid the Snows" and is similar to "O Come All Ye Faithful". Hopefully you are enjoying the holiday season.

It is now coming close to the end of the year. The Holidays are upon us, and many of us who celebrate Christmas are communing and gathering together as best we can, in worship. This is a hymn that speaks not only of the Lord's birth, but of the responsibility of telling others about the message we hold dear in our hearts of salvation that is free to all. It can be considered a wake up call and a reminder to stay focused on helping everyone towards salvation.

This is a popular Christmas song that was introduced in the 1944 musical "Meet Me in St. Louis", and also recorded by Frank Sinatra. I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and spending quality time with your loved ones.

The father-in-law of my son has recently passed away, and this song was requested, since it was the song I played at his wedding. This is to honor the father of the bride, Rodolfo. He captured the hearts of many with his charisma and playful heart. This song was a favorite of his. He will be missed. Many prayers and much love to all the family and friends.

This is part of the "Nutcracker Suite" that Tschaikowsky composed for Christmas. It is a ballet based on the German Christmas story by ETA Hoffmann The Nutcracker and The Mouse King. At the time he wrote this, Tchaikovsky was experiencing some emotional turmoil after the death of his sister. While at sea, Tchaikovsky penned much of the music for "The Nutcracker", and often struggled for inspiration. He used the love he had for his sister to create the iconic melodies from Waltz of the Flowers. This is the final dance of the ballet, where all the Sugar Plum Fairy's sweets celebrate Clara and the prince.

After playing Away in a Manger, and being reminded that Jesus didn't even have a roof over his head, I thought that Silent Night would be a good reminder of what Jesus and his family went through. The lyrics encourage that.

Many of us struggle with tough situations, but can you imagine having your baby lying in a manger? And that wasn't even in a barn! The stars were looking down on him. Some of our struggles are because we didn't follow Jesus, but Jesus is with us always, and he had many struggles, including this!Proverbs 3:5 and 6 are still two of my favorite verses - no matter what."Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Jesus struggled many times! But pleading with God to help us honor Him, the most we can, is so worth it!

This is a combination of the piece "Liebestraum" by Franz Liszt and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan, arranged by Dino Kartsonakis. It's a combination of a love dream from a Hungarian composer and a hymn based on the old testament that merges quite well. I'm actually playing this piece for our church offertory today. I hope you enjoy it.

This African American spiritual appears in various hymnals with slight melodic and rhythmic variations. I really enjoy the lyrics of this hymn. Some have pointed out that it is interesting how the enslaved people did not speak in this spiritual of the physical abuse that they faced in their bondage, but of a spiritual illness, the “sin-sick soul.” It might be they heard this alliterative phrase in some of the hymns being sung at that time. There are some parallels in this hymn between the enslaved Africans in North America and the exiled Jews from the book of Jeremiah, who were forced to live in a "far country". John Wesley elaborates on the text of this spiritual with this point, "This question, as here proposed by the Prophet, relates only to a particular people, - the children of Israel. But I would here consider it in a general sense, with relation to all mankind. I would seriously inquire, Why has Christianity done so little good in the world? Is it not the balm, the outward means, which the great Physician has given to men, to restore their spiritual health? Why then is it not restored? You say, Because of the deep and universal corruption of human nature". Perhaps this could be considered the cause for the inefficacy of Christianity. Perhaps through prayer comes the revival of the soul.

A friend from the church of my eldest son, saw the website and told him to ask me to play "God Only Knows." I don't think I've ever played this, but I found that I had a copy of the music. I thought I'd give it a try, so this is for him. This is a song from The Beach Boys, and the lyrics at the end go on and on - "God only knows what I'd be with-out you," again and again. I hope you enjoy it.