Goodnight

by The Beatles

Since the NyQuil I just took is shipping me off to the poppy filled lair of Morpheus I figured I'd share this lullaby with you all. Nighty night.

Finlandia (aka Gweddi dros Gymru/Prayer for Wales)

performed by John Eifion and Côr Penyberth

music composed by Jean Sibelius

words by Lewis Valentine

This past Sunday I was supposed to be playing the hymn "Be Still my Soul" for my ward's (LDS church congregation) Relief Society meeting. Out of nowhere I got sick on Saturday (usually I see it coming because my brother has a knack for getting me sick) and the cough syrup my dad gave me Sunday morning made me way too groggy to go to church. I was totally bummed because I was looking forward to playing this beautiful hymn that uses the melody from "Finlandia" by Sibelius . Some time ago I decided to do a little digging around to find out more about the hymn's melody and that eventually led me to this Welsh masterpiece:

text from "Be Still my Soul":

1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

lyrics in Welsh for "Gweddi dros Gymru":

Dros Gymru'n gwlad, O Dad, dyrchafwn gri,

y winllan wen a roed i'n gofal ni;

d'amddiffyn cryf a'i cadwo'n ffyddlon byth,

a boed i'r gwir a'r glân gael ynddi nyth;

er mwyn dy Fab a'i prynodd iddo'i hun,

O crea hi yn Gymru ar dy lun.

O deued dydd pan fo awelon Duw

yn chwythu eto dros ein herwau gwyw,

a'r crindir cras dan ras cawodydd nef

yn erddi Crist, yn ffrwythlon iddo ef,

a'n heniaith fwyn â gorfoleddus hoen

yn seinio fry haeddiannau'r addfwyn Oen.

Jigs: Ard Baithen, The Mooncoin, The King of the Pipers

by Tommy Peoples

Not only do I think I'm Jewish I also think I'm Irish ;-) who knows maybe I am, my brother does have red hair after all (AND according to my g. grandmother there was an irishwoman in the family tree) ^_^ I usually use this music to practice on my bodhrán (irish drum).

Here I am practicing on my bodhrán (WARNING: lower the volume before playing this, the sound quality isn't too great)

Rondo Ukraine

by Trio Bravo

And here we have something more intense from the same group.

Darf ich bitten?

by Trio Bravo

This beautiful piece reminds me of when I used to play marimba, I wasn't anywhere near as good but I had fun ^_^ I love the piano in this piece!

back in my days as a percussionist (far right)

Blue Room

sung by Perry Como

This is another song I came across while watching one of my favorite TV shows (Mad Men!). Como's voice makes me melt and it's always a pleasure to watch the lovely Cyd Charisse dance!

They Took A Vote And Said No

by Sunset Rubdown

This song really makes me want to jump up and down and dance like a dork and for those of you who know me you know how rare it is for me to actually do that. FYI The guys in the video aren't the actual band.