Recordings
Mein gläubiges Herze
My heart ever faithful From J. S. Bach’s Cantata No. 68
My heart ever faithful, Sing praises, be joyful, Thy Jesus is near. Away with complaining, Faith ever maintaining, My Jesus is here!
This aria is the perfect choice to express the joyful celebration of a wedding ceremony! It expresses our wish for the bride and groom to be faithful and joyful before the Lord. When I sing this piece, I remember how Bach’s faith always maintained him through the many hardships of his life. He believed that we can achieve a state of Grace by trusting in God. Bach’s music assures us of God’s blessing! You will also recognize the other famous aria from this Cantata as Sheep May Safely Graze.
LAUDATE DOMINUM
Psalm 117, From Mozart's Solemn Vespers
O praise the LORD, all ye nations:
praise Him, all ye people.
For His merciful kindness is great toward us:
and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.
Praise ye the LORD.
This is my favorite setting of this psalm because it conveys such a feeling of exquisite holiness. There is no better prayer at the end of the day. It makes a wonderful choice for a wedding because of its simple beauty.
BE THOU MY VISION
This folk tune, with its Ancient Irish text, holds a special place in my heart. I have always enjoyed reading early Christian texts like Beowulf and The Dream of the Rood. The poets express their new faith through the lens of their old beliefs. I especially like this arrangement by Richard Walters because it is so fresh. Fortunately, Chris Hoffman is the very best collaborator, because the piano chord changes are so often not with the voice. My favorite parts are where the voice ends the text but the piano continues the phrase in lovely arpeggios. This language might be archaic, but the poet captured a heroic vision of Heaven, God the King, and our own hearts.
