Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Music

Goldberg Variations

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It’s Bach around the clock at my house these days. God blessed us with the birth of our second child last weekend, and Gloria Grace is becoming well-acquainted with Bach’s masterful music, especially his “Goldberg Variations.”

Compare what I wrote in 2007:

Glenn Gould Plays Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”

Glenn Gould’s (Wikipedia) recordings of the Goldberg Variations by J. S. Bach are among my all-time favorites. Amazon has excerpts of both his 1955 and 1981 recordings.

My favorite is his 1981 recording, which I’ve probably listened to more than any other piece in my music collection (over 200 times according to iTunes, but that doesn’t count years of listening to it on cassette tape and then CD prior to importing it to iTunes).

You can also watch him play on Google video (though I admit that he is eccentric!).

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6984208089899995423#

Brilliant. Masterful. Edifying. And as Bach would say, Soli Deo gloria.

The Music of Dan Forrest

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Dan Forrest is a young award-winning pianist and composer of church and concert music, both choral and instrumental. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Kansas, and his music is fresh, contemplative, and edifying.

Check out his recordings:

1. Arise, Shine! The Choral Music of Dan Forrest (2009)

Arise_shine

You can sample excerpts from this CD on Dan’s site (on the right side of the screen). Cf. Scott Aniol’s review.

2. In Remembrance: Hymns for Communion (2009)

In_remembrance

Piano solos played and arranged by Dan Forrest [Read more…] about The Music of Dan Forrest

When you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God

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It’s the time of year that we play our Christmas playlists in iTunes, and I’ve been reminded several times how much I love listening to Kathleen Battle sing “Mary, Did You Know?” accompanied by my favorite guitarist, Christopher Parkening. You can download the track for just 99 cents.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new,
And the child that you delivered, will soon deliver you?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to the blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod,
And when you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy was heaven’s perfect Lamb,
And this sleeping child you’re holding is the great I AM?

Scenes from the Life of Christ

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I just enjoyed listening to “Scenes from the Life of Christ,” a creative, soothing, meditative CD composed and produced by Tom Howard and Ligonier Ministries.

Nine of the ten tracks begin with a Scripture reading from the ESV by a well-known Bible expositor and end with music reflecting the passage.

  1. The Annunciation | Scripture Reading by Alistair Begg (Luke 1:26–38)
  2. Feeding of the 5,000 | Scripture reading by D. A. Carson (John 6:1–15)
  3. Cleansing of the Temple | Scripture reading by John MacArthur (Mark 11:15–19)
  4. The Transfiguration | Scripture reading by Sinclair Ferguson (Luke 9:28–36)
  5. Temptation in the Wilderness | Scripture reading by R. C. Sproul (Matthew 4:1–11)
  6. Jesus, the Healer [no Scripture reading]
  7. The Raising of Lazarus | Scripture reading by John Piper (John 11:1–6, 17, 32–33, 38–44)
  8. Parable of the Shrewd Manager | Scripture reading by Albert Mohler (Luke 16:1–13)
  9. The Last Supper | Scripture reading by Ligon Duncan (Luke 22:14–23)
  10. Gethsemane | Scripture reading by Derek Thomas (Matthew 26:36–46)

You can listen to samples and view the CD-liner as a PDF. The inside part of the liner directly opposite the CD says this:

scenes

The Annunciation
Scripture Reading by Alistair Begg
Luke 1:26–38

T4G Live

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My soul has feasted on the Together for the Gospel Live CD many times in the last couple of months. It features the rich hymns that over 5,000 of us sang at T4G in April 2008.

This CD is on sale this month for only $6 with free shipping in the continental US. (Sovereign Grace Ministries is also selling other books and CDs at reduced prices this month.)

Related:

Church Works Media

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My friend Chris Anderson introduces a new website: Church Works Media (RSS feed). The site includes some contributions from Joe Tyrpak, a gifted, godly young pastor and one of my close friends (e.g., he’s one of my accountability parters).

Bob Kauflin testifies,

Even though I’m usually associated with a more contemporary style of music than what is found on this site, I deeply resonate with the values of ChurchWorksMedia.com. In my interactions with Chris Anderson over the years, his desire to faithfully communicate in song the truth and wonder of God’s Word has been unmistakable. I’m glad to see the hymns he and others have been writing gain a wider audience through this website.

“The Word Became Flesh” CD, Narrated by R. C. Sproul

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Jenni and I recently enjoyed listening several times to a new CD by Ligonier Ministries: “The Word Became Flesh,” created by Dan and Heidi Goeller and narrated by the familiar voice of pastor-theologian R. C. Sproul.

This new album is a musical interpretation and celebration of the incarnation of the Son of God. The biblical narrative from creation through the fall to redemption is retold as familiar hymns, Christmas carols, and new choral pieces are performed, resulting in an epic presentation of salvation that resonates in mind and heart.

Available November 28, 2008

The traditional music is beautiful, and Sproul’s Scripture readings seamlessly weave throughout the moving 46-minute story. (It’s available for pre-order now for $12.)