Music

Behind the Music: Roots hold me close, wings set me free

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This morning Reverend Alex invited us to reflect on desire as a spiritual quality. How can we learn to recognize and trust the spiritual desires within ourselves? When we learn to notice how our spiritual longings take shape as well as to honor the spiritual desires of others, our lives and the lives of those around us will become richer with meaning and purpose.

Massenet’s famous Méditation from Thaïs has been played at weddings, funerals, and all manner of occasions that call for a moment of beauty, emotional depth, and reflection. The opera Thaïs is centered upon Thaïs, a hedonistic courtesan whose life is filled with shallow pleasures and transactional relationships. Thaïs is jaded and nihilistic, living for luxury and the moment, without any substantial meaning to her existance. The monk Athanaël – whose motives aren’t entirely altruistic – warns Thaïs that only focusing on the good life and other superficial indulgences is ultimately empty and destructive. Thaïs is resistant to Athanaël’s urging, but while the intention behind his words isn’t pure, his message forces her to take a look at herself and as the Méditation is performed, Thaïs comes to the realization that she wants something deeper and real. After this revelation, Thaïs abandons her old life and her soul feels fulfilled when she dies at the opera’s conclusion.

Carolyn McDade’s beloved UU hymn “Spirit of Life” carries an astonishing amount within its six brief lines and can be sung in connection with compassion, justice, community, freedom, nature, and the mystery of being. Today, it served as an expression of desire in the form of openness and receptivity, especially in light of Alex’s explanation that desire sometimes comes in a form that we don’t recognize. The original hymn is beautiful as written, but for this service I used slightly altered chords to evoke a stronger sense of yearning, along with an open-ended cadence that suggests hope and continuation rather than a neat and tidy conclusion.

Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is such a wonderful example of really good song-writing. The melody is lovely and actually goes somewhere (rather than a repetitive phrase that depends on the lyrics or artist’s voice to make it enjoyable), the text is honest and vulnerable, the beautiful harmonic progressions underline the meaning of the lyrics, and the stark transparency of the accompaniment lets the well-crafted melody, words, and harmonies shine, rather than gilding the lily. I can think of no song that better expresses desires that are wistful and deeply human with this level of emotion and simplicity.

Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” served as today’s postlude and while fast and fun, it still highlights a different facet of spiritual desire: a bright, declamatory longing for connection with something larger than ourselves. Greenbaum wrote this song after being inspired by a gospel music performance; he didn’t share the theology behind the music, but was profoundly moved by the joy and conviction he experienced. “Spirit in the Sky” captures a particular sort of desire so wonderfully – an energetic pull toward meaning, invigoration, and clarity – not to mention a wildly catchy guitar riff! May this postlude serve as a reminder to move toward hope, toward transformation, and toward whatever “sky” or horizon holds meaning for you.

Behind the Music: Solid stone is just sand and water, baby

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Dave Eckert from the Canoe Family Project and the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition shared his reflection, “Learning to be a Neighbor in the Land of the People of the River” for today’s sermon. Dave’s message invited us to contemplate how we acknowledge and respond to the history of land stolen from Indigenous peoples, and the music in today’s service is meant to mirror that same journey, moving through awareness, intention, action, and transformation.

The prelude drew from the UU hymnals, including “There’s a River Flowing” and “Shall We Gather at the River”, in keeping with the sermon’s river theme. After “Shall We Gather at the River” got us in the mood for some gospel music, our first song for gathering – “Hush, Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name” – followed, serving as an invitation, both into the sanctuary as we began our time together, and also an invitation to listen to the land, to the rivers, to history, and to voices that have too often been silenced. Our second song for gathering, “I’m On My Way”, got our energy flowing and helped transition from the idea of listening to getting started. What can we do? How can we deal our feelings about stolen land and the injustices of the past? What opportunities are available to help us learn and grow?

“We’ll Build a Land” became a call to action when paired with Dave’s sharing of the performances, activities, and opportunities available that have helped him learn, grow, celebrate cultural exchanges, and pay his respects as a way to acknowledge the wrongs that were committed and contribute to a more harmonious future. If we all look for ways to repair, make amends, and live and learn together peacefully, we can build a world that honors all people and the earth.

I played Beth Nielsen Chapman’s “Sand and Water” for today’s offertory, which in itself is a beautiful song, but also felt very appropriate for today’s message. Its poignant text (excerpts below) holds space for grief and change – both subjects that were prevalent in Dave’s remarks. The removal of Indigenous peoples was more than just the taking of land; it was the deliberate destruction of these tribes’ physical, spiritual, cultural, and ecological world, which has caused lasting damage and trauma for centuries. This history is tragic and shameful, but just like water can shape sand into stone, our actions today can make for a better history by carving paths for growth, respect, and deeper connection.

All alone, I didn’t like the feeling
All alone, I sat and cried
All alone, I had to find some meaning
In the center of the pain I felt inside.

All alone, I came into the world
All alone, I will someday die
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby
Sand and water, and a million years gone by.

Our final hymn was “Be Ours a Religion”, encouraging us to, in words heard often over the years at the Fellowship, “Let everything we do be done with love”. A religion that “goes everywhere” helps us become the kind of people who love freely, honor the land and its original people, build communities of respect, and move toward justice and healing.

The postlude “As I went Down to the River to Pray” is a tune I played somewhat recently, during the Gathering of the Waters. I normally try keep my musical rotation large and varied so there is a wide range of music for Sunday services, but the imagery of cleansing, community, renewal, and of course a river made this song feel like an apt ending for today’s service. Through these songs and messages, we’re invited into a living practice of neighborliness; one that listens deeply, springs to action, builds courageously, and returns again and again to gratitude and respect. Here in the land of the People of the River, may we keep learning how to be good neighbors to one another, and to this place we call home.

Behind the Music: To everything there is a season

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A heartfelt farewell took place today as the Fellowship gathered to say bid adieu to some of our beloved trees which have graced the grounds for generations. The three solo piano works played were selected for their messages of gratitude, closure, and acceptance.

Today’s prelude was Ombra Mai Fu, a well-loved classic from Handel’s opera Serse. Serse, the king of Persia, sings this aria at the opera’s beginning to express his thanks and admiration for a plane tree and the shade it provides. Our feelings for the UUFC trees are mirrored in this aria’s lyrics:

Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never disturb your dear peace,
nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.

Never was a shade
of any plant
dearer and more lovely,
or more sweet.

The anthem “Time to Say Goodbye” seemed appropriate for an offertory following the honoring of the trees. This powerful anthem, made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, encourages us to embrace life’s inevitable changes with courage and grace. With tomorrow’s cutting of the trees, this work is also a gentle reminder that while farewells can be bittersweet, they also pave the way for new beginnings.

As the service drew to a close, we adjourned to the timeless tune of “Turn, Turn, Turn” by The Byrds. This adaptation of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 beautifully illustrates life’s ever-changing rhythms, urging us to find peace and acceptance in the ebb and flow of existence. The song’s poetic verses remind us that there is “a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to gain, a time to lose.” We have celebrated and said goodbye to the trees…let us now celebrate the new birth of plants, flowers, and trees that will begin their time with us.

~ Lauren Servias

Behind the Music: Lovely sky and sea; well, it used to be.

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The earth has been a subject of inspiration for composers across the world for centuries; each of the musical compositions below were used for today’s service with this Sunday’s theme in mind: building relationships through care for our earth.

The choir’s first anthem, “Emerald Stream” (by Seth Houston) is a rollicking tune reminiscent of a sea shanty or drinking song, but while toe-tapping and moving to the beat, careful listeners will have caught the warning the song offers: 

So, now, my people beware,

You’re in charge of the seas and the earth and the air,

You’d better take extr-odinary care

Of the earth, our only home.

 “Earth Song”, the choir’s second anthem, originally started as an instrumental work, but Frank Ticheli stated “this music is just begging to be sung by a chorus”.  “Earth Song” beseeches the world for kindness and peace, while praising the healing power of music and song.

Sing, Be, Live, See…the scorched earth cries out in vain.

Today’s offertory “Look Around” hails from the 1991 musical The Will Rodgers Follies.  Alone, the music of “Look Around” is lovely and poignant, but only when the song lyrics are known is the sadness of this beautiful song understood.

Look around, the world’s a lovely place, lovely sky and sea; well, it used to be.

Look around, the world is shining bright, watch the green grass grow; well, that once was so.

Where’s the spring that loved the rain?

Where’s the grove down Lover’s Lane?

Look around, they vanish overnight

Where’s the lovely world we used to see.

And finally, Joni Mitchell’s beloved “Big Yellow Taxi” reminds us of the consequences of our actions on the environment and the need to take responsibility for protecting our planet.

Today’s service will hopefully inspire us to take action to care for our planet and build stronger relationships with each other and the earth. We can reflect on the importance of preserving our natural resources, taking responsibility for our actions, and fostering appreciation for the beauty and diversity of the world around us. By doing so, we can build a more just, sustainable, and compassionate world for all.

Music Update

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There has been a lot of music happening at the UUFC since the beginning of Covid. After almost two years of the choir being on hiatus due to the pandemic, we are so happy to have them back with us. Last spring they started meeting just to sing hymns, wearing masks and sitting far apart. It was a tough time, but they were so excited to be singing together. 

Last summer they made their first appearance after almost two years of not singing in services at all. They were small but mighty, and now they’re nearly as big as before, and are continuing to grow. We are so glad to have Stephen Evans-Renterria leading the choir. He has been doing an incredible job and brings a lot of enthusiasm to our services. If you are interested in singing in choir, talk to Steven about joining. He’ll be the one waving his arms in front of the choir when they sing. 

David Servias has stepped away from being the regular choir director to help in other areas like technology and the website, but is still overseeing our music program. You will see him at the piano with the band. That’s right, we have a band now! We tried putting together a band to lead hymns for the first time last Spring, and we had so much fun that we’ve been doing it ever since about once a month. Steve Strauss (guitar), George Beekman (percussion), and Gary Barnes (singer) have been part of this group since the beginning. Julie Harter (guitar) and Matt Matthews (guitarrón – ask him to show it to you!) joined us for the first time on Christmas Eve, and Priscilla Galasso sang with us for the first time in February. We only rehearse the morning of, so it’s very exciting and we have a great time. If you play guitar, bass, percussion, or sing, and you enjoy flying by the seat of your pants, talk to David. 

We did say goodbye to one of our members, Lynn Scott, who moved to Scotland this month. Lynn helped us through the pandemic when we were only doing outdoor services, with less than 30 people and she led the songs. We are so grateful for the music she brought to our services, and we wish her the best in her new adventures. 

We’ve had some great guest musicians since we’ve come back to in person services, including Johanna Beekman, Compass Rose, and Roy Zimmerman. But the most important part of our music program is all of you who come together on Sunday morning to join in the singing, clapping, and dancing. We are so excited to have everyone back together making music!