Sunday, June 29, 2008

The Farmer Hogget and Camille Saint-Saen

If I had words to make a day for you,
I'd sing you a morning golden & true
I would make this day last for all time
then fill the night deep with moonshine.

- The "Farmer Hogget" Song from the movie Babe (1995)
Sung to Saint-Saens'  Symphony No.3 in C Minor, Op. 78
(the Organ Symphony)

Saturday, June 28, 2008

O Day Full Of Grace

O day full of grace, which we behold,
To us from the sea ascending;
You over the earth your reign unfold,
Good cheer to all mortals lending,
That children of light in every clime
May prove that the night is ending!

How blest was that gracious midnight hour,
When Christ in the flesh was given;
Then flushed from the east the dawn with pow’r,

That spread o’er the darkened heaven;
Then rose o’er the world that sun divine
Which gloom from our hearts has driven.

Were all of the trees endowed with speech,
Were all of the leaflets singing,
They never with praise His worth could reach,
Though earth with their praise were ringing.
Who fully could praise the Light of Life,
Who light to our souls is bringing?

As birds in the morning sing God’s praise,
His fatherly love we cherish,
For giving to us this day of grace,
For life that shall never perish.
His Church He has kept these thousand years,
And hungering souls did nourish.

With joy we approach our Father’s land,
Where day is forever dwelling,
Where ready for us His mansions stand,
Where heaven with praise is swelling;
And there we shall walk in endless light,
With blest ones His praise forth telling.

- N.F.S. Grundtvig, 1826

The Fiddler’s Bill

The Parable, Redacted A long time ago, a grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing. A wretched thing, laboring away in the heat, a...