music to celebrate easter
Yesterday was Good Friday, representing the sacrificial crucifixion of Jesus, who offered himself up as a way for humanity to absolve itself of its sins. It is the ultimate act of love and redemption, which the Lord gave to his people as a symbol of mercy and absolution for their sins. The resurrection of Christ occurred three days after his crucifixion. Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian calendar is a day of rest, reflection, joy and hope for a brighter future. The white lilies placed on my piano keyboard have both traditional and spiritual meaning; they symbolize purity, rebirth, hope and new beginnings and for this reason, are mentioned in the Bible many times
There is a plethora of music which we can enjoy during Easter weekend. Following is an abbreviated playlist:
BACH - St. John Passion: composed in 1724, this work sets to music the suffering and crucifixion of Christ. A Passion is a deeply personal art form where one can commemorate Jesus’ suffering and through music, find new purpose and meaning in life.
BACH - St. Matthew Passion: composed in 1727 and hailed as one of the greatest Passion stories in Western music history, it was not performed again until nearly one hundred years later,
HANDEL - The Hallelujah Chorus - Handel’s Messiah. Although a popular Christmas song today, the piece originally was composed in the mid-1700s and celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.
AMAZING GRACE - The lyrics to this paean were written in 1772 by John Newton and has since become ubiquitous at both secular and religious ceremonies. While delivering the eulogy to slain pastor Reverend Clement Pinckney by the white supremacist murderer in Charleston, South Carolina, President Barack Obama began to sing the beautiful hymn before he was joined by the entire congregation. The song symbolizes the need in all of us for God’s divine help and salvation.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD - The country star performed a powerful Easter Sunday concert on April 14, 2021, singing all thirteen songs from her recent album, “My Savior”.
I wish all of you and your families a blessed and joyous Easter.
