ALBUM:
Hymns and Songs of My Mother
- Vocal Version -

To order, click here to go to Hymns and Songs of My Mother at Store Access.

What Is This Recording?

This is an album of nostalgic, old, traditional congregational hymns and religious songs. It was professionally recorded in professional sound studios, by professional:

• Singers and musicians;
• Arranger;
• Audio engineers for tracking recording, mixing, and mastering; with
• Post production processings by TortoiseClimbing Audio™.

It is a hi-definition (audiophile) recording; next to maximum length (for a CD - 78 minutes) recording of 27 nostalgic, traditional hymns and songs. This recording provides a fabulous trip back to when these hymns and songs were popular, using different textures that form a gloriously listenable, intimate collage.

Digital version released 6-20-2024. CD released 9-20-2024.

It is available in several formats, including:

1. Audiophile high resolution digital files for download (FLAC & WAV), recorded at 24 bit/88.2 Mhz sampling rate;
2. Smaller file size, but lower quality audio (MP3 & AAC) files; and
3. CD.

Structure of Album

The album opens with a couple of robust, theologically oriented hymns about the birth and resurection of Christ, including both solo and harmony verses. Much of the rest of the album roughly alternates between bigger harmony numbers like the opening numbers, and quieter solo or duet numbers. The song "Be Thou with Them" has lyrics explicitly written for weddings, set to a tune of a contemporary of J.S.Bach. Later selections deal with needing to sustain faith. Selections late in the album represent leaving this life, the most explicit being "Abide with Me" and the Christiian Soft Adult Alternative folk style song "Welcome Home," written for the funeral of the author and composer's grandmother (my mother's sister), followed by two benedictions.

Playlist:

Playlists of the Hymns and Songs on this album are available as:

• Simple Playlist, gives only order, name and length of the hymns; whereas
• Annotated Playlist, also gives:
  • Names and roles of all artists included on each of the numbers;
  • Includes streaming of sample selections - (Note: All hymns and songs are available for limited number of streams via the audio online Marketplace, accessed via Store Access.)

Artist Cross-reference:

A detailed cross reference of artists and instruments is provided with links to the information page for every artist involved in creation of both the Hymns and Songs of My Mother recording and the History Through 27 Hymns and Songs eBook. This is provided to assist easily finding the webpage providing detailed information about any artist and their instrument(s),. See Artists' Cross-reference.

(Note. There remain 3 vocalists who participated in recording Hymns and Songs of My Mother who have not provided bio materials. Additionally, the draft bio for the trumpeter is drawn from materials found on the internet, but are not yet commented on by the artist.)

Hymns on Album:

There are 21 traditional hymns included from hymnals with publication copyright dates between 1934 and 1975. The hymnals were collected by my parents over their married lives. (For the list of hymns see either version of the Playlists.) The following 2 hymns are performed a cappella:

• Were You There; and
• Just A Closer Walk with Thee.

Except for lyrics to "Morning Has Broken," all these traditional hymns are now out of copyright (i.e., are public domain), and largely no longer sung in many church litergies, making this recording even more important if you want to hear quality performances of old favorites, like these.

The feeling of a Congregational hymn is preserved by singing them as published in the hymnals. However for listening pleasure, these congregational hymns and songs embrace a wide variety of artistic, creative vocal and instrumental arrangements.

Songs on Album:

There are 6 religious songs included -

• There are 2 service benediction songs performed a cappella, much as they might be performed by church choirs and soloists for the closing of a service:
  • "God Be with You Till We Meet Again";
  • "The Lord Bless You and Keep You."
• There are 2 religious songs often used for weddings, performed as solos:
  • "Be Thou with Them"
  • "Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring"
• The 5^th religious song, "God Is My Shepherd" from Dvorak's 10 Biblical Songs, is more of an art song; and
• The 6^th religious song, "Welcome Home," is an original Christiian Soft Adult Alternative folk style by Kathy Brigman Haupt. In keeping with her original version of this song being for solo voice accompanied by acoustic guitar, the arrangement created for this recording is also acoustic only, but includes additional instruments. Plus, it uses a mixture of solo, duet, and multipart harmony.

To order, go to Hymns and Songs of My Mother at Store Access.

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