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O Clap Your Hands: A Musical Tour of Sacred Choral Works
Gordon Giles
#UD3212
Paperback with CD, 150 pages; 2010 (2008)
$14.99
In his reflection upon composer Nikolai Kedrov's gorgeous musical arrangement of the Lord's Prayer, Gordon Giles-- trained musician and vicar of Saint Mary Magdalene in London--proposes that "Heaven is not a distant or imaginary place, but as real as salvation and divinity itself. In the Lord's Prayer, we bring a little heaven upon ourselves as we implore God to rule earth as heaven." I cannot think of a better description of the divine musical experience offered by O Clap Your Hands than "bringing a little heaven upon ourselves." Giles guides the reader through thirty sacred musical pieces-- deftly exploring the historical context and spiritual meaning of works ranging from a Gregorian chant of Psalm 150, to Tchaikovsky's Angel vopiyáshe, to Aaron Copland's "Simple Gifts." The accompanying CD allows you to contemplate and rejoice in all of the featured music, through deeply moving performances by the internationally renowned Gloriae Dei Cantores choir. Enjoy this "musical tour of sacred choral works" as an aid in personal devotion or as a focus in prayer groups--either way, it's a heavenly journey!
(CH)
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