14 November 2008
A Change Is Gonna Come
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We look back at Remembrance Day with a hymn sung at services around the world and a favourite in Australia, 'O God, Our Help in Ages Past'. An Isaac Watts hymn with music by William Croft it was first published 300 years ago in 1708. We'll also take in the Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe's evocative orchestral piece 'Small Town' which features the Last Post threading through the work. And with a United States President-elect raised in the African-American church, we look ahead with songs of hope from that tradition including one from the preacher's son, Sam Cooke, 'A Change is Gonna Come'.
Remembrance is our major theme this week, but deliverance is also invoked. It's one of the many religious words used to describe the election of Barack Obama as Americans voted for change last week - a change I noticed couched in language straight out of the African-American church tradition. So this week we'll start with Sweet Honey in the Rock and the American gospel song 'Down by the Riverside', which over time has been retooled for peace and retitled 'Study War No More', and we'll finish with Mahalia Jackson's signature song, 'I Will Move On Up A Little Higher'.
Further Information
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (11 November) marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War (1914-18). Each year Australians observe one minute silence at 11 am on 11 November, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. Text taken from the Australian War Memorial website.
Music
CD title:
We All...Everyone of Us
Track title:
Study War No More
Artist: Sweet Honey in the Rock
Composer: trad
URL: http://www.sweethoney.com/
CD title:
Eternity - The Timeless Music of Australia's Composers
Track title:
Small Town
Artist: Guy Henderson, oboe/ Sydney Symphony Orchestra/ Stuart Challender
Composer: c
CD details: ABC Classics 476 160 7
URL: http://www.nla.gov.au/epubs/sculthorpe/
CD title:
Lead Kindly Light
Track title:
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Artist: Cantillation/ Paul Terracini
Composer: Croft/Watts
CD details: ABC Classics 476 159 9
CD title:
The Man and His Music
Track title:
A Change is Gonna Come
Artist: Sam Cooke
Composer: Cooke
CD details: Victor PCD17127
URL: http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/sam-cooke
CD title:
Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns - Disc One
Track title:
I Will Move On Up a Little Higher
Artist: Mahalia Jackson
Composer: Rev. W.H. Brewster/ arr. M. Jackson
CD details: Columbia C2K 47083
URL: http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/mahalia-jackson
Producer
Geoff Wood
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