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Daily Archives: December 18, 2023

Christmas Music, Part 18: Harp Music for Christmas

Brian Stevenson, the esteemed Director of Handbell Ministries at Pender United Methodist Church, brings a touch of celestial harmony to the holiday season with his exquisite harp performances. Stevenson, renowned for his musical prowess, transforms the harp strings into a cascade of festive melodies, enchanting audiences with his renditions.

His repertoire for the season is a delightful blend of classic and contemporary, featuring the joyful peals of “Ding Dong Merrily On High,” the celestial echoes of “Angels We Have Heard On High,” and the heartwarming strains of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Each piece, under Stevenson’s skillful touch, becomes a vivid tapestry of sound, weaving the spirit of Christmas into every note.

The experience of listening to Stevenson play is akin to being enveloped in a serene, festive atmosphere, where each chord carries the essence of the season’s joy and peace. His performances are not just musical events; they are journeys through the heart of Christmas, leaving listeners mesmerized and uplifted.

Charles Wesley

18 Dec

Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, most widely known for writing more than 6,000 hymns. Wesley was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the son of Anglican cleric and poet Samuel Wesley and his wife Susanna.

In the course of his career, Charles Wesley published the words of over six thousand hymns, many of which are still popular. These include:

“Arise my soul arise”
“And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”
“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”

“Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies”
“Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown”
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”
“Depth of Mercy, Can it Be”
“Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee”
“Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise”
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
“Jesus, Lover of My Soul”

“Jesus, The Name High Over All”
“Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending”
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

“O for a Heart to Praise My God”
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”

“Rejoice, the Lord is King”
“Soldiers of Christ, Arise”
“Thou Hidden Source of Calm Repose”
“Ye Servants of God”

Some 150 of his hymns are in the Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms, including “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, and “The Church Hymn Book” (In New York and Chicago, US, 1872) where “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” is published. Many of his hymns are translated into other languages and form the foundation for Methodist hymnals, as well as the Swedish Metodist-Episkopal-Kyrkans Psalmbok printed in Stockholm in 1892.

Born: December 18, 1707, Epworth, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom

Died: March 29, 1788, London, United Kingdom