Our Lady of the stairwell

As we move towards Advent, we are always close to Our Lady, who joins us on the way to Bethlehem.  She has been the centre of many many great works - especially of art and music. This Advent I'll be trying to share some better and less well known of these.

Meanwhile, here is one of the best known and loved pieces dedicated to her, Schubert's "Ave Maria" sung unaccompanied, in their own arrangement and in their favourite stairwell, by the impresive King's Return, whose "Ubi Caritas" I posted a while ago.   Enjoy - and happy Advent!

 

Everything is possible

Time to stir after a rest from posting! This video is one I discovered recently of a performance of the Lord's Prayer in Swahili sung at the Llangollen Eisteddfod in 2018.  What is remarkable is that it is sung by the choir of famous Stellenbosch University in South Africa, formerly a centre of Afrikaans culture. A mixed choir singing in Swahili in South Africa!

We live in difficult times, COVID is still around, people are questioning COP Glasgow, and the grey days of November are with us. Perhaps we are feeling a bit down, that we're getting nowhere. This video reminds us that everything is possible if we apply ourselves.

This choir is very, very well practised and produce a beautiful sound, and full of life. Catch them also singing the worldwide dance hit "Jerusalem" and the South African national anthem.