Music: Sun Nov 20

Solo piano music by American composers is highlighted at this year’s Thanksgiving Service. In addition, the general call to U.U. congregations to make reference to Native American people at these services is reflected in excerpts from Arthur Farwell’s Impressions of the Wa-Wan Ceremony of the Omahas and Harvey Worthington Loomis’s Lyrics of the Native American.

Edward MacDowell’s seasonal favorite A.D. 1620 and a nifty set of variations on Yankee Doodle round out the Prelude music. Two arrangements of popular songs by George Gershwin are included in the Offertory. The CUUC Choir is on hand with the Spiritual “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?” and John Rutter’s embodiment of thankfulness in “For the Beauty of the Earth”. Read on for programming details.

Prelude: Adam Kent, piano
A.D. MDCXX from Sea Pieces, Op. 55*

                                                Edward MacDowell

Song of Approach from Impressions of the Wa-Wan Ceremony of the Omahas, Op. 21

                                                Arthur Farwell

Around the Wigwam from Lyrics of the Native American, Book I

                                                Harvey Worthington Loomis

Variations on “Yankee Doodle”         

                                                Anonymous American Colonial

*Prefaced by the following text in the score:
The yellow setting sun

Melts the lazy sea to gold,

And gilds the swaying galleon

That towards a land of promise

Lunges hugely on.

Anthem: CUUC Choir directed by Lisa N. Meyer and accompanied by Georgianna Pappas

For the Beauty of the Earth

                                                John Rutter

Offertory:

Clap Yo’ Hands*

Who Cares?

                                                George Gershwin

*Ira Gershwin’s Lyrics:
Come on, you children, gather around.
Gather around, you children,
And we will lose that evil spirit
Called the Voodoo, Voodoo!

Nothing but trouble if he has found,
If he has found you, children!
But you can chase the hoodoo
With the dance that you do, you do.

Let me lead the way,
There's a new belief today,
But he'll never hound you;
Stamp on the ground, you children, come on!

Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Everybody come along and join the jubilee!

Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Don't you lose time! Don't you lose time!
Come along, it's "Shake your shoes" time
Now for you and me!

On the sands of time
You are only a pebble.
Remember, trouble must be treated
Just like a rebel;
Send him to the Devil!

Clap your hands! Slap your thigh!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Everybody come along and join the jubilee!

Anthem:
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?
                        American Spiritual arr. by Greg Gilpin