A wedding song for soprano voice with piano accompaniment. The text is a poetical paraphrase of portions of St. Paul's letter to the Philippians.

Words and music by Byron G. Curtis, January 1, 2022. 
voice and piano: Yvonne Sterrett Martinez
copyright 2021 @ Byron G. Curtis

Whatsoever Things Are True: Philippians Meditation

Psalmodic anthem for four-part women's chorus. Recorded at a rehearsal of "The Genevans," Geneva College's concert choir, March 2014.

Psalm 131
translated for choral anthem by Dr. Byron G. Curtis

O LORD, my heart is not proud;
     Nor lofty is my eye.
I busy not myself with great things,
     nor with things too sublime for me.
Nay, rather, I am stilled and quieted.
My soul is like a weaned child—
     stilled and quieted, 
     like a weaned child 
     on its mother’s lap. 
     So is my soul within me. 
O Israel, trust in the LORD
     both now and forevermore. 


"O Lord, My Heart," Psalm 131, by Byron G. Curtis

These are three choral psalm-anthems by Dr. Byron G. Curtis, sung by the Genevans, the concert choir of Geneva College, in its Spring 2014 program, and in its May 2014 international tour to the Philippines and Malaysia. 

1) "Out of the Depths," Psalm 130 
2) "O Lord, My Heart," Psalm 131
3) "Choral Fanfare on Psalm 24"

These three psalm-anthems are tracks 16, 17, and 18 on the 2015 album, "Psalms for the King," The Genevans, with Dr. David Kenneth Smith, Conductor. The recording was engineered by Ron Zorn. 

Dr. Byron G. Curtis is Professor of Biblical Studies, Geneva College, where he teaches Hebrew language, biblical studies, and Christian theology.

Geneva College, established in 1848, is a Christian university offering full programs in the liberal arts, the sciences, and professions, located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA.  

18 Track 18  Choral Fanfare On Psalm 24. Curtis

17 Track 17  O Lord, My Heart. Psalm 131. Curtis

16 Track 16  Out Of The Depths. Psalm 130. Curtis

Psalm 131 from the Spring 2014 Concert Program of the Genevans, the concert choir of Geneva College. By Dr. Byron G. Curtis


Photo: my granddaughter, Psyche Ariel, playing in Brady's Run, Beaver County, Fall, 2011. Photo by Sue Ann Curtis.

Track 20 from the album, "Psalms for the King," the Genevans' Spring 2014 concert repertoire. 

Lyrics:

Lift thine eyes, 
O lift thine eyes to the mountains, 
whence cometh help.
Thy help cometh from the Lord, 
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved. 
Thy Keeper will never slumber.

Photo credit: Sunset over the Jabbok River (Nahal Zarqa), Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, January 6, 2014, by Byron G. Curtis

"Lift Thine Eyes," Psalm 121, from Mendelssohn's "Elijah." Track 20

"A Star There Shines" is my 2015 choral version of my 2014 art song for high voice. The text is a sonnet written in January-February, 2014, which I soon dedicated to my friend, Dan Bender, who unexpectedly passed away at age 68 on February 14, 2014. 

The conductor is Dr. David K. Smith, Professor of Music at Geneva College. The choir is the Genevans, the concert choir of Geneva College. The pianist is Mr. Michael Kearney. Recorded December 5, 2015 at the Genevans' 78th annual Christmas Concert, at First Presbyterian Church, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.  

Many thanks to David K. Smith and to Michael Kearney for invaluable assistance with the composing process, and for convincing me to "try it as a choral work."  The anthem may be sung either for Christmas or Easter. 

A Star There Shines
A Sonnet in memory of Dan Bender (1945–2014),
College Hill Pharmacist
February 15, 2014

A star there shines upon the far horizon.
To west it sets, though eastward it arises;
and setting, it begets the mournful night
which languishes so long till morning light.
We dread this dearth of light, these deathly hours,
and fear to face this earth’s unearthly powers;
and so from birth we’re taught, “Memento mori,”*
to bid farewell to fading, fading glory. 
A brighter sun there shines which well illumes
both lunar night and blight of darkest doom.
That sun, once set, shall never set again—
through death and hell, arising yet again.
When Night and Noon go sadly wrapped in mourning,
by brightest Sun we’re gladly rapt in morning. 

*"Memento mori," an old Roman motto, 
means “Remember that you will die.”


A Star There Shines. Choral Version. by Byron G. Curtis, 2015. Genevans Choir

My 2015 anthem, "The Rebel Guest," takes the unusual form of a parable in ballad form. A would-be assassin finds himself crowned king, and by the very king he had sought to kill. At what cost this crown?  

Choir: The Genevans, directed by Dr. David K. Smith. Piano: Michael Kearney. Flutes: Alyssa Stevens and Mikaela Stevens. Recorded at First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 2, 2016

Commissioned by Jim and Doris Miller for The Genevans. 

THE REBEL GUEST
to George Herbert, Poet of Redemptive Love (1593–1633)
by Byron G. Curtis, December 7, 2014

A LAVISH LORD once made request,
   inviting me as banquet guest.
   Yet I—a rebel—dared to guess
his revel masked some dire inquest.

In questioning his said desire,
   suspecting hate, I late inquired
   in secret whether some design—
some doom he plotted, unbenign.

Benighted, to that banquet, pressed,
   I came with covert weapons, dressed
   to kill this lavish king, and wrest   	
his kingdom to my crimson crest. 		

He bade me rest by his right hand,
   and there the lowly of the land
   were gathered to this banquet feast—
the withered, wounded, weakest, least.

Astonished, I beheld this king
   divest himself of gold, of rings,
   to lavish all upon these poor—
and on this guest he laid vast store.

Then last of all, his royal crown
   he cast on my disloyal brow,
   and bowing, he with tattered bag	
did leave his feast in beggared rags.

No raging kingdom I now ruled.
   None mourned my reign; my wrath had cooled.
   My long neglected land now thrived,
and all the realm rejoiced in life. 

Long years then passed; no news I heard
   of the slavish king, until this word:
   he’d labored hard, and then had died	
on some far hilltop, crucified. 

Comments on "The Rebel Guest"
Dr. Byron G. Curtis, February 15, 2016

"The Rebel Guest" grew out of reflection upon George Herbert's (1593–1633) collection of devotional poems called The Temple. I've read, recited, and reflected upon Herbert's poetry for four decades—ever since my sister sang Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Five Mystical Songs," masterful settings of poems by Herbert. My "Rebel Guest" responds to Herbert's sonnet, "Redemption." That poem relates how the narrator sought from his Lord a larger estate. He goes looking for his Lord in all the best places—in vain. The end crashes in with this shock: 

	At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth 
    	Of theeves and murderers :  there I him espied, 
    	Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, and died. 

"Your suit is granted, said, and died." That word, "died," riveted my attention. In Herbert's honor, could I devise a narrative poem with a similar shock? That thought appealed to me. Not least is this reason: in youth I sought to erase Christ and his Church from my life. One might say, "I tried to kill Christ." I was no Christian. But I had never paid much attention to the Bible, the basis of Christian teaching. Intellectual honesty meant I must reject Christianity from its very root. So—I read the New Testament. I read it so I could reject Christianity all the more thoroughly. Ten weeks of nightly reading. I was all of 15 years old. 

Within weeks of completing my reading, something astonishing happened. I discovered (gasp!) that I believed. Against all intent, I found myself to be a Christian. My effort to murder Christ in me turned, by a divinely delicious irony, into the occasion in which God killed the rebel in me. I was rebel no more. I was a welcomed guest—no, a son—an heir to the everlasting kingdom, and destined to wear the crown of life. Shocking. 

It's been forty-five years. The shock is still with me. So are traces of the Rebel. So, the theme of "The Rebel Guest" comes easily to me: I'm the Rebel. 

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
"When we were enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son." —Romans 5:8, 10





The Rebel Guest

Sermon on Daniel 4, preached by Dr. Byron G. Curtis, Professor of Biblical Studies (Geneva College), at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Sunday night, July 31, 2016. 
"The Most High rules over the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever he wishes."—Daniel 4

Sermon—"The Pride of Kings." Daniel 4

Scripture: Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 2
New Testament Lesson: Ephesians 1:15-23
Sermon title: “A Nation Under God?”
Focus of the sermon: Can Christians in the USA still be patriots?
—Yes, because the best patriots cultivate the most discerning appreciation and the best constructive criticism.

Byron Curtis Sermon (7/5/2015 2:03:46 PM)

A Nation Under God?—A Sermon on Ephesians 1:22

"Praise the Boy the Blessed Morn" is my 2016 arrangement of a 13th century Medieval carol: "Procedenti Puero—Eya! Novus Annus Est"
#9 in New Oxford Book of Carols, edited by Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parrott 
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), page 25.
 
My poetical version of the original Latin poem:

1. Praise the Boy this blessed morn—
Eya! Novus annus est—[Yea! the New Year comes]
Virgin-born as God had sworn—

REFRAIN
Gloria laudis! [= "Glory and praise!"]
God Incarnate, mortal born—
Et immortalis! [= "Yet is immortal!"]

2. Human father has not he—
Eya! . . .
Virgin Mother, graced is she—

3. In this vale of misery—
Eya! . . .
Mercy hails redemption free—

4. Christ the Lord for us is born—
Dawns the year with grace adorned—
Cross he bore and crown of thorn—
Praises eternal!
God in flesh and mortal form—
Yet is immortal!*

5. May his cross and crown of woe—
Eya!. . .
Our salvation now bestow—

6. Savior of the world we sing—
Eya! . . .
Come, ye people, praise your king—

*Stanza 4 translates all the Latin refrains.Original Latin Text
by Phillip the Chancellor? (d. 1236 AD)

Procedenti Puero—Eya!
1.  Procedenti puero—
Eya! Novus annus est—
Virginis ex utero—

REFRAIN:
Gloria laudis! 
Deus homo factus est—
Et immortalis!

2. Sine viri copia
Eya, nobis annus est! 
Natus est ex Maria Gloria... 

3. In valle miserie—
Eya! Novus annus est—
Venit nos redimere—

4.  Christus nobis natus est—
Eya! Novus annus est—
Crucifigi passus est—
Gloria laudis! 
Deus homo factus est—
Et immortalis!

5. Cuius crucifixio—
Eya! . . .
Nostra sit salvatio—

6. Redemptorem seculi—
Eya! . . .
Laudant omnes populi—

English Version 
Poeticized by Byron G. Curtis, 2016

Genevans Christmas Convert, Dec 3, 2016

Praise the Boy, this Blessed Morn

Sermon on Mark 1:14–28. the story of Jesus performing an exorcism in Capernaum.

College Hill Reformed Presb.

Christ and the Powers

Psalm 134, one of the briefest of all psalms, is an evening prayer of blessing. The blessing is two-fold: the psalm calls for us to bless the Lord, and for the Lord to bless us. Although the poet and date remain unknown, this blessing was originally sung at the ancient Israelite temple in Jerusalem. I've translated the psalm from its original Hebrew into English, and set the English text for solo voice. A second version is being prepared in 4-part harmony. 

The soundtrack posted here is from my computer version on "Finale." All electronic, alas. 
Posted August 13, 2018
____________________________________________
Come, bless the Lord, 
all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the House of the Lord.
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place,
and bless the Lord.
O may the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth.

Come, Bless The Lord. B - Flat Major Solo Voice, A Capella. & Text. Psalm 134 Aug 2018 - Tenor

This very simple setting of Psalm 19:14 is ideal for teaching part-singing to beginners. 
The text is taken from the last verse of Psalm 19, a lovely meditation upon God's revelation in creation (19:1–6) and upon God's revelation in Scripture (19:7-11). The psalm concludes with three petitions: 
—"Forgive my hidden faults" (vs 12).
—"Keep back your servant from presumptious sin" (vs 13).
—"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be       accepted in your sight" (vs 14).
The final words of the Psalm are omitted from this very simple rendering: "O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." 
When I teach this song-version to groups, I have everyone sing the melody until all are confident of it. Then I have everyone sing the tenor part, following my lead phrase by phrase. Then I join the two parts, with each person choosing what part they prefer, regardless of whether they might be tenors, altos, sopranos or basses. Then I teach the bass part, with all singing bass. When three parts all work well enough together, I teach the very simple alto line. The result is (usually) beautiful four-part singing—and done by people who never believed they could do it. The whole task takes about 30 minutes.

Byron G. Curtis

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