Lament and Light
by Robert Weston, arranged by Peter Richards

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord can be rejoicing with the bride and groom who are plighting their troth to one another, at the very same time as He suffers alongside those who are grieving the loss of the beloved partner. How is it that Heaven is able to delight in those who are coming to faith or entering its gates, even while another loved soul passes forever beyond the reach of Jesus saving grace? God is Spirit, infinitely pure and compassionate, and limited by none of those things that constrain us.

As we look around the world, we see many truly desperate situations. These may change over time, but the reality of a world in pain remains constant. We are sharing a precious offering in this edition that seeks to capture in music something of the grief of humanity whilst also drawing us into the light of God’s presence. 

The theme came to me when I was singing and praying in tongues for a friend, and it developed into a piece for clarinet, cello and piano. The second movement draws us into the light, with the cello introducing the haunting melody of a Swedish lovsång (hymn), a resonant and deep reassurance that the Lord not only hears our lament but takes it to heart.

As the clarinet takes up the melody, we find solace in knowing that all is seen and understood in Heaven. From that moment on we begin to hear something of Heaven’s song of sparkling light and love, as the ruach breath of life alights upon the people and the places for whom the Spirit has stirred our compassion.

It is so fitting that songs of both lament and praise should have their place in the way we express our faith and longings. True lament is about far more than just songs that express our griefs and sorrows: it is a core aspect of prayer, as we see so often in the Psalms. Lament allows us to cry out to the Lord with tremendous intensity, trusting Him to hear even our inarticulate longings, to care that we hurt and to send His light right into the midst of so much that has failed and broken. May this simple piece of music help you to give expression to the cries of your own heart.

I am enormously grateful to Peter Richards for greatly improving my original piano score, as well as playing and recording it. Huge thanks too, to Rebecca Whettam, and Mike and Natalie Halliday who overcame the challenges of lockdown by recording the clarinet and cello parts in their own homes. How wonderful that our God is never locked down!

Lament and Light

This is the first of a series of reflections and invitations from the Lord calling us to enter the Lord's rest inspired by the Hebrew word 'Nuach'.
As this opening piece draws to a conclusion, it leads in to Huw Humphries lovely song 'Father, lead us on into Your heart.'

Nuach - Father, lead us on into Your Rest

One of the pieces our school choir used to sing in various churches around Leicestershire was Vivaldi’s beautiful and hugely popular Gloria, (RV 589). It is an altogether glorious piece, and in this short extract, as Patricia Corry and Harmony Greenwood sing their praises to God, how can we not join them in spirit in praising our ever faithful God?

We praise You
We bless and thank You
We adore You
We glorify You

Laudamus Te

Baqash Part 2 - Seeking God in dry and arid times 

Much of this nine-minute segment revolves around a powerful image drawn from one of CS Lewis’ poems, and focuses on our need to keep seeking God through dry and arid times. The music begins, accordingly, on a sombre note in a piece that Corinne improvised for us back in 2011,  and which we called ‘Suffering Prophet’.
The music then moves into Jane Horsfall’s beautiful piece, By the waters of Babylon.

Baqash Part Two - Seeking God in dry and arid times

‘What are you doing Lord? A heart for Seeking God.’ 

Based loosely around the Hebrew word for seeking – baqash – the emphasis in this section is on how God uses low tides to further the work of His kingdom, in ourselves and in the world.

Baqash Part Three - ‘What are you doing Lord? A heart for Seeking God.’

Patricia Corry is the soloist in this rendering of Vivaldi's  beautiful Domine Deus from his Gloria . 

How relevant the words are for us to proclaim and to hold onto to these days:  'Lord God, the Almighty Father.'

Domine Deus

Religious life in England suffered great upheavals during the 17th century, during which many Puritans and Quakers were persecuted and banished. Amongst the many who were affected was Samuel Crossman who, uniquely, had been ministering to both an Anglican congregation in Sudbury and a Puritan one at the same time, until he, along with some 2,000 other Puritan-leaning ministers in the Church of England, was expelled by the draconian Act of Uniformity of 1662. 

Crossman wrote this moving hymn during this period of forced separation from the Church of England. It speaks of how Jesus, too, was excluded and chased away from living amongst His own people – permanently as the leaders hoped, but only temporarily as God intended - for nothing could prevent Him from living in the hearts of those who loved Him by the power of His Spirit.  

In this lovely new version that Carol has recorded for us, Carol Sampson is accompanied by Francis Cummings and Philippa Barton (violins), Corinne Frost (cello), Nicola Gerrard (flute), Mike Halliday (clarinet).

My Song is Love Unknown

O Sons and Daughters of the glorious King (O filii et filiae)
If you are not familiar with this exquisite Easter hymn, written according to an ancient Gregorian tradition, you will love getting to know it!

Many hymns were written in a ’macaronic’ style – that is that is, sung in two languages, Latin and English for example, but this version contains a compilation not in two different languages but rather a blend between the original words and fresh ones that I have added.

Many thanks to Anthony Thompson (trumpet), Peter Richards (organ) Francis Cummings and Shirley Richards (violins) Christiane Mueller (viola) and Corinne Frost (cello), who join Megan Topper, who sings it beautifully for us.

O Sons and Daughters (O filii et filiae)

A lament for those who turn their back on God

It is truly sad when those who have grown up knowing and seeking the Lord, turn their faces away from Him and vigorously pursue their own wisdom and ways. Joseph Stalin was one such, Karl Marx another. This is a prayer for those who are led astray by propaganda and fallacious beliefs. It is accompanied by two laments: A lament for Reepicheep by Celia Redgate, and Dolens, which grew out of my own heartache over global events.

Prayer for Ukraine - Part five - A lament for those who turn their back on God

A prayer concerning a spiritual imposition on the Russian soul

Our prayer begins with the Lord looking with pleasure upon the land of the steppes, and seeks the renewal of His purpose and calling for the region. It is set to two pieces by Mussorgsky: Une Larme (A Tear) and In the Village.

Prayer for Ukraine - Part four - A prayer concerning a spiritual imposition on the Russian soul

A prayer for the deliverance of Ukraine

There came a time when Jerusalem was under siege by Sennacherib. The king and the prophet ‘cried out to heaven in prayer’ and the Lord delivered them. (2 Chronicles 32) Our own cry for the deliverance of Ukraine is set to the intense and relentless music of Mussorgsky’s piano piece, The Oxcart.

Prayer for Ukraine - Part three - A prayer for the deliverance of Ukraine

The Lord upholds the righteous even in the face of wickedness: verses from Psalms 35 and 37

It is always good to declare Scripture, and perhaps especially so in times of crises. We have set these verses to the stately music of a sarabande by Handel, and they lead into the first of our prayers for Ukraine.

Prayer for Ukraine - Part two - The Lord upholds the righteous even in the face of wickedness.

Of the Father’s love begotten 

Scripture offers many examples of prayers of intercession in a time of national crisis. Yet they all manage to keep their primary emphasis on the Lord, even as those praying bring before Him the troubles they face. And so, as we lift the nation of Ukraine yet once more to the One who is King over all the nations, we begin with a wonderful translation of a Latin hymn celebrating the mystery of the incarnation, and the Father’s love for His Son.

It was penned in the late 4th century by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, a lawyer from the north of Spain, but it would be many centuries before it was translated into English. In our recording, we read the words over an exquisite rendition of the music played by Christiane von Albrecht on keyboard, and Shirley Richards on the violin.

1 Of the Father's love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see
evermore and evermore.

2 Oh, that birth forever blessed
when the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race,
and the babe, the world's Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face
evermore and evermore.

3 This is he whom seers and sages
sang of old with one accord,
whom the voices of the prophets
promised in their faithful word.
Now he shines, the long-expected;
let creation praise its Lord
evermore and evermore.

4 Let the heights of heav'n adore him,
angel hosts his praises sing,
pow'rs, dominions bow before him
and extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
ev'ry voice in concert ring
evermore and evermore.

5 Christ, to thee, with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee
hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
and unending praises be,
honor, glory, and dominion
and eternal victory
evermore and evermore.

Prayer for Ukraine - Part one - Of the Father’s love begotten

Hallelujah and Fare Well 

At the very end of our recent Sounds of Heaven recording event, we laid all prepared pieces aside and simply worshipped. Given the theme that Megan found as she sang, we originally called this piece Hallelujah, but we have added Fare Well, because all of us surely desire to 'fare well' in our service for God's kingdom and to finish our time on earth as well as we can - confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus as we devote ourselves to seeking to do the will of Him who sent us and to finish the work He has given us to do on Earth. (Phil. 1:6. John 4:34, cf 5:36)

Fare well

A Sound of Hope for Ukraine

Jesus for love of You (Come Closer)

O Lord our God

Grace Nadine sang this beautiful message from the Lord's own heart back at our Symphony of Prayer Conference in Malvern in 1996.

We recently took it off an old cassette tape, dusted it down and invited a few musicians to accompany it on their instruments  . . . it makes a for a lovely Pentecost piece to reflect the Lord's promise to pour out His Spirit on His children. May we open the pores of our heart to receive all He has in mind for us to receive, 

Megan Topper - Vocals
Nicola Gerrard - Flute
Shirley Richards - Violin
Jo Garcia - Cello

O Lord our God (A prayer for deep times)

The music you heard was from Bach's 4th Brandenburg Concerto
Enormous thanks to the musicians:
Julia and Thomas Herzog, Recorders
Susannah Herzog, Shirley Richards and Helen Rees, Violins
Julian Chan, Viola
Jo Garcia, Cello
Christiane von Albrecht, Continuo

Recorded by Colin Owen at The House of the Open Door 2014

Brandenburg Concerto

Allegro from Vivaldi Concerto in A minor RV365
Vivaldi’s genius is just incomparable – his variety, anointing and impact on the soul. May the Lord bless you through this decidedly vivacious Allegro!
Vivaldi - played by Francis Cummings, Grace Lee, Chian and Claire Lewis-Lim, Susannah Herzog, Jo Garcia, Rebecca Whettam and Peter Richards. 

Vivaldi

Websters defines comfort as:
1. To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate;
2. To assist or help; to aid.
3. (v. t.) To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer.
4. (n.) Assistance; relief; support.
5. (n.) Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.
6. (n.) A state of quiet enjoyment; freedom from pain, want, or anxiety; also, whatever contributes to such a condition.
7. (n.) A wadded bed quilt; a comfortable.

Nuach - The Comfort of the Lord

Enjoy these special pieces of music that Jane Horsfall has written with an Israeli theme, but which we can use to worship and pray for many countries, people and situations. 
Elohim  is the Power (singular) over powers (plural).

Adonai Elohim - How excellent is Your name in all the earth

This exquisite ‘Berceuse’ (the word means a lullaby or cradle song) is based on a traditional Russian folk song. It, and the improvisation that follows it, can hardly fail to minister deep peace and solace to our hearts. At the same time as nurturing our spirits, however, we can surely find ways to use this inspiring music to lift all who are suffering before the throne of God:  whether on account of their faith, through illness, oppression or any kind of lack.  May the Spirit of the Lord settle on you as you enter into the riches of this piece. 

Copyright Ruach breath of life Ministries 2012,2017.

Berceuse

As the UK enters a second period of lockdown, we offer this wonderful piece of music that Vivaldi wrote and which Francis Cummings plays for us on behalf of those who are suffering as a result of Covid – but equally for the way the Lord is dishonoured in society - and whatever other griefs people are needing to give expression to.

Vivaldi Autumn

Kyrie Eleison - 'Lord, have mercy' 
Savour to the full Huw Humphrey's powerful and beautiful take on one of the best known and used of all Christian phrases, sung here by Linda Entwistle. 
Ruach Breath of Life 2018

Kyrie Eleison - Lord, have mercy

Who am I?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote this poem in prison shortly before Hitler ordered his execution.

Handel Sarabande; Vivaldi Recorder Sonata (Julia Herzog)

Who am I? Patmos 1 Track 03

Benediction
Music by Linda Louisa

Lord, If there is any theme You would have us develop, any dream envelop;
if there is any person You would have us visit, or cup of suffering You would have us drain; any truth You wish to make explicit, any terrain claim by Your Spirit, then stretch out Your hand to achieve these holy purposes. 	

Lord, I place this trusted friend in the care of healing love.
I pray that You will lead him every minute of his day,
and as I carry him in my heart,
alert me when he stands in special need of grace,
so that he may make the most of every chance
that You direct His way.
Bless, cherish and embolden him
to be all that You can make him be.

And Lord, I place my precious friend
in the care of Love eternal.
Place her like a seal over my heart,
for love is as strong as death,
burning like a blazing fire
that many waters cannot quench.
Thank You for all the love she brings,
and all the things we do together;
all the service she performs for You.
Help me carry her in my heart,
and lift her daily before the throne of grace.
Bless, cherish and replenish her
to be all that she can be for You.

Let the peace of Your music
and the truth of your word
address the emptiness in people’s lives
Enfold in love the weighed down crowds
who know so little of Your saving touch.
Reach out to the overlooked ones
and replace dejection with entirely fresh new direction
as we commit them to Your threefold care.

Release the fullness of Your power and presence
in the spheres and regions we hold most dear:
each one of these villages, towns and cities,
and the professions that need the touch of Your refreshing.

Bless, too, this place:
and let each room become the place
of Your embrace:
a firebase that inspires many
to draw near to Your courts.

Let Your special blessing
rest on each person who has heard these words and music.
Let them bear much fruit
as they receive afresh the Spirit of prayer
and come up higher to see what must soon take place

Now may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.

Ruach Breath of Life

Popular tracks