Fortissimo Friday is taking a break this summer. Come back in the fall!
Every Friday, we hope to send you a short musical interlude to make your day a little more enjoyable! (Permission to stream the music in the videos on this page obtained from One License with license #A-708462.)
June 18, 2021
June 11, 2021
May 28, 2021
It is our sincere hope that we will see you in person for the Holy Happy Hour concert series this Fall.
If you’d like to catch up on some of our most recent programs, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel which features our March and April concerts (May’s program will be uploaded soon.)
May 21, 2021
May 14, 2021
This Sunday is Youth Sunday at Lewinsville.
We give great thanks to the youth of Lewinsville for sharing their voices, gifts, and efforts in our mission to love and serve God by responding to human need.
May 7, 2021
April 30, 2021
April 23, 2021
Tchaikovsky projects the image of the end of snow season in St. Petersburg. Titled Snowdrop, the listener senses the snowy remnants of winter and the little blue flowers, named snowdrop, beginning to pop up as a sign of springtime.
Apollon Maykov’s poem begins the piece:
The blue, pure snowdrop-flower,
And near it the last snowdrops.
The last tears over past griefs,
And first dreams of another happiness.
As we celebrate Earth Care Sunday, may we be filled with the hope that Springtime brings, to a create a cleaner and happier planet.
April 16, 2021
Lewinsville’s upcoming Holy Happy Hour on Wednesday, April 28th at 6:15 pm will feature Sarah Berger performing French violin music of Lili Boulanger, Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Ravel, and Eugène Ysaÿe.
There will be a pre-concert talk on Zoom, Youtube Premier event, and post-concert reception back on Zoom. Bring your own wine and cheese! A recommended wine pairing for the French Music event is a French red Bourdeaux which can be purchased at any local wine stores. (Please support our local small businesses)
Sign up on Lewinsville’s concert mailing list for more info on upcoming concerts.
https://www.lewinsville.org/concerts/
April 9, 2021
John Clewett performs “For the Mountains Shall Depart” from Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah. “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but Thy kindness shall not depart from me, neither shall the covenant of Thy peace be removed.” — Isaiah 54:10
May we rejoice for God’s love for us during this Easter season.
April 2, 2021
that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Text: Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden
Zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.
Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,
Es drückten deine schönen Hände
Mir die getreuen Augen zu.
Translation: Be thou with me and I’ll go gladly
To death and on to my repose.
Ah, how my end would bring contentment,
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely,
Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close.
March 26, 2021
We are looking forward to our outdoor 11:30 AM Easter Sunday service with live jazz band!
CLICK HERE to reserve your seat today.
March 19, 2021
Charles Valentin-Alkan (1813-1888) was a French-Jewish composer and a virtuoso in piano, pédalier, and organ. Deemed by Hans von Bülow as the “Berlioz of the Piano,” Alkan is most known for his challenging pianistic compositions, comparable to Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin, both who admired and respected him for his daring and unforgiving works. Fluent in Hebrew and Greek, Alkan devoted much of his energy translating the first complete Bible into French. Unfortunately this translation, along with many of his works, remain lost.
Alkan was the first composer to incorporate Jewish melodies into art music– this setting of Psalm 42 is one of the few art songs he composed.
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te Deus. (As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.)
March 12, 2021
March 6, 2021
O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him,
And He shall give thee thy heart’s desires.
Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him,
And fret not thyself because of evil-doers.
As we await our vaccine appointments, and journey on in the season of Lent, may the virtue of patience and trust in God, lead us onwards. Lewinsville’s daily Lenten devotional can be read HERE
February 26, 2021
America exceeded 500,000 deaths from Covid-19 this week. To honor those who have died from the virus, Lewinsville’s Chancel Choir sings William Dawson’s arrangement of “There is a Balm in Gilead.” We also pray it will bring healing and comfort to the ill and mourning. During this Lenten season, may we be reminded of Jesus’ triumph over death and the promise of salvation and resurrection to come.
For more information on William Dawson CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE to read our Lenten Devotional:
February 19, 2021
Lewinsville’s Music Ministry pays tribute to the late jazz great Chick Corea with a performance by Eric Juberg and John Nothaft of his Crystal Silence. The tune’s haunting melody and sparse accompaniment evoke a sense of penitential reflection, peace, and Lenten calm. We wish you a blessed Lenten season ahead. For more information on Chick Corea CLICK HERE.
February 12, 2021
As Mardi Gras approaches, we celebrate the music of New Orleans native Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869). Gottschalk was the first American to earn international acclaim as a pianist-composer. His music draws from Creole tunes, African American and French culture, and South American and Caribbean rhythms. Gottschalk blends his diverse roots into rich European romanticism.
John Nothaft performs “The Dying Poet” – overtly romantic, the piece’s sentimentalism and sweet melodies fit perfect for Valentine’s Day weekend. Click on the composer’s name above for more information on America’s first great pianist, Louis Moreau Gottschalk.
February 5, 2021
January 29, 2021
Lisa Greenfield and John Nothaft perform Eva Cassidy’s arrangement of “Fields of Gold” as a tribute to her.
Lewinsville’s music mission strives to support local artists and musicians in our community.
Stay tuned for upcoming concert announcements as Lewinsville’s livestream capabilities debut soon!
January 22, 2021
January 15, 2021
The “Matthew 25 Iniative” has been set to music in a new hymn, “Jesus Be With Us,” with text and tune by the Rev. Dr. David Gambrell, and musical accompaniment by Phillip Morgan.https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/keep-singing-the-matthew-25-vision/
In Matthew 25:40 Jesus teaches that we serve Him when we serve the most vulnerable. As a church, may we sing the text of this new hymn “Jesus, Be With Us,” and find inspiration to serve particularly disadvantaged groups, following the examples of Martin Luther King Jr, as we strive to be drum majors of peace, justice, and righteousness in our own community.
Click the link below to sign up and serve on our National Day of Service, January 18, 2021.
https://americorps.gov/newsroom/events/mlk-day
January 8, 2021
One of America’s great jazz pianists, Bill Evans was especially active in New York City in the 1950’s and 60’s with the Bill Evans Trio and the Miles Davis Quintet. May today’s music help restore and salve the soul as we pray for the healing of our nation.
January 1, 2021
We wish you a healthy and happy new year, full of the sounding joy, and wondrous love of God’s truth and grace.
December 18, 2020
December 11, 2020
December 6, 2020
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
May these words from the prophet Isaiah offer a balm for us as we continue life during Covid. As vaccine’s are made and deployed, may we be reminded that hopefully one day covid will be over, we can return to safe public life, and that God’s tender care will lead us to New Jerusalem as we waiting for the the coming of our King and a post-Covid new year.
Lewinsville will present a replay of last year’s Christmas Concert “Waiting for the Messiah,” Sunday, December 13th at 7:00 pm. You can join in live chat one YoutubeLive and FacebookLive.
November 27, 2020
November 20, 2020
November 13, 2020
November 6, 2020
October 30, 2020
October 23, 2020
October 16, 2020
October 9, 2020
wind and expression along the way. Join in and learn along the way!
October 2, 2020
Learn more about the King of Instruments as we join John Nothaft in a virtual Pipe Organ Crawl.
September 25, 2020
During this seemingly suspended time may we continue to pray and seek God’s path
until we land safe on Canaan’s side.
September 18, 2020
September 11, 2020
The Sunken Cathedral in honor of the lives lost that tragic morning.
September 4, 2020
May it remind us to how we are called to live out our faith in the world as Christians.
August 28, 2020
August 21, 2020
August 14, 2020
May it inspire peace and calm in your soul.
August 7, 2020
In August, our Fortissimo Friday music series will present contemplative music.
John Nothaft performs Phillip Glass’ Mad Rush.
July 31, 2020
July 24, 2020
Cecil Frances Alexander, an Irish poet of the 19th century wrote “All Things Bright and Beautiful.”
Alexander published a series of “Hymns for Little Children” in 1848. This set of hymns included “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” The text elaborates upon the Apostles Creed as well as Genesis 1:31: “And God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
Other hymns composed by Cecil Frances Alexander included “There is a Green Hill far away” and “Once in Royal David’s City.” Many of her hymns were included in the seminal “Hymns Ancient and Modern.”
The tune the text is sung to is “Royal Oak,” a British folk melody from the 17th century.
During these times of social distancing, may we find the comfort and beauty of God in nature.
July 17, 2020
July 10, 2020
July 3, 2020
June 26, 2020
June 19, 2020
June 12, 2020
June 5, 2020
For everyone born, a place at the table, for everyone born, clean water and bread,
a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing, for everyone born, a star overhead,
For woman and man, a place at the table, revising the roles, deciding the share,
with wisdom and grace, dividing the power, for woman and man, a system that’s fair,
For young and for old, a place at the table, a voice to be heard, a part in the song,
the hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled, for young and for old, the right to belong,
For just and unjust, a place at the table, abuser, abused, with need to forgive,
in anger, in hurt, a mindset of mercy, for just and unjust, a new way to live,
For everyone born, a place at the table, to live without fear, and simply to be,
to work, to speak out, to witness and worship, for everyone born, the right to be free,
and God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, compassion and peace:
yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!
May 29, 2020
May 22, 2020
May 15, 2020
Lewinsville’s youth-led worship service is this Sunday. Emma Staeger sings us a song filled with hope as we wait for a sunshine filled tomorrow.
May 8, 2020
Suite Magica is a four movement suite for classical guitar and harp by Argentinean composer Maximo Diego Pujol (b. 1957). The piece begins with a Preludio and each subsequent movement is based off of a South American dance: Vals, Tango, and Candombe; this video is of the third movement, the Tango. This video was recorded as part of a concert in August 2019 and the performers are LeeLee Hunter, guitar and Anna Odell, harp.
May 1, 2020
Lewinsville will be having an online Taizé worship service this Sunday at 7:00 pm. Here is one hymn we will be singing. (The musicians present are family and have been quarantined together.)
Ubi caritas et amor, Desu ibi est.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
April 24, 2020
Emma Gamble, Zachary Gutierrez, Eimi Tuttle, and Lewinsville’s Chancel Choir present A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.
April 17, 2020
Laura Snyderman presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Alleluia from Exsultate, Jubilate, K.165/158a.
April 10, 2020
Sarah Saturnino and John Nothaft present George Frederic Handel’s He Was Despised from Part II of the Messiah. The text sung is Isaiah 53:3.Part II of Handel’s Messiah covers “The Passion.”
April 3, 2020
In this video, Evan Ayars and John Nothaft present a an arrangement of There is a Balm in Gilead by H.T. Burleigh. May we keep this text in our hearts during the pandemic.
There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit, revives my soul again.
If you can preach like Peter, if you can pray like Paul,
Go home and tell your neighbor, “He died to save us all.”
There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.