We have been rejoicing in the recent birth of a baby girl called Mica in Berlin, not a direct relative but whose parents are known and dear to us and to our family. The wonder of new life in all its variations and energy and pain resonates in the early verses of Psalm 71: "You … Continue reading Psalm 71, 25 Aug 19
Month: August 2019
Crystal Ball, Sep-Nov ’19
Crystal ball, by J Waterhouse. Here are some brief suggestions for these few lovely spring months -- or autumn for readers in the far north. Note for South Woden members: with your Cantor and Webmaster absent, suggested choices are drawn largely from the readily available sources of 'Together in Song' and 'Psalms for All Seasons' … Continue reading Crystal Ball, Sep-Nov ’19
Psalm 80, 18 Aug ’19
Psalm 80 by Asaph is a cry for restoration by the ‘Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock’. As strife continues all around, the singer seeks a more peaceable zone, perhaps by the still waters and safe pastures of other familiar psalms. The psalmist invokes the Creator’s strength and justice to intervene and bring safety to … Continue reading Psalm 80, 18 Aug ’19
Psalm 50, 11 Aug 19
Our singers are sometimes confused by my odd short-hand musical notations and cues in cantor's sheets abbreviated to one page for convenience. Psalm 50 in a 9th C. script from France. British Library MS 9046, f24v Imagine coping with this 9th-century manuscript, in Tironian with Latin introductions (illustrated). The British Library viewer notes explain that … Continue reading Psalm 50, 11 Aug 19
Psalms in the South 