‘Memories of Yukon author’s musical heritage brought to Life in Song’ seemed a particularly fitting title for today’s post given the content I’m about to share with you.
Each of us can claim a heritage of some kind because we all spring from origins that leave their marks of comfort, familiarity and truth upon our souls and memories. Many of us continue to live our heritage on a daily basis but perhaps just as many others don’t, having strayed away from those roots for innumerable personal reasons or causes.
For those of us who have strayed it can be refreshing to be reminded of our particular heritage, and that’s pretty much what happened to me the other day while trolling through some YouTube music videos.
I come from a musical Mennonite heritage of superb a Capella (no instruments) four-part harmony hymn singing such as you’ll hear in the videos below performed by arguably one of the best Mennonite choirs I’ve ever heard, the Antrim Mennonite Choir out of Antrim Ohio. I grew up to these sounds and fell in love with them from an early age – a love of harmony which has never dimmed in its intensity over the years of a lifetime spent away from it.
These folks sing with a purity of voice and tone that can send chills up your spine if you’re as much of a lover of simple a Capella four-part harmony singing as I am.
The spiritual truths contained in the words of these traditional hymns hasn’t changed over the years of my absence from their sounds either, and they serve now to reinforce in song a personal decision of commitment made long ago and far away from this place I inhabit today. It’s a commitment that daily grows stronger as I begin sinking into the sunset years of my life, and begin contemplating an existence inching inexorably closer to the Pearly Gates of a Heaven I’ve always believed in.
Listen now as the crystal clear voices of the Antrim Mennonite Choir bring the words of two of my all time favorite hymns to life in the melodies of ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Rock of Ages’. If you’re as intrigued by their singing as I am you’ll find more of their songs by following the links after each one finishes playing, or by using Google to locate their albums to buy some for yourself as I already know full well I’ll be doing.
Memories of a Yukon author’s musical heritage brought to Life in Song is my gift of music and inspiration to you today – enjoy the richness of these sounds and find comfort in the truths contained within their eternal message!
Although I haven’t asked for your feedback and comments in some time, I’m hoping that after listening to these songs today you might feel inspired to offer me some. I hope you will. Simply fill out the form below to bring them to my attention and response.
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