David Ruhf, Trinity's Cantor, offers a musical devotion on the the last movement of Felix Mendelssohn's epic oratorio, "Elijah." Please follow this link to listen to the music (headphones or a networked stereo, please, your phone's speakers won't do this justice): https://youtu.be/Vr_OgDkrffE For a video about the making of this very special recording, please follow this link: https://vimeo.com/48020694

David Ruhf, Trinity's Cantor, offers a musical devotion based on the Heiliger Dankgesang from Beethoven's A minor String Quartet, Op. 132. To watch the Attacca Quartet's captivating performance of the work, please follow this link: https://youtu.be/wCyjVFZxnsc

Trinity's Cantor, David Ruhf, offers a musical devotion on a couple of treasures from the Black church performed by the late, great soprano, Deborah Ford, as well as the Jubilee Singers, a gospel choir from Westminster Choir College. Listen to Deborah and the Jubilee Singers sing the Charles Albert Tindley classic, "Beams of Heaven," by following this link: https://youtu.be/VWvnTdVo5MU Watch Deborah sing Mark Condon's "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord," by clicking here: https://youtu.be/nPacH-imxp8 Finally, hear the Jubilee Singers offer Thomas Whitfield's "O How I Love Jesus," a fantastic gospel selection, by following this link: https://youtu.be/2Lc7xxMOtL8

Trinity's Cantor, David Ruhf, shares a musical devotion based on the first verse of the 42nd Psalm, and a rhapsodically beautiful setting of that text by the Italian Renaissance master, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. You may watch a stunning video of the Gesualdo 6 singing the work, Palestrina's Sicut Cervus, by following this link: https://youtu.be/Pdv9vmGo4EE David shares the story of his friendship with the late Rev. Charles Carter III, and makes reference to a post he wrote on Facebook after Charles passed away. You may read it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qt6xs0SBSX7cD-kUEC2PsGB9Fa_JIvRN/view?usp=sharing

Trinity's Cantor, David Ruhf, offers a discussion of Bach's monumental Epiphany cantata, BWV 65, "They will all come forth out of Sheba." To view the performance that David discusses, please click here: https://youtu.be/qhzr7EU6XS8 For Pamela Dellal's excellent translation and the text of the work, click here: http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/notes_translations/translations_cantata/t_bwv065.htm

Trinity's Cantor, David Ruhf, shares a musical devotion on three musical settings of the text, "Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming," including music by Praetorius, Vulpius, Sandström, and Howells. To listen to the Praetorius and Vulpius arrangements, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ael1_78T-xU For the Sandström, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4X-gl9a96M And, for the Howells, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opiV4tVsRww Here is the carol's Wikipedia page, which has lots of interesting background and translations, including Catherine Winkworth's translation and paraphrase, which is the text for the Howells: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Es_ist_ein_Ros_entsprungen

In a devotion for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Trinity's Cantor, David Ruhf, discusses a beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti, and the great Advent hymn, "People, Look East," and a jaunty and joyful setting of the text by Christopher Steel. Here's the piece: https://youtu.be/mR75FBFVQus Here's the text by Eleanor Farjeon: 1. People, look east. The time is near Of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east and sing today: Love, the guest, is on the way. 2. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, One more seed is planted there: Give up your strength the seed to nourish, That in course the flower may flourish. People, look east and sing today: Love, the rose, is on the way. 3. Birds, though you long have ceased to build, Guard the nest that must be filled. Even the hour when wings are frozen God for fledging time has chosen. People, look east and sing today: Love, the bird, is on the way. 4. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim One more light the bowl shall brim, Shining beyond the frosty weather, Bright as sun and moon together. People, look east and sing today: Love, the star, is on the way. 5. Angels, announce with shouts of mirth Christ who brings new life to earth. Set every peak and valley humming With the word, the Lord is coming. People, look east and sing today: Love, the Lord, is on the way. Here's the Rossetti poem David quotes: 1 Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, Love divine; Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign. 2 Worship we the Godhead, Love incarnate, Love divine; worship we our Jesus, but wherewith for sacred sign? 3 Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine; love to God and others, love for plea and gift and sign.

David Ruhf, Trinity's Cantor, offers a musical devotion based on the Song of Mary and discusses a setting of the Magnificat that the great English composer, Herbert Howells, wrote for King's College, Cambridge. Here is a link to that piece: https://youtu.be/J0YSIfiY7hw Here is the text of the Magnificat or Song of Mary from St. Luke's Gospel: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." Here is a link to Monica Scheifele's beautiful prayer offered at the end of the devotion: http://thirdwaycafe.com/12827-2/