Showing posts with label Sir Howard Morrison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sir Howard Morrison. Show all posts

Saturday, 1 December 2012

How Great Thou Art and its Ukrainian origins




Carrying on my theme of December songs and music, no New Zealander cannot be touched by Howard Morrison's version of that great song "How Great Thou Art."

He weaves  his own version of Whakaaria mai into the hymn How Great Thou Art, which was written in 1886 by a Swedish pastor, Carl Boberg, after he was caught in a sudden thunderstorm while out in the countryside.

In time the hymn was translated into Russian and was learnt by Stuart Hine, a British missionary working in the Ukraine. Hine later translated it into English. An American preacher, Billy Graham made it well-known in English-speaking societies. But it was Sir Howard, that brough this great Hymn to the workers in New Zealand.

Howard sings it thus:

C Oh Lord my God, when I in F awesome wonder 
Consider C all the G7 worlds Thy hands have C made 
I see the stars, I hear the F rolling thunder 
Thy power through-C-out the G7 universe dis-C-played 

Whakaaria mai    
Tōu F rīpeka ki C au 
Ti-aho G7 mai 
Ka roto i te C pō 
Hei kona F au 
Titiro atu C ai 
Ora, ma-G7-te 
Hei au kway noho C ai


In Russian, the first language to be translated into from Swedish, it is still inspiring.  Three Ukrainian students singing "How Great Thou Art" (Velikiy Bog) during a break in English Language Learning Classes at Donesk Christian University Danny André Dixon, TeachOverseas.org teacher is directing and encouraging in the background. Summer 2011


Господи Боже мой, когда я в awesome чудо 
рассмотреть все миры твоих руках сделал 
я вижу звезды, я слышу подвижного Гром 
твоей власти во всей Вселенной отображается 

затем поет душа моя, мой Спаситель Господь, к тебе 
как великие ты искусство, как Великий ты 
потом поет душа моя, Бог мой Спаситель, тебе 
как великие ты, как здорово ты! 
yonso 






Friday, 30 November 2012

December songs.



December is a months of songs, carols and hymns in New Zealand. Christmas in New Zealand is about sunny days on beaches, cooking on a BBQ with lamb, new potatoes, fresh garden picked vegetables, salads with brief matches of cricket, or even a game of rugby in between courses. Usually copious quantity of refreshments are at hand. The song posted above on You Tube"It's Christmas Time in NZ gives a flavor of the month of December, our songs and Christmas outdoors. I have celebrated many NZ Christmases on mountain tops, kayaking down rivers or bush walking  On Christmas Day 1971 I climbed Aoraki Mount Cook for the 2nd time on that special day. I first climbed it on Christmas Day 1968 with Jim Cowie, Keith McIvor and Rod McLeod., and what a wonderful feeling being on top of New Zealand on a day of celebration. Below is Chris Timms, NZ sailing Olympic gold medalist on the East Ridge of Mt. Cook on 25 December 1971. We still had cans of beer in our pack having celebrated Christmas eve in Plateau Hut a few hours earlier.







While I enjoy the array and variety of Christmas type songs that are available on line, I was thrilled to see for the first time in nearly 30 years, Thin Lizzy will release new music. Guitarist Scott Gorham says the group is working on new songs with an eye on a new album, the first without founder and original vocalist Phil Lynott, who died in 1986.Fans at the band’s Dec. 13 show in Dublin will be the first to hear the new material, Gorham tells HotPress.com. Guitarist Damon Johnson added that the band is hopeful the new album will be ready to release early in 2013





 I have many CD of Christmas or December songs. One of my favourites was released in 2004 called, ‘Songs of December:’ The Familiar Classics CD music contains a single disc with 10 songs. Away In a Manger * 3:02 First Noel * 4:03 Angels We Have Heard On High * 2:43 Silent Night * 6:00 December Sunset O Come Emmanuel * 3:00 What Child Is This * 3:49 O Come All Ye Faithfull Hailee'S Moment First Noel (Reprise)





 Another favourite of mine is Te Harinui is a Maori song about Christmas recalling the time when the Rev Samuel Marsden first preached the Gospel at the Bay of Islands on Christmas Day 1814

1. Not on a snowy night
 By star or candlelight
 Nor by an angel band
 There came to our dear land
Te Harinui Te Harinui
 Te Hari-nu-i Glad tid-ings of great joy

2. But on a summer day
 Within a quiet bay
 The Maori people heard
 The great and glorious word

3. The people gathered round
 Upon the grassy ground
 And heard the preacher say
 I bring to you this day

4. Now in this blessed land
 United heart and hand
 We praise the glorious birth
 And sing to all the earth

Many of our great singers from Inia Te Wiata, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Howard Morrison and Hayley Westrena
Here she is sing delightful Christmas songs.


While I enjoy the array and variety of Christmas type songs that are available on line, I was thrilled to see  for the first time in nearly 30 years, Thin Lizzy will release new music. Guitarist Scott Gorham says the group is working on new songs with an eye on a new album, the first without founder and original vocalist Phil Lynott, who died in 1986.Fans at the band’s Dec. 13 show in Dublin will be the first to hear the new material, Gorham tellsHotPress.com. Guitarist Damon Johnson added that the band is hopeful the new album will be ready to release early in 2013