“All music has a message and a spirit behind it …
When music is birthed from a place of worship it carries a spirit of worship. The place
where music and worship meet is divine mystery”
– Temi Peters, Instruments of Praise and Acts of Worship
Hello friends,
As we enter week six of the Michigan stay at home order we recognize the challenges, the sacrifices, the losses and the triumphs that this community and all communities have endured.
At the Carr Center, we continue to share these Sunday Morning Messages withyou because we believe the arts
are a brilliant and shining light; one that reflects the resiliency and the strength of the human spirit.
It is our sincere hope that this message brings your spirit some joy this Sunday morning…
The Carr Center
The Gathering Orchestra is a two-year professional development fellowship program for gifted early career musicians, under the artistic direction of Carr Center resident artist Rodney Whitaker.
In 2018, our first class of The Gathering Orchestra culminated their phenomenally successful inaugural year with a performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts in the historic Christ Church Cranbrook Sanctuary, along with a 40-voice choir.
This is a beautiful recording from that special concert, a selection simply called, “Come Sunday.”
Recorded on March 10, 2018 at Christ King Chapel, Cranbrook Educational Community, Bloomfield Hills,
Michigan.
“Come Sunday” is a song derived from Ellington’s instrumental jazz suite Black, Brown and Beige (1943), a musical history of African Americans that premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1944.
This piece strongly evokes the Black spiritual, both musically and emotionally. At its 1944 premiere, a violin and an alto saxophone presented the melody. In 1958, Ellington added text to this instrumental suite and he recorded the revised pieces on an album featuring the incomparable Mahalia Jackon on vocals.
“Come Sunday” became a standard of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Jazz Concerts.
I believe that sun and moon up in the sky
When the day is gray, I know its, clouds passing by
He’ll give peace and comfort
To every troubled mind
Come Sunday, oh Come Sunday
That’s the day …
Often we’ll feel weary but he knows our every care.
Go to him in secret he will hear your every prayer
Up from dawn til sunset
man work hard all the day,
Come Sunday, oh Come Sunday
That’s the day.
(Lyrics of “Come Sunday”)
The daily challenges of this ongoing health crisis continue for each and every one of us. The arts and arts organizations like ours, who are so dependent on audiences and other public support for survival are truly feeling the pressure.
If are able to give financially we ask that you please consider even a small gift to the Carr Center so we can continue to do our work.
Thank you