ROCK OF AGES ...SOLO CELLO
This is one of my favorite country hymns...I know I start every description for my hymns that way...but, it is very true :-) ....I have played and recorded this hymn before, several thousand playing hours ago, and decided I wanted to explore options of sounds..since, it is unusual to have a solo cello play country hymns...I only had generic music....so, I rewrote the music in several keys...it was so interesting to hear how the sounds and the feelings were so different in different keys....But, I kept going back to this key which is F Major ....no worries if I lost you with this...it doesn't matter..what matters is how the music sounds to you...the reason I chose this key, over all the others, is that I heard Zadlo's (my cello) tenor voice singing his heart out ...everything to my ears was "right"....I hope you think so , also:-)....
Some background and the lyrics.....
"Rock of Ages" is a popular Christian hymn by the Reverend Augustus Montague Toplady written in 1763 and first published in The Gospel Magazine in 1775.
Traditionally, it is held that Toplady drew his inspiration from an incident in the gorge of Burrington Combe in the Mendip Hills in England. Toplady, a preacher in the nearby village of Blagdon, was travelling along the gorge when he was caught in a storm. Finding shelter in a gap in the gorge, he was struck by the title and scribbled down the initial lyrics.
The fissure that is believed to have sheltered Toplady is now marked as the "Rock of Ages", both on the rock itself and on some maps, and is also reflected in the name of a nearby tea shop. If I was in that area...I would definitely visit the "rock" and stop in that tea shop :-)
Lyrics...
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die!
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Thank you for listening to my music and for stopping by my site....I hope your visit was enjoyable and interesting....Please stop back anytime :-)
CLICK TO RETURN TO COUNTRY HYMNS
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Some background and the lyrics.....
"Rock of Ages" is a popular Christian hymn by the Reverend Augustus Montague Toplady written in 1763 and first published in The Gospel Magazine in 1775.
Traditionally, it is held that Toplady drew his inspiration from an incident in the gorge of Burrington Combe in the Mendip Hills in England. Toplady, a preacher in the nearby village of Blagdon, was travelling along the gorge when he was caught in a storm. Finding shelter in a gap in the gorge, he was struck by the title and scribbled down the initial lyrics.
The fissure that is believed to have sheltered Toplady is now marked as the "Rock of Ages", both on the rock itself and on some maps, and is also reflected in the name of a nearby tea shop. If I was in that area...I would definitely visit the "rock" and stop in that tea shop :-)
Lyrics...
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die!
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Thank you for listening to my music and for stopping by my site....I hope your visit was enjoyable and interesting....Please stop back anytime :-)
CLICK TO RETURN TO COUNTRY HYMNS
CLICK TO RETURN TO MELLOW'S CELLO MUSIC