Being Inspired by Others

Yesterday a college friend with whom I had recently connected earlier on Facebook wrote words on my Wall that reminded me of a solemn reverential song that used to touch me in my deepest solar plexuses. I was pleasantly surprised that she still remembered one of my performances at the University of Michigan. She wrote:

Judith, I'm so glad you added me as a friend! I have a vivid memory of you singing "Dank sei dir, Herr!" on the fourth floor of Rackham...an amazing combination of honey and steel. I sat behind a two-year-old (maybe a niece of yours, or a young friend) who was rapt while you were singing and climbing like a maniac when you weren't! I bet she's in college now...

I have the recording of that performance at Michigan. Perhaps one day I will post it here. In the meantime, here is a truly amazing recording of "Dank sie dir, Herr" which is attributed to Georg F. Handel and sung by Dutch contralto Aafje Heynis. It's sublime.



Thanks be to Thee, Oh Lord

Thanks be to Thee,
Thanks be to Thee, O Lord,
Thou hast led Thy people
With Thee,
Thine is now the land.

Even before these enemies manaced us,
Thy hand protected us;
In Thy grace Thou gavest us salvation.

Thanks be to Thee,
Thanks be to Thee, O Lord,
Thou hast led Thy people
With Thee,
Thine is now the land.

Thanks be to Thee,
Thanks be to Thee, O Lord,
Thou hast led Thy people
With Thee,
In Thy grace Thou gavest us salvation.

(By the way, the niece that my college friend referred to is a sophomore at Michigan now.)