Bluegrass Tenebrae at Tyson House
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by Chaplain on 09-04-2009
Last night Tyson House offered a Bluegrass Tenebrae Service. Here’s some info on our Tenebrae service:
The name Tenebrae (the Latin word for “darkness” or “shadows”) has for centuries been applied to the ancient monastic night and early morning services (Matins and Lauds) of the last three days of Holy Week, which in medieval times came to be celebrated on the preceding evenings. This service provides an extended meditation upon, and a prelude to, the events in our Lord’s life between the Last Supper and the Resurrection.
Apart from the reading of the Lamentations, the most conspicuous feature of the service is the gradual extinguishing of candles and other lights in the church until only a single candle, considered a symbol of our Lord, remains. Toward the end of the service this candle is hidden, typifying the apparent victory of the forces of evil. At the very end, a loud noise is made, symbolizing the earthquake at the time of the resurrection (Matthew 28:2), the hidden candle is restored to its place, and by its light all depart in silence.
Bluegrass has its own roots in Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland (particularly the Scots-Irish immigrants in Appalachia), as well as jazz and blues. In the first half of the 20th century African-American blues music began to influence bluegrass music, particularly through the works of Hobart Smith and Dock Boggs in Appalachia. In this service we tap into this mournful aspect of bluegrass to convey the dark and shadowy tenor of the Tenebrae.
Here are some musical pieces from the service:
Not a Mumblin’ Word from Zach Parris on Vimeo.
Wayfaring Stranger from Zach Parris on Vimeo.
O Lord Hear My Prayer - Bluegrass Tenebrae from Zach Parris on Vimeo.