Cradle Songs

One category of music PrayerSong sings is cradle songs, aka lullabies. I found many arrangements in the collections at Illinois, one of which was titled Celtic Lullaby. We sang it at rehearsal today, and when we finished reading it the first time, we all sighed. Its such a lovely piece, so gentle, so calm.

Not so much in the words:

Sweet babe, a golden cradle holds thee,
Soft a snow white fleece enfolds thee,
Fairest flowers are strewn before thee,
Sweet birds warble o’er thee.

Shoheen, sholo, lu lu lo.

Oh sleep my baby free from sorrow,
Bright thou’lt ope thine eyes tomorrow,
Sleep while o’er thy smiling slumbers
Angels change their numbers.

Shoheen, sholo, lu lu lo.

In fact, the text seems too silly and flowery. But with the music, better than a Valium and no side effects. Sung with women's voices, its especially quiet and comforting. It will be interesting to see what happens when we sing for cancer patients who are obviously *not* babies.

There is something in lullabies that touches the heart. For babies of course they say it mimics what they experienced in the womb, hearing their mother's voice and heartbeat etc. Particularly effective if sung while rocking the baby.

Well, I can't hold a cancer patient in my arms (at least not most of the time, though I have hugged many). But I can still sing to them "comfort music." Sort of like comfort foods. Ultimately, the comfort comes from God, knowing that He is with you and will never leave you. But if a heart can be momentarily comforted with gentle music, that's a good thing.

So I will continue to practice that piece until it becomes such a part of me that I find myself humming and singing it in all seasons. And much of the other music we are learning. May God use it to bring solace where there is pain.