Instrumental. Music by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This instrumental is wonderful for guided imagery and relaxation.
I tend to daydream and feel refreshed after playing it. I often use this
in a harp therapy session. This piece was intended to be heard with the
next two pieces, Morning Breaking and Bed of Roses following it.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'The ocarina opening reminds me of the first bird calls of the
dawn. I often awaken to the morning doves' sweet song at my home.
There is a sense of mystery, and 'peaceful grace' about the dawn
creeping up out of the dark night. This is an intro piece to the
next love story, Bed Of Roses.'
Music & lyrics by
Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This song is really the title track for Awakening... the
breath of life. It is the story of Adam waking up beside Eve
and Eve taking her first breath of life and discovering Adam
beside her. The passion of 'I felt creation move' is captured
in the love expressed between them, as sacred vessels unite
for the first time.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This song was written after reading the prayer titled "Lord,
you have seized me" from the book Prayers by Michael Quoist.
The intimacy of the presence of the holy creator is always beyond
words, yet we always try to put it in human terms, don't we?'
Harp arrangement & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown.
Music: traditional, 1740
JB: 'I loved the traditional tune to Believe Me If All Those
Endearing Young Charms, but I decided to give it new lyrics.
Imagine a young woman standing at her window in the evening
with the full moon shimmering on her hair. There she dreams
about a new love that will pass by and whisk her away on the
wind, till morning bids them goodnight.'
Music & lyrics
by Liona Boyd.
Harp arrangement & lyrics adapted by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'I wanted to capture this melody in a simple courtyard story. I
envisioned a couple spending the night together with only poetry
readings, flower petals and harp music expressing the love between
them. Ah... maybe a kiss or two, but that's all! Can you imagine me
carting my finches into the recording studio to capture those real
live nature sounds? That's a story in itself.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'The image here is of a girl child being brought down to the
mother on moonbeams. She is out in the forest, but in a clearing
with crickets singing in the birth of this gift from heaven. Oh...
if only childbirth was really that easy! I have played harp for
the birth of a baby - so magical and wonderously mysterious.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This is a joyful song of springtime dance around a Maypole
with ribbons and children dancing and weaving round and round
each other. At children's festivals it has been a treat to see
the smiles and dances of the little ones to this fun piece.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'A goodnight blessing for children as they listen to the music
box and prepare to retire to bed and dreamland. I have fond
memories of my children when they were really small and they would
snuggle with their pillows at my feet as I played them a goodnight
harp tune.'
Harp arrangement & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown.
Traditional Mennonite Hymn in German
"Mude bin ich, geh' zu Ruh"
JB: 'This Mennonite hymn was a childhood favourite of my husband.
He remembers singing it in German at his Mennonite Oma and Opas
house when all the extended family was gathered on the porch to
say goodnight. These are the treasured memories of adulthood. The words
are not a translation but my impression of the tune itself enfolded in
visions of the family on the porch.'
Instrumental. Music by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This lap harp instrumental sounds so oriental. I wrote it
after visiting a Japanese garden. On site was a standing gong
and people came six at a time to power the long horizontal
mallet with all their energy. If they were lucky it would sound
long and true.'
Lyrics by Alex McLachlan, 1874.
Music by Jacquelyn Brown
'I remember my first trip to Elora, Ontario, Canada and how taken
I was with its beauty. A year later I came across a poem written
about it in the bottom of my suitcase. It was the first music I
wrote on my big Salvi harp, as within an hour of finding the poem,
this new beautiful harp was at my door from Italy. Mind you, the guy
dropped it on my doorstep and it bounced four times before it
stopped at the bottom of the hill. Italian harps are really sturdy
you know.' In November of 1997 I received a lovely email from a mother
in Florida who named her daughter Elora. This song has special meaning
for Elora Johnson and her family. I send Elora blessings and joy.
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This is a true story of a woman who used to live near me.
One morning as we waited for the school bus for our kids, she
related to me her trip to the Isle of Man and how she had taken
her father's ashes back to be buried in this mystical, magical
place. While there her mother died as well and was buried there too. Just
before she moved, I shared this song with her.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This lament is a true story of a beautiful young musician I
knew from Kansas. She was eighteen when she passed over to the
other side. Her father plays the harp now as he and his wife
walk a healing journey...the greatest pain - the loss of a child.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'We are so fortunate to have a river running through the city.
People always walk, jog and bike by the Thames each day. "You'll
come home with a peace only nature can give" keeps me coming
back for more. One day as I sat by the river, seven families of geese came
and sat around me and all settled down for a sleep. A tune kept going
through my head as I relaxed with this gift from nature. After 50 minutes
one female gave a call that sent all the baby goslings and their parents
down to the water for a swim. These images later were added to the tune I
heard that day.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'This song is a lament for Jackie, a boy from my hometown childhood
memories. He was only ten when he drowned in Lake Erie. I always think
of him when I walk on the dock when I'm home with family.'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'A call to responsibility, this song looks at how our five senses
deal with the garbage of our lives. It's like a lullaby, gentle yet
the words are true. "Mother Earth is crying again, crying so softly,
it never ends."'
Music & lyrics
by Jacquelyn Brown
JB: 'I wrote this after watching a National Geographic special.
I was touched deeply by the pain of the baby elephants who
couldn't sleep for weeks after seeing their mother die for the
poacher's prize of ivory.'
