"THE BAYS" ON BANK STREET
It's always a touching privilege to hear my late father, Rev. Alex Muir's most well-known Psalm tune composition (and subsequently also bagpipe air), "Bays of Harris", sung in public worship.
In this particular instance from a few years ago at the #FreeNorth Inverness congregation of the @FreeChurchOfScotland on Bank Street, renowned choral conductor, Elaine Kirkham's choir - aptly named "Acclaim"- led the assembled gathering in a rousing rendition of "Bays of Harris" at the culmination of a charitable concert.
Furthermore, here my father's composition is sung to to the words he originally wrote the piece for, those of Psalm 63 from the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter: "Lord, thee my God, I’ll early seek: my soul doth thirst for thee". The musical notation and lyrics can be found in the book compilation of my father's Biblically-themed spiritual song compositions, "Songs Of Prayer and Praise".
"Bays of Harris" was composed in the summer of 1986 at the home of the much-loved Harris Tweed weaver, Alasdair Mór Campbell and his wife Kitty of local legend, in the Southeast Harris coastal village of Drinishader.
The choral rendition thereof in this video was part of a lively, multi-genre concert hosted by the capacious @FreeNorthChurchInverness riverside congregation, in aid of the Highland Capital's "Haven" charity supporting adults with disabilities and their carers.
Fond musical memories, all!
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