Welcome to Music for Life, enhancing the Armstrong concert experience. I'm your host, Ryan Malone. In today's episode, we will play the last half of a concert presented in Armstrong Auditorium on April 19th, 2018. This concert was the world premiere of a new oratorio setting to music the illustrious history of one of the Old Testament's most revered figures, Abraham. The concert was presented by the Herbert W. Armstrong College Choral Union, faculty soloists, and the Professional Symphony Orchestra. So stick around as we replay the second half of Abraham today on Music for Life.
In our last episode, we played the first half of my oratorio, Abraham, which premiered here April 19th, 2018, presented by a 70-member Herbert W. Armstrong College Choral Union and a 31-piece professional symphony orchestra, all under the baton of our assistant music director, Mark Jenkins, for this performance. The two main soloists were yours truly in the title role, my wife Paula Malone as Abraham's wife Sarah, the role of Hagar was sung by mezzo-soprano Pamela Williams, a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as a frequent soloist across the United States, and the role of Isaac was sung by Joel Hilliker, who we'll hear in today's portion. We pick up where we left off, Melchizedek, represented by a male chorus, and... Two angels, represented by a female chorus, are visiting Abraham and Sarah, and here Melchizedek promises they both will conceive a son in their old age. This is a movement called Promises, and then we hear Sarah's disbelief at this idea in the next movement titled Laughter, followed by God's reply in the final song of part one, Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Part two begins with a movement titled Intercession, where Abraham pleads for any righteous, including his nephew, who are living in a city God plans to destroy. We'll listen to all these movements without interruption, including the one following that, Rejoice, O Baron, where Sarah sings for joy at a celebration for her son Isaac.
Thank you.
You are listening to Music for Life. I'm your host, Ryan Malone. This is KPCG. In today's episode, we are playing the second half of a concert presented in Armstrong Auditorium on April 19th, 2018, the world premiere of a new oratorio, Abraham.
The next set of movements we're going to hear from this are Cast Them Out, where Sarah insists on Hagar's and Ishmael's banishment after Ishmael taunts Isaac. Then the movements God Will Provide and Thirst, where Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, then miraculously saved from death on their journey away from Abraham. Then the movement By Faith, where Abraham proclaims his faith in God's promises, despite the fact that God has just asked him to sacrifice his promised Isaac. Followed by the movement God Will Provide Reprise, the climactic movement where Abraham prepares Isaac as an offering, but is stopped by an angel before going through with the sacrifice. Following this, we have the male chorus singing Now I Know, where God is certain of Abraham's obedience and promises incredible unconditional blessings.
By faith I pay this brand. By faith I know that God the death slid. This knife has already cut off his life. But God's covenant he will keep. No doubt or unbelief will cause my faith to waver in this storm. But stronger now it glows. God's glory in me grows. But he has. Yes, he will now. Our servants wait. Which God foreordained. The offering he ordered.
to be slain. A lamb without blemish, a lamb without spot, a pure sacrifice is bound for this lot. God will provide, God will provide. Every need is already supplied. The things we require, I silently wait. A lamb to the slaughter, he heals to this fate.
The lamb has been chosen, which God foreordained. The offering he ordered is bound to be slain. I give to my lamb the best of my best. You are listening to Music for Life. I'm your host, Ryan Malone. This is KPCG. In today's episode, we have heard the last half of a concert presented in Armstrong Auditorium on April 19th, 2018, the world premiere of a new oratorio, Abraham, presented by the Herbert W. Armstrong College Choral Union, faculty soloists, and a professional symphony orchestra. We'll conclude today's episode with the finale or epilogue movement titled Reach for That City. I hope you enjoy.
Not all this life be a stranger's ear, yet a better home than we pursue. We seek a lasting city, which is just beyond our clutch. I see it in the distance, it's close enough to talk. So we reach for that city, we live inside and stretch our hands. We're weary, weary of the promise of this lasting city.
You have been listening to Music for Life, a production of KPCG 101.3 on the FM dial in Edmond, Oklahoma. From the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus, I'm Ryan Malone. Thanks for joining me.