Recording of “The Lenten Sketches” service on Good Friday

On Friday, April 7th at 7:30 p.m., St. Mark’s was pleased to present The Lenten Sketches: Suffering, Forgiveness & Rebirth a solemn service for Good Friday featuring our choir and chamber orchestra.  The service is a cantata composed by Joseph M. Martin, who described it thusly:

From poets and painters to singers and sculptors, the human spirit has long labored to convey through artistic expression the deep, deep things of faith. So vast is this great mystery that no canvas can capture it and no song can fully express its beauty and emotion.

For many years I have wanted to do a cantata based on works of sacred art. In this work, I have chosen to focus on some of the important scenes in the last days of Christ’s life and with words and music build a frame to cradle God’s Masterpiece of grace. As we gather to reflect and pray, may our art be redeemed by divine purpose and our music motivated by the spirit of worship. May we offer our simple gifts of sound and sight as a testimony to the faith we long to honor and share. May we cradle in our humble frames the work of the Master Artist and may the chapels of our hearts display His beautiful portrait of grace.