L.Ciampa: Postlude on Foundation
Foundation is an anonymous melody from the American colonies. It was first published by Joseph Funk in A Compilation of Genuine Church Music (Winchester, VA, 1832). It appeared again three years later in William Walkerʼs famous Southern Harmony. In those days, the tune was known as Protection. However, it became so closely associated with the 1787 text (also anonymous), “How Firm a Foundation”, that unsurprisingly the name Foundation took hold. Foundation was once one of the most popular church hymns in America.
Postlude on ‘Foundationʼ was composed for a church service in January, 2007, and not heard (or even thought about) again until three-and-a-half years later, when on 6 June 2010 it was performed at the glorious Methuen Memorial Music Hall. Also premièred that memorable afternoon in Methuen was Lenten Amethyst (Op. 207, No. 2) and Meditation on ʽBarbara Allenʼ (Op. 215).
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