Musically Speaking

In this week’s episode, we listen to one of the most quietly powerful voices in modern music. Jennifer Warnes is best known for her unforgettable duets and her interpretations of Leonard Cohen’s songs, but her gift runs deeper, carrying a kind of quiet grace that lingers long after the song ends.

Here’s a YouTube playlist of the album Famous Blue Raincoat: https://youtu.be/tNYiMxHbcE4?si=BiMm1JwSlk9yaK-m

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we hear three of my eighth-grade students sing Dona Nobis Pacem as a round and explore why canons are more than warm-ups. Canons help singers grow in independence, blend, and harmony, making them one of the best tools for choirs of any age.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we explore Joachim Neander’s hymn Wondrous King, All-Glorious, and reflect on how singing it before dinner became a surprising moment of connection both in our home and online. We consider what makes table singing so meaningful, why this hymn is a treasure, and how incorporating hymns into daily life reshapes our experience of community.

Here's a link to the viral singing reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO2POO3DLb4/

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we consider how singing polyphonic music trains our ears for harmony, strengthens independent musicianship, and builds music literacy. With examples from Victoria and Byrd, we explore how this music shapes both singers and listeners.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

Here’s a link to listen to the Victoria “O Magnum Mysterium” piece with sheet music: https://youtu.be/9xPh-fXYAc4

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we reflect on hymns that guide us through moments of grief and turning. From Abide with Me to A Mighty Fortress, these hymns, among others, help us lift our eyes from sorrow to the sure hope that God’s kingdom remains.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we hear how pianist Jacques Loussier and his trio reimagined Bach with the swing of a jazz rhythm section. From the famous Air on a G String to the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, these works remind us that sometimes all they need is a modern genre like jazz to bridge the gap and let us hear just how vibrant they would have sounded when first created.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

Here’s a link to a live performance in Leipzig in the church where Bach is buried: https://youtu.be/BFEj7NfIRY0

Here’s Trio X of Sweden’s version of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9HHNbQYoJo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we consider why certain voices move us even when they sound rough around the edges. These are voices that break the mold, resist polish, and still draw us in. What makes them so compelling?

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

Here’s a few listening links. First is Leonard Cohen’s “If It Be Your Will”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fICsHinJNbc

Here’s Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zDt8xyVKtw

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we look at how the familiar Doxology, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,” was not originally a stand-alone hymn. It was the shared ending of three different texts by Bishop Thomas Ken. Morning, Evening, and even Midnight devotion all resolve in the same four lines of praise, a pattern that still teaches us how to frame our days.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

Here’s a link to a PDF of the Doxology: https://shorturl.fm/JyR4l

Here’s a recording of the whole thing from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Austin: https://redeemerpres.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Doxology-Old-Hundredth.mp3

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this week’s episode, we consider Chris Stapleton’s Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore and why it leaves such a lasting impression. Along the way, we’ll make a surprising connection to a classic country hit and explore what makes songs like this worth returning to again and again.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

Here’s the links promised in the episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nTch_IbOHE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es1uCh48TNY

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com

In this episode, we look at the life and legacy of Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895), who wrote many hymns for children, including All Things Bright and Beautiful, Once in Royal David’s City, and There Is a Green Hill Far Away—but whose poetic clarity and theological depth often surpass what many churches sing for adults today. We explore how her lyrics arm young worshipers with truth, invite children of all ages into the riches of the faith, and challenge some of our modern expectations for congregational song.

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features five minutes of music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com