image: cherubs from Raphael’s The Sistine Madonna
Gifted Canadian songwriter, Leonard Cohen, recorded an album in 1984 he titled, “Various Positions.” One track from the album did not do very well for Cohen yet found much popular and critical success after being covered by other artists, most notably by Jeff Buckley who recorded a version of the song in 1994 after hearing a John Cale adaptation. Over 300 recordings of various revision have been made of Leonard Cohen’s song, Hallelujah.
Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing “Hallelujah”
Cohen authored around 80 verses when composing Hallelujah and was known to sing differing arrangements, using some of the unrecorded prose, during live performances. Hallelujah is said to describe an argument with God from the perspective of somebody who feels as though they always disappoint other people. Deep and thought provoking, not overly uplifting; apart from a soulfully magnificent melody. Christians have set their own lyrics to Hallelujah’s rising, powerful sound and emotive cry of, “Hallelujah!” creating beautiful spiritual song.
Which brings us from North America to the isles of the United Kingdom.
In Northern Ireland rests a special school called Killard House. Established 1958, Killard House moved in 2009 from it’s original family home location in Newtownards into their present school facility located along Cannyreagh Road in the bay town of Donaghadee, Ireland. The student body of over 200 pupils range in age from 3-19; some have speech and/or hearing challenges that make learning difficult, others have found diagnoses all along the autism spectrum. Like most schools, Killard House has a full array of programmes and activities for the children to enjoy, including a cherubic school choir performing songs of the season for a Christmas Concert. It’s a beautiful holiday experience for many Christian families, listening to the pure, sweet voices of uniformly garbed children raised in unison and praise. The Killard House School Choir offers all of the usual pleasures found at a Christmas concert performed by children, bringing a wee bit more fidgeting about than might be observed during chorale presentations enjoyed in most local schools and churches. This Irish school choir has more than restlessness to distinguish them from other children’s singing groups, there is also a tender treasure in their class named, Kaylee Rogers.
Little Kaylee is a primarily non-verbal autistic child, also diagnosed with ADHD. A shy child, she barely spoke a word her whole life, all thoughts and feelings trapped inside her head, unable to find a way out using verbal expression. Until, she was taught how to sing. This amazing young girl is able to enunciate thought and phrase when same is set to song. She is also able to learn and memorise the words to songs and sing her little heart and soul out! Freedom from entrapment! Kaylee’s spirit soars when she sings, and she brings every listener with her, lifting hearts with her most gracious gift of song.
A few years ago, Killard House had their Christmas concert professionally filmed and produced so as to create a timeless keepsake for students and their friends and families. After going public with the video on YouTube, the school could no longer keep their secret to themselves. We all have opportunity to enjoy a joyous moment with then, ten-year-old Kaylee Rogers and the Killard House School Choir as these precious children celebrate God’s great gift to mankind that we call, Christmas.
Hallelujah!
(YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Bmx–WjeN7o)
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