Lexington Presbyterian Church
Post-Worship Treat
Sunday, July 31, 2022

William McCorkle plays the C. B. Fisk pipe organ, opus 128 (2007)
Benjamin Carr: Variations to the Sicilian Hymn

The ‘Sicilian Hymn’ (often called ‘Sicilian Mariners’), thought to be a tune of Sicilian origin, gained currency in late 18th-century England. We associate this tune with the hymn text “Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing,” by the English (Baptist) minister and hymn writer, John Fawcett (1740-1817).

Organists throughout time have composed variations on hymn melodies. Benjamin Carr (1769-1831), born in London, was in Philadelphia at least from 1793, where, with his father and brother, he established a thriving music publishing business. A popular singer and keyboardist, Carr composed a number of popular and patriotic songs, as well as more ‘standard’ voluntaries and hymn-based works.

This work is in the public domain.