Containing a variety of musical styles and topics, Love and Grace not only provides a treasury of music for the celebration of Eucharist, but also offers a perfect resource for retreats, workshops and personal prayer. Dan employs the richness of guitar, piano and organ, along with string, wind and brass instruments, to create music that is welcoming and accessible. Each song is intertwined with the next as the collection moves from themes of praise and worship to prayer and quiet reflection.
Dan honors the rich musical tradition of the past by employing a striking rendition of the "Kyrie" from Palestrina's Missa pro Defunctis to introduce "Saints and Beloved of God," a piece that honors all the saintly men and women who have walked the path of faith before us. Peaceful and angelic, this song calls us to recognize the guiding inspiration of the holy ones who live now in eternity but still accompany us on our journey home to God.
Like Pope Francis' papal encyclical, Laudato Si', Dan's "Canticle of Creation" was inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures," where the saint perceives all creation to be a reflection of the beauty of God. Joyful and uplifting, Dan's hymn gently urges us to see with Saint Francis' conviction that all creation, including our own selves, is holy and, therefore, deserving of our utmost care and reverence.
