D5

By MIRKO PETRICEVIC
The Canadian Press

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

WATERLOO, Ont. - Musician Carl Schropp's idea of the best beat in the world might be the rhythm on his new album - but it's also the movement inside his chest.

Enlarge Photo

The Canadian Press

Carl Schropp holds his new CD which he recorded in the chapel at St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, Ont.

Schropp is so thankful for the quadruple heart bypass he received at St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener last year that he recorded a CD of sacred music and is donating proceeds from the sales to the hospital's fundraising foundation.

"The nurses, those doctors, they do such a good job," said Schropp in a brief interview.

While recovering from surgery, Schropp occasionally visited the hospital chapel and prayed.

"To thank God you're still there," he quipped.

The Waterloo man said the chapel was the place he was struck with the idea to thank the people who took care of him.

A longtime choir leader, Schropp decided donating the proceeds of a sacred-music CD was the best way of expressing his gratitude.

So one day last spring a crew of sound technicians transformed the hospital's chapel into a recording studio.

Schropp said he had been feeling under the weather for about two weeks before the recording session, so he was nervous about how his voice would sound.

Something told him to say a little prayer. So he went to the chapel's statue of the Virgin Mary and pleaded for a little divine intervention.

For the next three hours Schropp, accompanied on piano by Danny McKellar, ran straight through a dozen tunes.

Songs on the CD, entitled Rejoice! A Celebration of Life, include old standards Ave Maria and Panis Angelicus in Latin and, in English, The Lord's Prayer and How Great Thou Art. Also, one song is a solo by accompanist McKellar.

The CD, which sells for $20, is available by contacting Schropp at ccschropp@golden.net.