The Music of Living

I see the world and live life through music. The same is true for Jeff. Part of that is in the DNA of who we are, and part of that has been nurtured. We're both very lucky to have grown up in families and church communities that nurtured this. 

Yesterday, my piano teacher passed away. The legacy of nurtured music she leaves behind is immense and the many memories of her contributions to church and community music pouring in this week have been inspiring and wonderful to read. Music teachers usually teach their students notes... she taught me that talent is something God entrusts us with to share with humility. She taught me that listening makes us better not just in music, but in all areas of life. She helped me discover the great joy that is found in making music with others (far more joy, it turns out, than being a soloist!) and she taught me that approaching music (and all of life) needs to be with the whole self and the right attitude. I have been able to choose a life filled with music, in part, because of her teaching, and this has been a gift bigger and more meaningful than I can ever express.

It's usually most appropriate to play somber and quiet pieces of music for memorials. Today, I just can't. The gift of music is something to celebrate and be immensely thankful for. So today, I remember someone who nurtured the gift of music for me by singing Dan Forrest's celebration anthem, "The Music of Living".

Giver of life

Creator of all that is lovely

Teach me to sing the words to your song. 

I want to feel the music of living

And not fear the sad songs

But from them make new songs

Composed of both laughter and tears.

Giver of life

Creator of all that is lovely

Teach me to dance through the sounds of your world. 

I want to move in rhythm with your plan

Help me to follow your leading

To risk even falling

To rise and keep trying

For you are leading the dance

Giver of life

Creator of all that is lovely

Teach me to sing the words to your song. 

Oxford in Voice

Over the past six months, The University of Oxford released a wonderful documentary (in six parts) about its all the factors that contribute to it's world class choral music- and Oxford choirs make some incredible music. We really enjoyed it and hope you do, too. 

The Choir

The Organ

The Mind

The Composer

The Voices

Christmas

Christmas Music

A few people have asked me if I'm going to do a series on Christmas music again this year. The answer is yes... but in a different way than last year. Jeff and I are both craving more calm and simplicity in life, so we've decided to make this Christmas a very simple one. In this spirit, I'm going to share a piece of Christmas music every day in December but forgo themes, categories, and a whole lot of commentary. It's just going to be Christmas music that we love. We hope you'll enjoy it, too.

October

Seemingly overnight, we went from an extended Indian Summer to a chilly, windy, wet fall. T'is the season for galoshes and warm drinks in front of the fire. As such, this soundtrack fits well. 

Special Lullaby

One of my best friends lives far, far away. Today is her birthday. And I would like nothing more than to have coffee with her and chat... in person. We have plans to do that over video Skype next week, but it's not the same as being in person. A few years ago, she recorded a wonderful Strauss piece with the Wellington Winds. She's a fantastic soprano- those of you who were at my wedding will remember her singing. In honor of her birthday, I thought I'd share.

Happy Birthday SandyPants! I miss you tons and tons and tons.

Beim Schlafengehn (While going to sleep)

Now that the day has made me so tired, 

my dearest longings shall be accepted kindly by the starry night like a weary child. 

Hands, cease your activity; head, forget all of your thoughts; 

all my senses now will sink into slumber. 

And my soul, unobserved, will float about on untrammeled wings 

in the enchanted circle of the night, living a thousandfold more deeply.

Jonathan's new violin

A long time ago, I played duets in church with a boy who played the violin. He grew up to become the Concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony, and then, the Toronto Symphony. And now, he's playing a remarkable violin.

Gopher Tuna

It's no secret that I LOVE choral music. What I don't like, however, is choral music sung without diction. Unfortunately, this happens often. It usually drives me nuts.

O Fortuna from Carmina Burana is a fairly well known choral piece, but one easily prone to unclear diction. Jeff found this animation that has had us both in stitches... and him singing these "new" lyrics with great gusto (particularly when weeding outside in the garden).  

Here are the original Latin lyrics, if you're curious.

Dryer Song

Last year at about this time, I was frantically finishing a term paper when our dryer blew up. No joke. There was a loud bang, a series of sparks, a little smoke, and a dead dryer. Since spring is not the time on the West Coast to reliably hang laundry out to dry (and the old dryer was beyond repair), Jeff set off to find a replacement. Because my head was burried deep in a paper, I could only think of one requirement- the colour. In all honesty, I rely on Jeff to make all technical decisions in our life, so sending him off to buy an appliance on his own really isn't a big thing for us.

In the end, Jeff chose the dryer that happened to be on sale that weekend, and we ended up with a few extra features that otherwise, we would have passed over. And those extras, I'm sad to admit, are wonderful. Having an extra large drum came in so handy when washing our nephew's damp camping gear (8 blankets) a few weeks back, and I love that the moisture sensor shuts the dryer off when its contents are dry, instead of cooking them to a crisp. But most of all, I LOVE that it plays a happy song when it is finished a cycle. 

Since crawling out from under my MA rock a few weeks back, I've noticed a whole number of things in our house that I was oblivious to for the past year (or two). You know- dirt in corners, messy drawers, layers of dust- that sort of thing. And I really noticed our dryer song. I was puttering in the laundry room this week when the dryer song went off, and I caught myself absently playing along an accompaniment on the laundry counter. I actually had to look down at what I was tapping out to realize song I was playing. I can't believe it took me a year to realize that my dryer sings Schubert's "Die Forelle".

Now... the oddest thing is that "Die Forelle" is actually a song about a trout. I can't imagine what a fish has to do with my dryer. Hopefully, NOTHING! Here is the original piece, complete with the piano accompaniment that is, apparently, stuck somewhere between my subconscious and my fingers.

It somehow seem so fitting that Jeff and I have a dryer that plays Schubert.

And that's probably the most random and weird sentence I have written in all my life.

Here are two more arrangements of this very sweet tune, for solo piano and for piano quintet. I can't imagine that doing laundry here will ever quite be the same!

The Sound of Hope

If you look at the heart of the Easter story, it's message is one of salvation, and of hope.

On Easter Sunday, Jeff and I came home and decided to put up our feet after what had been a very enjoyable, but very busy weekend. We don't watch much TV but for some reason, we turned it on and happened upon the final segment in this week's episode of 60 Minutes. I don't know why we tuned into this particular show (one we don't usually watch) or why we turned on the TV in perfect time to catch this particular segment. What I do know, however, is that it was one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen. If you like music, I can not encourage you enough to take 13 minutes to watch it (click here). 

I really believe that this is what hope sounds like.

Photos all from Le Figaro by Vincent Boisot 

Toward Easter part 8: Good Friday

Good Friday is a day of quiet contemplation for me. Music today is therefore, fairly subdued and reflective.

           At The Foot of The Cross by Lee and Susan Dengler
           Were You There? arranged and performed by Finish acapella sextet Rajaton
           When I Survey The Wondrous Cross by Dan Forrest

           (click on any of the song titles to listen to them)

For many years, I sang with the Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic choir. On Good Friday, we sang either the St. John or St. Matthew Passion, and these pieces made me fall in love with Bach (who previously, had been my great nemesis). This music is not for everyone, but it really is a big part of my Good Friday. I am planning to listen to the entire St. Matthew Passion here and St. John Passion here. Here are two fine excerpts:

Ruht Wohl, final piece of the St. John Passion by Bach, performed by the Bach Collegium of Japan

O Sacred Head Now Wounded, chorale from the St. Matthew Passion, performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.

Toward Easter part 7: Maundy Thursday

Passover begins tomorrow. Until a few years ago, I had no idea what Passover was... and now it is an important part of our Easter weekend celebrations. Passover is actually a Jewish festival that commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. In recent years, Passover has fallen on Easter weekend and I find this reminder of deliverance and God's faithfulness makes a wonderful beginning to celebrating the lows and highs of Easter . Tonight, we're getting together with friends for a Seder Meal, complete with Matzah, the Exodus story and a time of worship and singing.

When I think of Passover, can not help humming the South African folk song, "Freedom is Coming". As we celebrate Passover today and continue moving toward Easter on Sunday, I think it's a very fitting tune to sing.

Perspective

Jeff and I were really taken with an article we read on the weekend about the Berliner Philharmoniker. The orchestra took a fantastically innovative approach to their marketing posters this year:

all images courtesy of the Berliner Philharmoniker via Behance Network  

In case you're wondering, the images are taken on the insides of a violin, flute, cello (2) and pipe organ. Aren't they beautiful? You can only imagine how Jeff, who designs robotic mini cameras by day and musical instruments by hobby, is absolutely "humming" about this.