Sacred Music – Ethereal and Sublime

 

I just returned from another visit to Victoria’s blog, whereupon I was intrigued by this week’s Monday Morning Writing Prompt topic of Sacred Music.  Last week was quite extraordinary for me, two funerals and a wedding.  There was no shortage of Sacred Music to be heard and felt as a result.  This particular writing prompt captured my imagination, as I have been surrounded by music all my life, and I easily resonate with its raw beauty and power to transport my mind to another plane.

 

The word sacred evokes the notion of reverence, devotion, or veneration with regard to a higher order of a religious or spiritual nature.  For today’s prompt and reflection that follows, I selected two musical pieces that some may consider to be deeply religious in nature.  I am not, however, a particularly religious person although I do consider myself spiritual.  These musical pieces are excellent examples of what some call prayer, or others meditation; a conversation of a simple creature seeking and reaching out to some higher order power in a uniquely personal and private moment of serenity, tranquility, and beauty.  Inspirational, ethereal, and sublime.

 

I cannot simply put the musical pieces up without a set-up;  I am after all a musical geek.  Both pieces are commonly known as the Ave Maria.  First is my absolute favorite version, written by Charles Gounod in 1859 as a melody superimposed over J.S. Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C Major written in 1722.  The lyric is the Hail Mary prayer in Latin.

Ave Maria – C. Gounod (1859) sung by Jessye Norman

 

 

The second selection, also a personal favorite,  is commonly known as the Ave Maria, however it is actually Ellens dritter Gesang (Ellen’s Third Song), written by Franz Schubert in 1825.  The song was part of a seven song Opus, a German translation of Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake epic poem.  The original lyrics of the song begin with Ellen praying to the Virgin Mary to protect her and her father from harm as they hid in exile in caves near Lake Katrine from their enemies.

Ellens dritter Gesang (Ave Maria) – F. Schubert (1825) sung by Barbara Bonney

 

 

I can be an incredibly long-winded person, almost never at a loss for words, but as I close my eyes to listen and reflect upon this sacred music, I am moved and filled with a simple thought:

 

Life is beautiful.

 

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Random Wedding Reflections

 

Yesterday was the wedding day of the daughter of friends of ours.  The venue was beautiful, the weather quite nice for November, and the reception an immensely enjoyable occasion.  All in all, it was a long but fun day.  Sitting in the Chapel, we were treated to delightful music from a chamber ensemble and harpist, setting a serene and tranquil mood as we waited for the big event.  Our friends are accomplished musicians and I just knew they would deliver a first rate experience musically with their selections; they did not disappoint.  When the time arrived for the wedding procession, a full choral group of singers along with the chamber orchestra and harpist delivered a perfect rendition of Wagner’s “Treulich Geführt”, otherwise known to just about everyone else in the Western World simply as the “Bridal March.”

 

Opera geek that I am, I knew it came from Lohengrin, a Wagner Opera written and performed in 1850, more than 160 years ago.  For people of today, the melody is immediately recognizable and is etched in just about everyone’s conscious mind, linked to the image of bride proceeding down the aisle to her groom-soon-to-be husband.  It’s familiarity is so strong that my mind began wandering as it so often does.  I began to wonder, what kind of reaction did Wagner’s first audiences have to this music when they first heard it, with virgin ears and no familiarity with the melody; with no frame of reference other than visual cues from the stage?  What kind of impact did it have?  How delightful must it have been to hear something new and so beautiful?  What kind of emotion did this music evoke from a first time listener?  Did the music compliment the visual betrothal on the stage?

 

Thankfully, my wandering mind was brought back to attention by the beautiful bride and the wedding ceremony.  Either that, or it was my wife nudging and elbowing me in the ribs, snapping me back to attention.  I suppose she’s seen that day-dreamy look on my face before…

Treulich Geführt, from Lohengrin (R. Wagner 1850)

 

 

Enjoy

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La Bohème – Giacomo Puccini (via Random Musings About Opera)

This is something I had been meaning to do for a while. I started a separate blog for a more full exploration of this grandest form of theater so it wouldn’t take up too much space on my Random Thoughts Blog. If you feel inclined to take a peek at a full Opera, read on and visit my Random Musings about Opera blog. It’s not a stuffy pretentious look, but a more mainstream introduction to one of my favorite art forms.

La Bohème, French for The Bohemian Woman, is an adaptation of a French Novel Scènes de la Vie de Bohème (Scenes of Behemian Life) written by Henri Murger.  The Opera was composed by Giacomo Puccini with the libretto written by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.  La Bohème premiered on February 1, 1896.  It is a Opera in four acts, each a different scene and setting in the lives of six bohemians living in Paris around 1830.  The cast is as follows … Read More

via Random Musings About Opera

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Inspired by the Moon

It has been a rainy week here and while I realize the full moon occurred a few nights ago, this evening was the first break in the clouds that allowed me to see the nearly full moon as it starts its inevitable wane to nothingness. It was good to see that moon shining down, if only for a few fleeting hours between the cloud breaks. I’ve written before about how the moon is a major source of inspiration for all, including artists, poets, writers, and composers. In that spirit, I will choose another nice piece written by Vincenzo Bellini in 1838 – a mere 173 years ago. It is sung by a favorite mezzo-soprano of mine, Cecilia Bartoli.

Vaga luna, che inargenti

Vincenzo Bellini (1838)

Lyrics in Italian:

Vaga luna, che inargenti
queste rive e questi fiori
ed inspiri agli elementi
il linguaggio dell’amor;

testimonio or sei tu sola
del mio fervido desir,
ed a lei che m’innamora
conta i palpiti e i sospir.

Dille pur che lontananza
il mio duol non può lenir,
che se nutro una speranza,
ella è sol nell’avvenir.

Dille pur che giorno e sera
conto l’ore del dolor,
che una speme lusinghiera
mi conforta nell’amor.

English translation:

Beautiful moon, dappling with silver
These banks and flowers,
Evoking from the elements
The language of love

Only you are witness
To my ardent desire;
Go tell her, tell my beloved
How much I long for her and sigh.

Tell her that with her so far away,
My grief can never be allayed,
That the only hope I cherish
Is for my future to be spent with her.

Tell her that day and night
I count the hours of my yearning,
That hope, a sweet hope beckons,
And comforts me in my love.

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Who Says Opera Can’t Be Fun?

I’m here to dispel a few notions that Opera is not fun. Opera is the mother of all modern day musicals and the grandmother of all music videos. Long before the movie moguls transported this art-form to celluloid film medium, Opera was the only form of musical theater in existence, and was so for several hundred years before movies. The concept of meshing music with visual imagery is not an invention of MTV. So sit back and take a look at the lighter side of an aria, one that isn’t afraid to poke a little bit of fun at itself, giving the audience a little wink and a nod.

The following clip is from the Opera “Les contes d’Hoffmann” composed by Jacques Offenbach and first performed in 1881 in Paris. Our protagonist Hoffman falls in love with Olympia, a mechanical doll. He isn’t initially aware that it is a mechanical doll, and its creator has convinced our Hoffman to wear a pair of rose-colored glasses to help with the illusion.

The aria that follows is Olympia’s debut to the public and to Hoffman who is really impressed and well, let’s say taken. She sings “Les oiseaux dans la charmille” (The birds in the bushes). As a mechanical doll however, Olympia is in need of an occasional “adjustment and winding” when she runs out of power. I’d say the following interpretation is quite er… um… interesting. Enjoy!

I’ve got to hand it to the French – they sure know how to have a bit of naughty fun at the Grand Opera.

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Spanish Guitar

It’s late at night and I’ve just finished an incredibly long week at work, reading dozens of proposals and edits into the wee hours of each morning. So, how to unwind from all the stress in order to get some sleep? Music is my elixir, easing me into a serene and peaceful state of mind, washing away the stress and chaos of the day. So much to choose from, but tonight I am in the mood for some classical guitar, otherwise known as Spanish Guitar.

The following selection is Recuerdos de la Alhambra, written by F. Tárrega, and performed by Enno Voorhorst. Now for some reason unknown to me, he decided to perform it outdoors in a snow-blanketed garden. While I have no idea why he would want to do that, after listening to the recording I am entirely grateful he did, whatever the reason. Beautiful. Hypnotic. Soothing.

Well now it’s time to head off to sleep. Sweet dreams everyone.

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