Yes, it's too early for Christmas music!

But heaven help me. I'm too sad. There's too much garbage going on in the world. But I will not discuss it.

Most of us love Christmas music, and this is really superb. I loooooooooove ancient music. I will admit that Medieval and Renaissance music in general is an acquired taste, but Baroque... well, this is just sublime. It will get you in the Christmas spirit. I'm not advocating that you skip Advent, but if you (like me) need some peace in your soul, seriously, give this ensemble a listen. Beautiful hymns and carols, and a very talented group of singers and musicians.

We will reclaim the culture through beauty. That is all.



PS this video is not narrated in English. Yet at the very end I heard the name "John Rutter," and John Rutter is NOT a Baroque composer (but his music is also sublime! We will leave that for another day.) Enjoy, and God bless your day! (Just 6-odd weeks till Christmas!!!)
.

Oh dear; I'm about to go on Audrey overload

For as much as I love Audrey Assad, I have to admit that I don't own ANY of her albums. Isn't that the worst? A Christmas or two ago, I'd bought Fortunate Fall for my daughter. Then I "borrowed" the CD, and still haven't given it back. (She's OK with that, since she ripped the album into her iTunes library.)

To expand my Audrey repertoire, I've been listening to her tracks and playlists on YouTube, and loving everything I hear. Then I went to the iTunes Store and previewed all her tracks from all her albums, and I gotta say, I HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THEM. That is all. This fantastic song is from her album Heart:



This is a great live version. Want the official video with lyrics? Go here. 

Do not be troubled; His eye is on the sparrow. Have a great day.

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest

But I suppose there are various ways to define "rest." One thinks of the phrase, "A change is as good as a rest," and today I will have to hew to that version. After Mass, we're heading north (45 miles) to visit my husband's parents for the afternoon. In the evening, Hubby is going to drive our teens back to the parish for youth group, but I'm staying in town to see Faure's Requiem (woot! All my life I've longed to see that performed). I hope to catch a ride back home with a friend. Fingers crossed that it will all work out, and that the weather will cooperate (yesterday we had a blizzard, so you never know.)

But back to the idea of "rest."  There is this concept of "Resting in the Lord," and it's something we should strive to do on a regular basis, whether it's Sunday or not. Most people I know (including yours truly) seem inordinately stressed a lot of the time; it just seems to be the way life is. And there are no signs of it letting up, especially as postmodern society gets more bizarre by the day. 

We need to "get away," which is, I suspect, why people who can afford it --and even some who can't-- take exotic vacations. Some people of faith take pilgrimages to various holy sites in the world; others go on retreat as often as they can. But sometimes you just can't get away...or can you? 

The answer is yes. It's called prayer. More specifically, contemplative prayer, which mainly just means sitting still and quiet and focussing on God. Which is kind of hard to do, especially if you are a restless sort of person, or if you have a million things to think and worry about. But my main aid in this pursuit is listening to calm worship music. It's a way to touch and commune with God without leaving your bedroom.

One of my favourite artists is Audrey Assad. If you don't know her music, seriously, look her up. She has lengthy playlists on YouTube (not that I recommend those for prayer, since they are interspersed with annoying ads). I have her album Fortunate Fall, but I'm going to acquire more--in fact all of them. I love her that much. She helps me connect with God, and that is no small feat. 

If you have time today (and please try) sit still and listen to this track. And meditate upon the words. 

Lover of my soul, even unto death...

Have a blessed Third Sunday of Lent. 

.

He's a Chain Breaker

Mrs. Pinkerton has graciously invited me to resume blogging, even though I have left her to do all the heavy lifting for the past four years or so. Hence, I have decided I would give up not blogging for Lent. Writing every day is a tough habit to get back into, so I'm going to start small, by sharing something beautiful I first encountered on Christ Pratt's FaceBook page. (Christ Pratt is openly Christian in Hollywood - something even more rare and valuable than a superhero.) Listen to the song, read the lyrics. It's a good meditation with which to end the first day of Lent.


.

Ok, one more video

This is so incredibly cute! I'll bet Frank Sinatra, wherever he is (heaven, I hope) is smiling if he can see her.


.

Touching heaven

Chopin at work

It's possible, and you can do it every day. There are so many ways: love, prayer, good food (as long as you don't overeat), acts of kindness, walking in the park, holding a baby, reading a good book, visiting a friend, wine (again, not too much lol), hugs, great art: MUSIC. Oh my goodness, music.

I get to touch heaven all the time at my house. I am so, SO blessed (in many ways) but in particular because my daughters --all seven of them-- are beautiful and talented musicians (sorry, girls! Moms have to brag sometimes). I have a large CD collection (that makes me sound so old, now that everything is online), and I also stream hours of music through YouTube. I'm SO old, that I'm still afraid of Spotify and Apple Music and other stuff I don't fully understand. But I DO have an iTunes account, and I've even purchased albums online, so there is hope for me yet.

But my greatest joy (artistically speaking) is live music. And I get to hear it nearly every day. My 15-year-old daughter is currently learning this piece. Chopin. Pretty sure I would die without him.

Here is the great Vladimir Ashkenazy. I have his 5-CD set The Chopin Experience (Mrs Beazly, get a load of this price!! Aren't you glad you bought it in 1996 for a bit less?)



There there is THIS GUY. I am so proud he's Canadian (though everyone calls him "Polish-Canadian," which is OK, because he is the son of Polish immigrants. Chopin was Polish too, despite the French name. What is it with those artistic Poles? Thank God for them anyway).

To call Jan Lisiecki a 'prodigy' is a misnomer, even though he finished high school when he was like 12 or something, and he's been an internationally touring concert pianist since he was 15. I have seen him perform three whole times. It is a sublime experience, as you may well imagine.



We were not allowed to take pictures during the performance, of course; I took this before Jan took to the stage. We were front row, centre. The picture is horrible, dark and blurry, but it's proof (yes, thanks to Google, spying on us 24/7 through our smartphones, I can prove that this picture was taken at the foot of the stage on the night Jan Lisiecki performed at TCU Place in Saskatoon last September). I was close enough to stand up and touch his shoe. Which of course I didn't do, because I did not want to frighten Mr. Lisiecki, or be arrested.

This is kind of cool

And in order to enjoy it, you don't even have to be a rabid David Bowie fan, which I sort of am. Apparently this choir came together on 24 hours' notice or something crazy like that. The unifying power of music. The choir comprises old, young, cool, nerdy, the works. Must have been great fun.



(Hat tip: Saskatoon Symphony on Facebook.)
.

Because the Neo-Citran isn't working

I've been sick for a few days now. I thought it was a cold at first, but now I'm getting flu-like symptoms. Which is really annoying, because I got a flu shot earlier this fall. (My arm still hurts! I'm gonna guess that's not normal.) I can't sleep at night, which means that I don't get much done during the day, except for tutoring my daughter, as she sits on the edge of my bed, and blogging, and listening to Jordan Peterson vids and podcasts. 

Posted on FB by a friend... and it's so true!

Time for some serious therapy:

That awkward moment when the Avett Brothers sum up your entire existence

In one lyric. To wit:

And the person I am, and the person I'll be
Refuse to meet

From their wondrous album The Second Gleam. I love the Avetts because the Avetts are artists. They are flawed human beings (what ho! aren't we all), but they are true artists. Their music is amazing (even the early, raw, rough-edged, shouty songs). Some of the tunes are just crazy and fun, but some are deep and introspective. And like all good art, it leads me, one way or another, towards God. I'll explain this further at some point. 

"Let new and nobler life begin"

Happy New Liturgical Year! It's Advent, and thus the beginning of a new cycle in the Christian liturgical calendar. Every year, I try not to be overwhelmed by busy-ness, but instead try to focus on the spiritual meaning of the pre-Christmas season. This year I did what I have never done before at this time of year: attend an Advent retreat. And what a great idea that was. I hope to do something like this every year from now on.

Avett Love, continued.

What makes them tick? asks the filmmaker.  Hint: "Love one another" is a good place to begin. I can't wait to see this movie.


This remains one of the most exquisitely crafted songs ever written:

Some New Year's cheer

Because we need it. The kids and I have been watching these episodes lately. Buying this set was one of the best entertainment investments I've ever made. It's a tad pricier on Amazon.ca now…sheesh!! The complete series is much more reasonable (as usual) on Amazon.com. If you don't wish to purchase, maybe your local library has them. Or maybe Netflix will put them on someday; you never know. So funny. (And no, good Lord, this song has nothing to do with atom bombs. The series is set in the 1920s.)


.

A vastly underappreciated hymn

I have loved this Christmas song ever since I first heard it on The Bishop's Wife, but in vain did I struggle to know more about it. In those days, there was no internet, and I could not find out who wrote it, or what it was called, or anything. I even thought it might be an original piece that had been written for the film.

Thanks to Google and YouTube (and eventually iTunes), not only did I find out about it, but I purchased a version of it (but not, alas, the one below). The hymn/anthem is a 19th century piece: the English title is "O Sing to God" and the words were written by Rev. Benjamin Webb. The music (original Title: "Noël: Montez à Dieu") was composed by Charles François Gounod (yes, the Ave Maria guy). I found this information, and much more, at this site, The Hymns and Carols of Christmas.

The thing that makes me really really sad is that there are SO FEW recordings of this hymn! (You know you are truly desperate when you resort to listening to a scratchy 1916 recording on YouTube.) I cannot  fathom why some of those great choirs kicking around (King's College, Cambridge, I'm looking at you) have not recorded this piece on any of their Christmas albums. If I'm wrong, please let me know! I've searched high and low online but I can't find any professionally recorded choral renditions. The version I purchased was by French Canadian tenor Richard Verreau, which is simply lovely (indeed, the entire album, Un Grand Noel Classique is sublime).

I would love to find a CD or mp3 file of a good children's/boys (or any!) choir singing this piece--the few versions on YouTube are mostly amateur, and leave much to be desired for audio quality. As does the clip from the Cary Grant movie below, delightful though it certainly is.

This arrangement is original to the film, as they do a bit of juggling and omitting with the original lyrics, but it's still extremely beautiful, and gives me shivers every single time I hear it. Enjoy.



The Robert Mitchell Boys Choir appeared in other films as well.
.

I defy even Ted Blurn to produce such a musical duo.

Your Morning Cup of Awesome: The Louvin Brothers. I'd give just about anything to hear the Avetts cover some of these fellows' tunes (especially "The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea" or "Wreck on the Highway"). I stumbled across these guys on YouTube (while sampling The Faith Tones). The Louvin Brothers' music is beyond awesome, but their album covers are also epic.

"Evangelization" 

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Of course I would not leave you hanging without posting a sample of their music. 

.

O Sapientia

O Wisdom

The countdown to Christmas Eve has begun! Today we pray the first of the O Antiphons. Read more about them here. Let us now listen to this beautiful rendition of Veni, veni Emmanuel by the King's Singers:


I love these guys; their Christmas album (on which this is the first track) is fabulous.


Isaias 11:2-3
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord, He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

Isaias 28:29

This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.

.

Perfect for Monday

We just came through a stormy weekend, but (thankfully) only in the metaphorical sense. Usually, whenever my husband leaves on a week-long work trip, we actually have an actual blizzard.

Last Friday: kids going in one direction (music lessons); I was going in another (annual physical), husband preparing to go in a third (Colorado, a weed conference. No, the kind you kill with herbicide). And our water heater breaks down. Doesn't just quit, but is corroded and leaking. Hubby has to come home from work (which he can't afford to do, given he'll be gone the entire following week) to do damage control and call the plumber. Pull up carpet, open basement floor drain, drain heater, shut off all water to the house (heater's cold water intake valve was also corroded and leaking), mop water from furnace room floor, then receive the news that the plumbers may not be able to make it that day. They did, and they replaced the heater (Deo Gratias).

I heard this song on the radio during my 45 mile drive home from the doctor's office, and chuckled at the title (it being somewhat apropos). I'd never heard of these guys before (they're from Glasgow, which explains the kilt). They've been around since the 90s, which suddenly makes me feel as though I've been in a time warp. Given my age, I guess I'd better get used to that.

Ash Wednesday

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dēlē iniquitatem meam.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness:
According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

It's Chopin's birthday

At least that's what he and his family claimed. The parish records say Feb. 22, but March 1 is generally accepted to be the more accurate date. (I figure if his mom didn't know his birthday, no one did.) Chopin is perhaps my favourite composer. His music is sublime. And I also love solo piano. This is a piece that my 17-year-old is currently playing. I can't decide whether I like the leggiero thingys or the Doppio movimento section best (yes, I sit and look at the score when I listen to the piece--such a music geek for someone who can barely read it). I remain in awe that someone to whom I gave birth can play Chopin.

Your morning cup of awesome

Happy September! Here we are, on the first day of school. Found this video this morning on Facebook and just had to share it with you. If it doesn't make you smile, then you are probably comatose or possibly dead. It is totally worth the entire 7 minutes. You don't even have to like Irish fiddle music (but it helps.)

For those of you who don't know of her,  Natalie MacMaster is a very lovely, talented, energetic lady from Canada who plays traditional fiddle music and can dance up a storm. Frequently both at the same time. My husband and older girls saw her in concert some years back, and she is an amazing, amazing performer.

For a celebrity, she also has her head on straight. Many years ago, I saw her being interviewed on TV by a (secular) journalist. The interviewer asked Natalie what her ambition was for the future. (By this time the young, vivacious Natalie had already achieved much recording success and worldwide recognition for her art). Her answer? She hoped to get married and have babies. And did she ever.

Quotation from her website bio: "If anything, family has reinvigorated Natalie MacMaster’s commitment to the stage and her audience.“I like being on stage even more,” enthuses the mother of five, who gave birth to son Alec in August 2012."

Good on you, Natalie (and husband, Donnell Leahy, who is also a professional musician)! They are Catholic, by the way.

Enjoy!

Beautiful

The one and only David Warren, who waxes eloquently on a young Korean singer, Little Dorrit and eternity. I am not intelligent enough to understand 90% of what he writes, but this is one of those 10% moments, and I am grateful for it. 

Salvation comes not through “programmes” but through persons: a teacher, a food vendor, a nightclub singer.

If you plan to read Mr. Warren's essay, you might as well watch this first, so you know who he's talking about.