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Variations on "Scala ad Caelum" J. Page "In Christ There Is No East Or West" Improvisation Near as I can tell, if you ask three people who meditate about their practice, you’ll get four different answers! So here’s a fifth point of view… If ‘prayer’ is ’me talking to God’, am I doing all the…

In ancient Greece, Homer’s Iliad & Odyssey enjoyed a status much like the Bible in our own culture. One of Homer’s more famous stories is when Odysseus has to thread his ship between the sea monsters Sylla and Caribdis because there is no other way through the Strait of Messina — too far to port…

Toccata & Fugue in F   D. Buxtehude (1637-1707) Music is frequently called the ‘universal language’, but I don’t think it is universal at all. Certainly there is a foundation of physics and shared physiology amongst the human family that results in our music having common elements. We all hear in approximately the same frequency range…

Last Sunday the topic of suicide came up — something my family has experienced first hand. In some variants of Christianity suicide is an ‘unforgivable sin’ — one that even God can’t forgive. (Really?) Never mind considerations of mental illness or duress so severe the person wasn’t capable of a reasoned choice. But beyond that…

Prelude in C (early version) for W.F.Bach    J.S.Bach (1685-1750) Sarabande     W. F. Bach (1710-1784) "For the Beauty of the Earth" Improvisation Of J.S. Bach’s 20 children, six survived to adulthood and four became noteworthy composers in their own right. Wilhelm Friedmann Bach was J.S.’s eldest son. His musical instruction was primarily from his father —…

Impromptu in Gb, Op. 90 No. 3 Franz Schubert (1797-1828) "Fairest Lord Jesus" Improvisation One morning, Schubert brought singer Michael Vogl several songs for his perusal. Busy at the moment, Vogl set them aside and examined them later when he had opportunity. He liked one especially, but it was too high for him, so he…

Endlessly Ascending Canon     J.S. Bach (1685-1750) "Jesus Shall Reign" Improvisation A ’canon’ is basically a round like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" — but on steroids. Whereas in a  ’round’ each group starts on the same note, in canons each group might start on a different note. Or the second group might sing the same…

Gymnopedie No. 1 Erik Satie (1866-1925) [PIANO] Chorale Prelude on “The Church’s One Foundation” Improvisation Erik Satie was a French pianist and composer during the Impressionist period (early 20th century). After his mother’s death when Satie was 6, he and his younger brother were sent to live with his grandparents. There he received his first…

“If Only I Could Kiss it and Make it Better”    W. Zeitler [PIANO] “We Cannot Measure How You Heal” Amidst all the loud allelujas and trumpets that rightfully characterize Easter and its season, there’s a little detail of the story that recaptures my imagination again and again, namely: The Resurrected Christ still has the…

Andante grazioso & Allegro   Maria von Paradis (1759-1824) [PIANO] "Open My Eyes, That I May See" Improvisation Maria Theresia Paradis (1759-1824) was the daughter of Joseph Anton Paradis, Imperial Secretary of Commerce to the Empress Maria Theresa. Around three years old Maria awoke one morning completely blind. Dad was sufficiently affluent to afford the best…