Author: william
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The Name of G-d
Chaconne in Dm D. Buxtehude (1637-1707) "In Christ There Is No East or West" Improvisation In traditional Judaism you’re not supposed to say the name of God ’YHWH’ because it is too sacred. When they read their Scriptures and come across "The Name" (that is, ’YHWH’), they say ’Adonai’ (’Master’) instead. Indeed, in their…
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Telemann
Sonata in G for Flute & Harpsichord G. Telemann (1681-1767) Susan Addington, Flute "Oh God, In A Mysterious Way" Improvisation The German composer, Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767), belonged to a family that had long been connected with the Lutheran Church. His father was a clergyman, his mother the daughter of a clergyman, and his…
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Sanctuary
Sonata in Dm D. Scarlatti (1685-1757) “How Firm a Foundation” Improvisation One of the tropes of the 60’s was that a good drug trip depends on “set and setting” — one’s mindset and physical setting. If you think about it, that means goodness in one’s interior world, and goodness in one’s exterior world, which covers…
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Meditation
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…
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One Thing
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…
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Music the Universal Language
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…
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Settled Truth
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…
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W.F.Bach
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 —…
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Veni Creator Spiritus
A Pentecost Prelude (based on ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’) C. Callahan Susan Addington — Flute [Offertory by Bells] Improvisation ‘Veni Creator Spritus’ (‘Come, Creator Spirit’) is a hymn text believed to have been written by Rabanus Maurus in the 9th century. When the original Latin text is used, it is normally sung in Gregorian Chant.…
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Who wrote it?
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…