Really? Do Tell. . .

I saw a social media post recently cursing at God because one of the writer’s musical icons has COPD. It’s God’s fault, apparently, that this musician’s lifestyle, which includes some pf the leading risk factors for COPD apparently contributed to his health problems, but apparently God made him engage in risky health practices. *shrugs* ‘S’all right. God has big shoulders. Curse Him if you will (for all the good it will do anyone, which is zero). *sigh*

The main causes/risk factors of COPD are:
Smoking
Air pollution
Occupational exposure- Intense and prolonged exposure to workplace dusts, chemicals and fumes
Genetics
Infectious diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis increase risk of COPD

Heck, even the musician himself “blames” an occupational hazard, viz.,

[Ian] Anderson noted that he has not had an exacerbation for a while, an improvement he puts down to living in the pollution-free English countryside – and blamed on stage smoke machines for his ill health.

“Today they’re (smoke machines) referred to as ‘hazers,’ as if they’re somehow innocent and not damaging to your lungs,” he fumed. “I really do believe that’s a very significant part of the problem that I have.”

It Is Neither Pretty Nor Is It Art.

I have (more frequently than I care to think) heard folks argue that Psalm 100:1-2 (“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing.”) is a perfectly good excuse for execrable congregational singing: off-pitch, raucous, muddied rhythms and lyrics, and worse. Betcha most of those who use it as their excuse for their laziness and lack of care in approaching their worship expressions don’t use the KJV (the “noise” translation in Psalm 100:1) for other things. Other translations focus on joyful shouts and joyful songs. Painfully raucous croaks ain’t what springs readily to mind when I think of “joyful.” Maybe it’s just me, but off-key, or even atonal, grating, muddled, and altogether ugly sounds just do not comprise “singing,” IMO. (And no, “Their heart is in the right place” just doesn’t cut it. If their heart were “in the right place” they’d not submit “sacrifice[s] of praise” that were crap. Just sayin’.)

Of course, much of the problem may be simply because something approaching 90% of people nowadays apparently cannot hear and reproduce pitches with any degree of accuracy. Not my fault: theirs, for playing crap into their ears and pretending it is music, corrupting any possible embryonic musical ability they might have.

“Oh the weather outside is frightful. . . “

Snow (actually, ice) day for schools in America’s Third World County™ (and surrounding areas, as well). While I admit I have submitted to the weather and not gotten on my wood waste cleanup project (yet) today, stew’s on and makin’ for tonight, and I’m-a fixin’ ta head out and work up a sweat, loosen up some of these aching muscles-n-joints. . . 😉

Meanwhile,

Repost from 2007: Who Is He in Yonder Stall?

Benjamin Russell Hanby is probably best known in popular society, if at all, for the great yawner, “Up On the Housetop” (click, click, click…), that merry paean to “Old Saint Nick” often sung at the yuletide.

But Hanby had a deeper side. In fact, he wrote one of the clearest expositions of the life and work of Christ that is available in easily accessible song, “Who Is He in Yonder Stall.”

Who is He in yonder stall
At whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He, in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?

Refrain:

‘Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
At His feet, we humbly fall,
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He the people bless?
For His words of gentleness?
Who is He to whom they bring?
All the sick and sorrowing?

(Refrain)

Who is He that stands and weeps
At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?
Who is He the gathering throng
Greet with loud triumphant song?

(Refrain)

Lo, at midnight who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?

(Refrain)

Who is He that from the grave
Comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from his throne
Rules through all the world alone?

Refrain:

‘Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
At His feet, we humbly fall,
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

I prefer hearing this sung as a series of questions posed by various choirs and soloists with the refrain sung once at the end in answer to all the questions posed, but that’s not how Hanby wrote it, so usually when I selected this hymn for use, I’d just have the congregation sing it as Hanby wrote it: one verse (question) and the answer repeated again and again in the refrain.

It’s a simple story, simply told and easily grasped.

‘Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
At His feet, we humbly fall,
Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Audio Player

2019 Xmas Playlist Notes

Well, I used to start listening to Xmas music fairly soon after Easter (I had my reasons–good ones), but in recent years that has faded to somewhere around the end of September/into October, as I begin compiling playlists for the season. The other day, a review of and selections from Il Volo’s “Buon Natale” album. Nice stuff. Fun to hear young voices doing so well that I’m generally happy to ignore the surprising (for Italians) incidents of poor vowels–largely dipthongs that would, in Italian, be much purer vowel sounds. (“Ave Maria,” for but one example, with a beautiful initial vowel on “ave” that lapses to a seriously distracting “uh” at the end of “Maria”–but not consistently or with all three voices. *shrugs* I’m really baffled by that.)

All but two songs on the album are going on one of my Xmas 2019 playlists, although I might cut two more “not really Xmas” pop songs. No, not “might”–definitely will.

Oh, and although I am very familiar with the piece, I am aways a bit surprised that “Panis Angelicus” is in 4/4 time. Just one of those quirks of my mental ear. I have no idea why that is.

After this, a quick listen through (or three–ended up being more&lt *shrugs* ) to An Emmylou Harris Xmas album. I don’t know if I’ll get to include “Christmas Time’s A Comin'” in a playlist this year. Maybe in one that only I listen to, ‘cos my Wonder Woman really dislikes it for some reason. *heh* I’ll probably cut “Man Is an Island,” “Cherry Tree Carol,” and “Angel Eyes” for idiosyncratic reasons, but “Light in the Stable,” “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” and the rest are pure gold, IMO. (I have NO idea why Emmylou Harris is so easy for me to listen to, since her vocal habits are a conglomeration of things that annoy my ear, and her musical style as a whole is one of my least favorites, but there it is: her singing appeals to me anyway)

That reminds me I need to also pick through a Christmas album from the George Shearing Quintet. Yeh, and I missed some YoYo Ma selections last year, so I need to find those, as well.

Compiling Xmas playlists has become a standard (and much enjoyed) activity around this time of year. And since I don’t really “do” Halloween, it’s also a nice anodyne for all that, urm, stuff.

Oh, and it’s a kinda different exercise for other reasons, For one (two and three), I’m not concerning myself with making it “programatic”–that is, concerns of “storytelling” (lyrics of one song leading to the next), tone, key, and tempo, etc.–as all that is out the door for this. I’m simply arranging them willy-nilly (<i>or will he nil heWell, I used to start listening to Xmas music fairly soon after Easter (I had my reasons–good ones), but in recent years that has faded to somewhere around the end of September/into October, as I begin compiling playlists for the season. Today, a review of and selections from Il Volo’s “Buon Natale” album. Nice stuff. Fun to hear young voices doing so well that I’m generally happy to ignore the surprising (for Italians) incidents of poor vowels–largely dipthongs that would, in Italian, be much purer vowel sounds. (“Ave Maria,” for but one example, with a beautiful initial vowel on “ave” that lapses to a seriously distracting “uh” at the end of “Maria”–but not consistently or with all three voices. *shrugs* I’m really baffled by that.)

All but two songs on the album are going on one of my Xmas 2019 playlists, although I might cut two more “not really Xmas” pop songs. No, not “might”–definitely will.

Oh, and although I am very familiar with the piece, I am aways a bit surprised that “Panis Angelicus” is in 4/4 time. Just one of those quirks of my mental ear. I have no idea why that is.

After this, a quick listen through (or three–ended up being more *shrugs* ) to An Emmylou Harris Xmas album. I don’t know if I’ll get to include “Christmas Time’s A Comin'” in a playlist this year. Naybe in one that only I listen to, ‘cos my Wonder Woman really dislikes it for some reason. *heh* I’ll probably cut “Man Is an Island,” “Cherry Tree Carol,” and “Angel Eyes” for idiosyncratic reasons, but “Light in the Stable,” “Beautiful Star of bethlehem” and the rest are pure gold, IMO. (I have NO idea why Emmylou Harris is so easy for me to listen to, since her vocal habits are a conglomeration of things that annoy my ear, and her musical style as a whole is one of my least favorites, but there it is: her singing appeals to me anyway)

That reminds me I need to also pick through both an album by Pacido Domingo and a Christmas album from the George Shearing Quintet. Yeh, and I missed some YoYo Ma selections last year, so I need to include those, as well.

Compiling Xmas playlists has become a standard (and much enjoyed) activity around this time of year. And since I don’t really “do” Halloween, it’s also a nice anodyne for all that, urm, stuff.

Oh, and it’s a kinda different exercise for other reasons, For one )two and three), I’m not concerning myzself with making it “programatic”–that is, concerns of “storytelling” (lyrics of one song leading to the next), tone, key, and tempo, etc.–as all that is out the door for this. I’m simply arranging them willy-nilly (or will he nil he *heh*)

*huh* More than three hours on one playlist, so far. NO “pop” pseudo-Xmas songs, just songs in some was really related to Christmas.

And, as always for the last decade or more, my fav Xmas song, Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker, is on the main playlist in several instrumental renditions (yes, by the same artist–Tine Thing Helseth) and another time as performed by Sissel. And, of course, O Helga Natt (twice–different artists–Sissel and Jussi Bjorling) and Cantique Noel (Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau). I’ve not found a performance in English that is as well-performed as those three in their respective languages (2-Swedish, one French–as originally written).

Mitt hjerte alltid vanker
– English translation (my favorite of various translations)

My heart will always wander
To where our Lord was born,
My thoughts will always go there
And take on their true form.
My longing heart belongs there,
With the treasure of my faith;
I never shall forget you,
O blessed Christmas night!

I’ll willingly spread branches
Of palms around your bed.
For you and you alone
I will gladly live and die.
Come, let my soul find joy
In this moment of delight:
To see you born right here,
Inside my loving heart. *heh*)

A Bit Short for a Lutheran Hymn. . .

. . .but since it’s Mit Hjerte Alltid Vanker, we’ll let that go, eh? 😉

Sing along and restart the mp3 file enough times to get through, if you wish.

Audio Player

Mit Hjerte Alltid Vanker

1. Mit Hjerte altid vanker
I JEsu Føderum,
Did samles mine Tanker
I deres Hovedsum:
Der er min Længsel hjemme,
Der har min Troe sin Skat —
Jeg kan dig aldrig glemme,
Du søde Julenat!

2. Du, mørke Stald, skal være
Mit Hjertes Fryde-Slot;
Der kan jeg daglig lære
At glemme Verdens Spot;
Der kan jeg bedst befinde,
Hvori min Roes bestaaer;
Naar JEsu Krybbes Minde
Mig ret til Hjerte gaaer.

3. Men ak! hvad skal jeg sige,
Naar jeg vil tænke paa,
At Gud af Himmerige
I Stalden ligge maa:
At Himlens Fryd og Ære,
Guds væsentlige Ord,
Skal saa foragtet være
Paa denne slemme Jord!

4. En Perle, der forgjettes,
Saa nøie ledes op;
Den blanke Demant sættes
I gylden Krones Top;
Man kaster ei en Drue
Blandt tørre Grene ned:
Skal jeg min Gud da sske
I saadan Usselhed?

5. Hvi skulde Herresale
Ei for dig pyntet staae? —
Du havde at befale,
I hvor du pegte paa —
Hvi lod du dig ei svøbe
I Lyset som et Baand,
Og Jordens Konger løbe,
At kysse paa din Haand?

6. Hvi lod du ei udspende
En Himmel til dit Telt,
Og Stjerne-Fakler brænde?
O store Himmel-Helt!
Hvi lod sig ei tilsyne
En mægtig Englevagt,
Som dig i Silkedyne
Saa prægtig burde lagt?

7. Nei! JEsus faaer sit Leie
I denne gode Juul,
Hvor Betlere de pleie
At lægge sig i Skjul;
Det var end ei hans eget
Det Høe, hvori han laae —
Han havde ei saa meget.
Han kunde ligge paa.

8. Den Sag kan ei begribes.
At JEsus, Gud og Mand,
Saa meget hart indknibes
I Verdens Jammerstand:
Han, som med Guddoms Vælde
Al Verden dømme vil,
Ei har det, han kan hælde
Sit arme Hoved til.

9. En Spurre har sit Rede
Og sikkre Hvile-Boe;
En Svale ei tør lede
Om Nattelys og Roe;
En Løve veed sin Hule,
Hvor han sin Roe kan faae:
Skal da min Gud sig skjule
I Andres Stald og Straae?

10. Ak, kom! jeg vil oplukke
Mit Hjerte, Sjel og Sind
Med tusind Længsels Sukke,
Kom, JEsu, dog herind! —
Det er ei fremmed Bolig,
Du har det selv jo kjøbt —
Saa skal du blive trolig
Udi mit Hjerte svøbt.

11. Jeg vil med Palmegrene
Dit Hvilested bestrøe:
Min Brudgom, dig alene
Jeg leve vil og døe.
Kom! lad min Sjel erlange
Sin rette Qvæge-Stund
At kysse tusind Gange
Din søde Rosenmund.


Continue reading “A Bit Short for a Lutheran Hymn. . .”

Had to *SMH* in Amazement

Saw a comment that was only moderately “gabberflastering” on a forum that shall go unnamed. Guy said he had to write in thew sharps and flats that were in the key sig to remind himself when he played through a piece.

Say what?!?

Whenever I taught music or directed volunteer music groups, I generally taught beginning music readers to use the “STARS” system or a variant that is even simpler, for those in volunteer choirs whose music reading chops were. . . only slowly emerging:

S – Sharps or flats in the key signature
T – Time signature and Tempo markings
A – Accidentals not found in the key signature
R – Rhythms ; silently count the more difficult notes and rests
S – Signs , including dynamics, articulations, repeats and endings

Every class session or rehearsal included using something likethe “STARS” system before reading every new piece. *shrugs* Regular exercise of “reading” through a new piece (or reviewing one not seen in a while) really aided in sight reading. Of course, “STARS” is just an extremely simplified version of score study any competent conductor does, but it seemed to be enough to alleviate the “write in the sharps/flats for reminder” issue. . . especially since each freakin’ line in a score begins with the key sig. . .

*sigh* Really? A Xmas Song? OK, Just Barely

This is one of those songs that, although I associated it with Xmas when I was a young child, I have become less and less pleased with over the years. Oh, and I’ve heard and seen folks call it a “traditional cowboy song” (yes, “traditional” and “cowboy” *sigh*), because. . . well, Gene Autry. #gag

So, the third verse hints at a genuine Xmas theme, and the fourth verse actually quotes a snippet of scripture relating to the Nativity, but that is it.

Oh, and “Santy CLaus.”

Gene Autry has a lot to answer for. . . 😉
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Continue reading “*sigh* Really? A Xmas Song? OK, Just Barely”

Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Always Wanders)

A recent Xmas music favorite of mine (OK, “last decade or so” is recent, isn’t it? 😉 ) is the Danish/Norwegian hymn, “Mitt hjerte alltid vanker.” Both the tune and the lyrics speak to me.

Here’s a beautiful rendition by Sissel:

But I’m strongly drawn to Tine Thing Helseth’s instrumental version:

As translations of lyrics go, this is rather rough–sacrificing both a good wedding with the meter of the tune and rhyme scheme–but I think this captures the heart of the meaning about as well as it can. I like the twist Tine Thing Helseth’s album featuring this piece takes on the title though: “My Heart Is Always Present.”

Mitt hjerte alltid vanker – English translation/version

My heart will always wander
To where our Lord was born,
My thoughts will always go there
And take on their true form.
My longing does belong there,
With the treasure of my faith;
I never shall forget you,
O blessed Christmas night!

Oh come, and I will open
My heart and my mind
And sigh with longing,
Enter, Jesus
For this home is Your own,
You bought it for yourself
So I will remain faithful,
With you here in my heart

I’ll willingly spread branches
Of palms around your bed.
For you and you alone
I will gladly live and die.
Come, let my soul find joy
In this moment of delight:
To see you born right here,
Deep inside my loving heart.