Lauridsen's O magnum mysterium

We recently had the pleasure to hear a wind orchestra version of Morten Lauridsen's O magnum mysterium, based on his beautiful choral arrangement, which he composed in 1994. 

The piece properly belongs to the Christmas season but can be enjoyed any time.


Included here is an image (from Wikimedia) of Gerrit (Gerard) van Honthorst's Adoration of the Shepherds, 1622, in which the light that shines on the faces of Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds (and the ox) radiates from the infant Jesus.

Why Beauty Matters

First Things posted a link to a video about beauty by Dana Gioia, a poet who was the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and won an American Book Award for Interrogations at Noon, a collection of poetry.  The video, which is 28 minutes long, is full of beautiful images and discusses why we need beauty. 

His Hall of Fame

After the death of coach Morgan Wootten, his family submitted a death notice that appeared in The Washington Post.  In addition to the names of those who survive him and the details of the services, the notice included the following: "The family is consoled knowing that Morgan is now in God's Hall of Fame."  And that is followed by this poem:

This crowd on earth they soon forget
The heroes of the past.
They cheer like mad until you fall,
And that's how long you last.
But God He never does forget,
And, in His Hall of Fame,
By just believing in his Son,
Inscribed you'll find your name.

A Careful Strategy of Silence

From R.R. Reno in the February 2020 issue of First Things:

I recently finished In the Presence of My Enemies by Fr. John W. Clifford, S.J., an American missionary to ­communist China in the 1950s. Clifford provides a practical guide to maintaining moral integrity under conditions of intense psychological pressure. He counsels a careful strategy of silence. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into defending yourself against accusations that have no basis in justice. When you engage, as at times you must, do so with forceful repudiation of falsehoods. Make it clear to those who wish to suborn you that you will not capitulate. When demoralized and weakened by the constant bombardment of propaganda, turn your mind to past experiences of joy and delight. We are not imprisoned under brutal conditions, as Clifford was. But we live in a society increasingly determined to force us to make public affirmations of the latest progressive dogmas of race, sexual orientation, and gender. Clifford’s advice has useful applications.

The Beauty of the Magnificat

Image: "Visitation," by Jacques Daret, via Wikimedia Commons.

In Chapter 2 of Bach's Major Vocal Works, Markus Rathey described the beauty of Bach's Magnificat in D Major (BWV 243).  At the time that he composed this work, Johann Sebastian Bach was employed as a musician and teacher at a Lutheran church in Leipzig, a city in Saxony, an area of Germany that is near Poland and the Czech Republic.

Bach composed this Magnificat for the vespers liturgy on July 2, 1723, the feast of the Visitation of Mary.  It was placed after the sermon and before the final prayers and closing hymn.

The key theme is Mary's praise of God's mercy and strength, and the work balances interpreting the text (from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke) and creating a musical structure (which Rathey called its "architecture").  The piece has twelve movements, and it begins and ends with exuberant, celebratory movements that announce God's power using many instruments (including trumpets and timpani) and a five-part chorus.  The other movements include more celebrations with the whole chorus; arias for soloists, including sopranos, of course, because the Magnificat is the song of a woman; and a duet that highlights God's mercy and love.