Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Yancey's story of Jessye Norman out-doing gunsN roses --and the thirst for grace
Bill Moyers' documentary film on the hymn "Amazing Grace" includes a scene filmed in Wembley Stadium in London. Various musical groups, mostly rock bands, had gathered together in celebration of the changes in South Africa, and for some reason the promoters scheduled an opera singer, Jessye Norman, as the closing act.
The film cuts back and forth between scenes of the unruly crowd in the stadium and Jessye Norman being interviewed. For twelve hours groups like Guns 'n Roses have blasted the crowd through banks of speakers, riling up fans already high on booze and dope. The crowd yells for more curtain calls, and the rock groups oblige. Meanwhile, Jessye Norman sits in her dressing room discussing "Amazing Grace" with Moyers.
Finally, the time comes for her to sing. A single circle of light follows Norman, a majestic African-American woman wearing a flowing African dashiki, as she strolls on stage. No backup band, no musical instruments, just Jessye. The crowd stirs, restless. Few recognize the opera diva. A voice yells for more Guns 'n Roses. Others take up the cry. The scene is getting ugly.
Alone, a cappella, Jessye Norman begins to sing, very slowly:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found --
Was blind, but now I see.
A remarkable thing happens in Wembley Stadium that night. Seventy- thousand raucous fans fall silent before her aria of grace.
By the time Norman reaches the second verse, "'Twas grace that taught my
heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved ...," the soprano has the crowd in her hands.
By the time she reaches the third verse, "'Tis grace has brought me safe this far, And grace will lead me home," several thousand fans are singing along, digging far back in nearly lost memories for words they heard long ago.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
Jessye Norman later confessed she had no idea what power descended on Wembley Stadium that night. I think I know. The world thirsts for grace. When grace descends, the world falls silent before it.
Beautiful Day
Need to write longer later---but thinking of Zeph 3 and having jogged to U2 y'day i find 3 songs summarizing this section of scripture
1.) All because of you
Zeph 3:9 couldn't be clearer
I WILL change the speech of the nations (i.e. convert them)
Just look at how often God says,
"I WILL." in zeph 3:9-20
2.) Beautiful Day
Prophet wants us to dream of who we will be in New Heavens & New Earth--- a people who don't lie, who don't fear, who know no shame---boggles the mind. 'twill be a beautiful day-- and it shall never end
3.) I still haven't found what i'm looking for
The longing for the beautiful Day makes the pain that is here more bearable, yes. But also, meditating on how good it SHALL be also reveals how incomplete the work IS RIGHT NOW.
This is already/not yet. and so we groan, with hope!
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out
It was a beautiful day
A beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Touch me, take me to that other place
Reach me, I know Iím not a hopeless case
1.) All because of you
Zeph 3:9 couldn't be clearer
I WILL change the speech of the nations (i.e. convert them)
Just look at how often God says,
"I WILL." in zeph 3:9-20
2.) Beautiful Day
Prophet wants us to dream of who we will be in New Heavens & New Earth--- a people who don't lie, who don't fear, who know no shame---boggles the mind. 'twill be a beautiful day-- and it shall never end
3.) I still haven't found what i'm looking for
The longing for the beautiful Day makes the pain that is here more bearable, yes. But also, meditating on how good it SHALL be also reveals how incomplete the work IS RIGHT NOW.
This is already/not yet. and so we groan, with hope!
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out
It was a beautiful day
A beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Touch me, take me to that other place
Reach me, I know Iím not a hopeless case
Saturday, June 27, 2009
God finds joy
of zeph 3:17 C.H. Spurgeon said: “I can understand a minister rejoicing over a soul that he has brought to Christ; I can also understand believers rejoicing to see others saved from sin and hell; but what shall I say of the infinitely happy and eternally-blessed God finding, as it were, a new joy in souls redeemed? This is another of those great wonders that cluster around the work of divine grace! … The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, imperfect though they be. He sees them as they are to be, and so he rejoices over them, even when they cannot rejoice in themselves. When your face is blurred with tears, your eyes red with weeping, and your heart heavy with sorrow for sin, the great Father is rejoicing over you. The prodigal son wept in his Father’s bosom, but the Father rejoiced over his son. We are questioning, doubting, sorrowing, trembling; and all the while he who sees the end from the beginning knows what will come out of the present disquietude, and therefore rejoices. Let us rise in faith to share the joy of God.”
Those Who Sing
I'm thinking about all the singing and rejoicing in Zeph 3---
Elizabeth Achtemeier offered the whimsical suggestion that at least one of the reasons why God made this world is because God is a music lover. She said: "Biblical faith has always been a faith filled with the sound of song. From the song of Miriam at the time of the Exodus, through the songs of the Psalter, to the hymn Jesus and the disciples are reported to have sung at the Last Supper, to the singing of Paul and Silas in prison, and ultimately to the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus in the kingdom of God anticipated in the book of Revelation; throughout the Bible those who trust in God are consistently portrayed as
those
who
sing
songs of praise to God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism affirms that our chief end as human beings is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever. The Scriptures and the Confessions alike affirm that we were made to glorify God’s name in songs of praise and thanksgiving.
Elizabeth Achtemeier offered the whimsical suggestion that at least one of the reasons why God made this world is because God is a music lover. She said: "Biblical faith has always been a faith filled with the sound of song. From the song of Miriam at the time of the Exodus, through the songs of the Psalter, to the hymn Jesus and the disciples are reported to have sung at the Last Supper, to the singing of Paul and Silas in prison, and ultimately to the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus in the kingdom of God anticipated in the book of Revelation; throughout the Bible those who trust in God are consistently portrayed as
those
who
sing
songs of praise to God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism affirms that our chief end as human beings is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever. The Scriptures and the Confessions alike affirm that we were made to glorify God’s name in songs of praise and thanksgiving.
Pish Posh on all talk of sin?
Zeph 3 says God has taken away our judgment---and we say, "So?" Good thoughts on this---
"We think we are rather decent people who do a lot of good things and who therefore have a lot of healthy goodness in us. To hear, as the people of God heard in Zephaniah's time, that God has removed His judgment from us does not square either with our notions of God or with our assessments of our own character. Why should we rejoice over the fact that God has stilled His warfare against us? As far as we're concerned, He need not and He has not declared war against us in the first place."
--Elizabeth Achtemeier
"We think we are rather decent people who do a lot of good things and who therefore have a lot of healthy goodness in us. To hear, as the people of God heard in Zephaniah's time, that God has removed His judgment from us does not square either with our notions of God or with our assessments of our own character. Why should we rejoice over the fact that God has stilled His warfare against us? As far as we're concerned, He need not and He has not declared war against us in the first place."
--Elizabeth Achtemeier
Friday, June 26, 2009
Shout out to the movers of office furniture
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Global Impact of God's Grace
Zephaniah 3:10 talks about offerings brought by Yahweh worshippers from "beyond the rivers of Cush."The sovereign grace of God will reach beyond the rivers of Cush in its converting of the nations . Past the southernmost branches of the Nile , deep into the continent of Africa , shall come prayers for salvation addressed to Yahweh alone . (Cf . J . M . P . Smith , p . 249 , who identifies the " rivers " of Cush with the most distant branches of the Nile .)
Earlier Isaiah had characterized Cush as a " land divided by rivers " ( Isa . 18 : 2 , 7 ), which sent " envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water " ( 18 : 2 ). He also depicted these distant people as bringing gifts to the Lord Al- mighty ( 18 : 7 ).
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 329.
Only God
Only God can take away our shame.
Zeph 3:11, "On that day you shall not be put to same."
This great Day shall include the purging of sin from the remnant of Israel as well as the destruction of the wicked . The city will not be ashamed , but not because its inhabitants have no guilt . This city which now is free from all shame is the same city that earlier had been rebuked because it knew no shame ( 3 : 5 ; cf . 2 : 1 ). How great will be that day in which all shame will be removed from the community of God ' s people . Not only will guilt be eliminated ; all the crippling psychological effects of sin shall be wiped away . Each person will attain his full potential in service to God because a guilty conscience will not render him incapable of functioning freely in service to God . Even to the last day , the great day of judgment , the entire community of God ' s people will be freed from shame ( cf . Rom . 9 : 33 ; 1 Pet . 2 : 6 ).
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 330.
Zeph 3:11, "On that day you shall not be put to same."
This great Day shall include the purging of sin from the remnant of Israel as well as the destruction of the wicked . The city will not be ashamed , but not because its inhabitants have no guilt . This city which now is free from all shame is the same city that earlier had been rebuked because it knew no shame ( 3 : 5 ; cf . 2 : 1 ). How great will be that day in which all shame will be removed from the community of God ' s people . Not only will guilt be eliminated ; all the crippling psychological effects of sin shall be wiped away . Each person will attain his full potential in service to God because a guilty conscience will not render him incapable of functioning freely in service to God . Even to the last day , the great day of judgment , the entire community of God ' s people will be freed from shame ( cf . Rom . 9 : 33 ; 1 Pet . 2 : 6 ).
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 330.
Using the new digs
this is Chris Hiatt, director of worship & communications, using the newly created office space at the church offices
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
One of the most awesome descriptions of the wrath of God in judgment found anywhere in Scripture appears in the opening verses of Zephaniah . The totality of the cosmos shall be consumed in his burning anger . The very order of creation shall be overturned . One of the most moving descriptions of the love of God for his people found anywhere in Scripture appears in the closing verses of Zephaniah . God and his people attain heights in the ecstasy of love that are hard to com- prehend .
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 334.
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 334.
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Muffins Live!
everyone can breath a collective sigh of relief at this news:
Joe and Lauren Relyea, and their little daughter Collette have taken over the administration of the muffins and coffee on Sunday mornings.
They may be looking for help, so be ready.
Also, thanks Relyeas!
Joe and Lauren Relyea, and their little daughter Collette have taken over the administration of the muffins and coffee on Sunday mornings.
They may be looking for help, so be ready.
Also, thanks Relyeas!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Shore to Shore
Zeph 2 and 3 speak of universal reign of God. which reminds me of a Watts hymn:
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.
--Isaac Watts
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.
--Isaac Watts
Work Day
Corky's look reminds me of a book I read about snake-handling churches. The worshippers--just before they were handed a snake--looked like this, I promise.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What humility looks like
Seek humility --Zeph 2:3
Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call 'humble' nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. --CS Lewis
Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call 'humble' nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. --CS Lewis
The Great Sin
So, in Zephaniah 2 the prophet--speaking for God--comes down quite hard on PRIDE. This made me think of CS Lewis famous chapter in Mere Christianity, entitled "The Great Sin"
here's the intro:
There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice. And at the same time I have very seldom met anyone, who was not a Christian, who showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.
The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.
here's the intro:
There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice. And at the same time I have very seldom met anyone, who was not a Christian, who showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.
The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
VBS night 1
VBS (Vacation Bible School) was a success last night.
<> We had enough pizza to feed the soccer teams that were sharing a covered area with us
<> The kids seemed to have a blast
<> We did an abbreviated night with Music & Bible Lesson
If you missed it, or if you were one of the wet ones who made it-----see you next Tuesday!
<> We had enough pizza to feed the soccer teams that were sharing a covered area with us
<> The kids seemed to have a blast
<> We did an abbreviated night with Music & Bible Lesson
If you missed it, or if you were one of the wet ones who made it-----see you next Tuesday!
All Hail
we might be singing this sunday. regardless it is good to read&pray through:
All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race, ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.
Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.
[John Rippon added this verse in 1787]
O that, with yonder sacred throng, we at His feet may fall,
Join in the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all,
Join in the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all!
HELP, Lord. By Spurgeon
"Help, Lord."
- Psalm 12:1
- Psalm 12:1
The prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, but seasonable,
sententious, and suggestive.
"Help, Lord," will suit us living and dying, suffering or labouring,
rejoicing or sorrowing.
In him our help is found, let us not be slack to cry to him.
The answer to the prayer is certain, if it be sincerely offered through
Jesus. The Lord's character assures us that he will not leave his people;
his relationship as Father and Husband guarantee us his aid; his gift of
Jesus is a pledge of every good thing; and his sure promise stands, "Fear
not, I WILL HELP THEE."
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A Hymn
Words: The Psalter, 1912. Music: Vision, W. Howard Doane, 1873 (MIDI, score).
The ends of all the earth shall hear
And turn unto the Lord in fear;
All kindreds of the earth shall own
And worship Him as God alone.
He rules the nations by His might;
All earth to Him her homage brings,
The Lord of lords, the King of kings.
Both rich and poor, both bond and free
Shall worship Him on bended knee,
And children’s children shall proclaim
The glorious honor of His Name.
The Lord’s unfailing righteousness
All generations shall confess,
From age to age shall all be taught
What wondrous works the Lord has wrought.
The ends of all the earth shall hear
And turn unto the Lord in fear;
All kindreds of the earth shall own
And worship Him as God alone.
Refrain
All earth to Him her homage brings,
The Lord of lords, the King of kings.
For His the kingdom, His of right,The Lord of lords, the King of kings.
He rules the nations by His might;
All earth to Him her homage brings,
The Lord of lords, the King of kings.
Both rich and poor, both bond and free
Shall worship Him on bended knee,
And children’s children shall proclaim
The glorious honor of His Name.
The Lord’s unfailing righteousness
All generations shall confess,
From age to age shall all be taught
What wondrous works the Lord has wrought.
Vbs @ kanapaha update
Everything is set up and the pizzas here. We'll have something though might be limited and abbreviated. Still raining steadily but I see blue sky in distance. ???? 5:48:38 PM
Monday, June 15, 2009
Thinking of Idolatry and Zephaniah
I (RP) copied this from a guy named Justin:
Jesus Christ is the only and all-sufficient Savior. However, sometimes (most of the time?) we look to other things to satisfy and fulfill us.
Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington help us identify our functional saviors with these questions (The Bookends of the Christian Life, p. 73):
-I am preoccupied with __________.
-If only _________, then I would be happy.
-I get my sense of significance from ____________.
-I would protect and preserve __________ at any cost.
-I fear losing _________.
-The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is _________.
-When I lose ______ I get angry, resentful, frusturated, anxious, or depressed.
-For me, life depends on ____________.
-The thing I value more than anything in the world is _________.
-When I daydream, my mind goes to ___________.
-The best thing I can think of is __________.
-The thing that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning is ________.
You would be wise to spend some time filling in the blanks and repenting of these idols and false saviors.
RP adds: And we would do well to remember that Jesus saves sinners, like you and me! (For every 1 look at your sin take 10 looks at the cross!)
Jesus Christ is the only and all-sufficient Savior. However, sometimes (most of the time?) we look to other things to satisfy and fulfill us.
Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington help us identify our functional saviors with these questions (The Bookends of the Christian Life, p. 73):
-I am preoccupied with __________.
-If only _________, then I would be happy.
-I get my sense of significance from ____________.
-I would protect and preserve __________ at any cost.
-I fear losing _________.
-The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is _________.
-When I lose ______ I get angry, resentful, frusturated, anxious, or depressed.
-For me, life depends on ____________.
-The thing I value more than anything in the world is _________.
-When I daydream, my mind goes to ___________.
-The best thing I can think of is __________.
-The thing that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning is ________.
You would be wise to spend some time filling in the blanks and repenting of these idols and false saviors.
RP adds: And we would do well to remember that Jesus saves sinners, like you and me! (For every 1 look at your sin take 10 looks at the cross!)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
amen!
The Perfect Technology
About a year ago I wrote a review of Amazon's Kindle reading device. At the time, I loved it. That was then. A couple of months ago I traded my Kindle to a friend for a stack of old-fashioned ink-on-paper commentaries. This is now. I think I made a good trade. He is enjoying the Kindle and I am enjoying the commentaries. Win-win. Something changed between then and now--I came to see that all of the things that frustrated me about the Kindle were things that made it not like a book. It's book-like qualities were it's best qualities; it's non-book-like qualities were the ones that got to me. All of the things that annoyed me were the things that made the experience more like operating a computer and less like reading a book. Pages took too long to turn; I could not splash yellow highlighter on the pages; I could not skim through the book looking quickly for a word or phrase or note; I could not scrawl notes in the margins. Sure, there were a few advantages--the notes I did take (saved in a text file on the Kindle) could be exported to my computer simply by plugging in a USB cable; books were less expensive and instantly added to my collection; hundreds of classics were available for free. But overall, the Kindle experience paled in comparison to the happy, familiar, comforting experience of sitting down with a book. Everything I wanted the Kindle to do, a book could do better.Books are the perfect technology. I'm convinced of it. This is why the Kindle experience failed me--it was an attempt to make the book better. And this is impossible to do. There is no technology more perfectly suited to its purpose than this one. In comparison to the book, any e-reader falters and fails.
Consider: I can take a book from my shelf--I have 1,000 or 1,500 within six feet of me, and it is immediately on and ready to go. There is no waiting for it to boot up and no questions about its compatibility or obsolescence. I open the book and it immediately does what it was created to do, without first needing an 8-hour charge of its battery. I can store within that book a full history of my interaction with it not fearing that this will be lost when a hard drive crashes or when my hardware becomes obsolete. I can see every note, every highlight I've ever done. I can see how I interacted with that book--the parts of the book that brought me delight and the parts that brought me to despair. The pages turn instantly and are numbered for easy reference. When I have completed the book, I can put it back on my shelf or I can lend it to another person so he, too, can read it and, if he so desires, see how I have interacted with it. Despite being printed on dead trees, there is a living quality to books that is lost on e-readers.
Though the words in each may be the same, there is more to a book than its words. A book is an experience, and the experience includes the media through which we consume those words. Reading a book printed on paper, reading a book on a reading device and listening to a recording of a book are, at least in some way, different experiences.
Since the launch and overwhelming success of the Kindle, much ink has been spilled (scratch that and replace it with "many pixels have been lit") discussing the future of the book. For the first time, people are now turning in large numbers to a device that allows them to read books on a gizmo that is not made of dead trees (though, ironically, the manuals telling how to use said device are still printed on dead trees). With the iPod and iPhone becoming increasingly positioned as reading devices, the chorus swells. There are hundreds of books and articles struggling to understand what it means for the word to transition from print to bits, from paper to screens. The consequences, I am convinced, are profound and I think we are prone to underestimate them.
As for me? Well, I am sure I'll take another stab at an e-reader at some point in the future; it's probably inevitable. But I would be awfully surprised if I ever allow such a device to become a substitute for all the ink and paper surrounding me on all sides here in my office. Unless the e-book can become more perfect than an already perfect technology, I'm going to stick with paper.
RP adds:
1.) This is why I always use the same layout of the Bible
2.) This is why places like Wernham Hogg and Dunder Mifflin are so bee-a-YOU-tiful
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Zephaniah 1
Palmer Robertson commenting on verse 6 of chptr 1
"Both words (seek and inquire) refer essentially to a concentration of devotion directed toward their God . The combination of terms underscores the fact that worshiping the true God requires a conscious and directed effort . This intensity in devotion cannot be regarded as an option reserved for a pious minority . Failure to seek after the Lord is a sin which shall bring an exterminating judgment."*
OK, incredibly serious words. Let me make a recommendation... because I certainly believe--and have seen--and have experienced(!)... that followers of Christ can fall into not seeking God with an intensity of devotion.
#1.) Remember, YOUR intensity doesn't save you! CHRIST'S does!
#2.) Not seeking him is a sin, grieves him, and harms your own soul. We become malnourished, because WE NEED what we find when we seek him.... namely HIM.
#3.) John Piper's book "When I Don't Desire God" is excellent. Before you dismiss it because you think of Piper only as the ever-happy and joyous dude......Piper has had dark and apathetic seasons. You can tell by the way he writes about it. It is worth the cash, but you can read it NOW as a pdf here.
*COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Pages 265-266.
When I copy and paste from my PURCHASED digital copy of his commentary it automatically gives him his props..which i like.
Notes on Zephaniah 1 from O. Palmer Robertson's Commentary
The finality of cosmic overthrow associated with the coming of Yahweh ' s Day in the fullest sense never came in the context of events as- sociated with the old covenant . It is not surprising , therefore , to find in the NT both passages which suggest an arrival of the Day of Yahweh in events current in NT times as well as passages looking to a future arrival of the great Day . Both of these perspectives must be kept in mind for a proper under- standing of the contemporary significance of the coming of the Day .
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Page 271.
In a certain sense , the Day of Yahweh has come . But distinctive to the Day is the characteristic of finality . In a sense the Day came in associa- tion with certain events surrounding the advent of Jesus Christ . But in another sense the Day is yet to come . And as Zephaniah prophesied , it is near . The old covenant Scriptures manifest a variety of phrases by which the coming Day of Yahweh may be designated . Zephaniah speaks in terms of " the Day ," " that Day ," " the great Day ," " the Day of Yahweh ," and " the Day of the overflowing wrath of Yahweh " ( 1 : 7-10 , 14-15 , 18 ). In similar fashion , the new covenant Scriptures employ a variety of phrases in referring essentially to the same phenomenon . The Day of Yahweh may be designated as the " day of judgment " ( Matt . 10 : 15 ; 11 : 22 , 24 ; 12 : 36 ; John 12 : 48 ; 2 Pet . 3 : 7 ), the " last day " ( John 6 : 39 , 40 , 44 , 54 ; 11 : 24 ; 12 : 48 ), the " day of the Lord " ( Acts 2 : 20 ; 1 Cor . 5 : 5 ; 2 Cor . 1 : 14 ; 1 Thess . 5 : 2 ; 2 Thess . 2 : 2 ; 2 Pet . 3 : 10 ), the " day of the Lord Jesus Christ " ( 1 Cor . 1 : 8 ), " the day " or " that day " ( Matt . 7 : 22 ; Luke 10 : 12 ; 21 : 34 ; 1 Cor . 3 : 13 ; 1 Thess . 5 : 4 ; Heb . 10 : 25 ), the " day of Christ Jesus " ( Phil . 1 : 6 ), the " day of Christ " ( Phil . 1 : 10 ; 2 : 16 ), the " day of God " ( 2 Pet . 3 : 12 ), the " eternal day " ( 2 Pet . 3 : 18 ), the " great day " ( Jude 6 ), the " great day of their wrath " ( Rev . 6 : 17 ), and the " great day of God the Al- mighty " ( Rev . 16 : 14 ). All of these passages deserve careful consideration when attempting to determine matters related to the consummate fulfillment of the Day of Yah- weh as prophesied by Zephaniah . Suffice it to say that the cosmic judgment associated with a dramatic theophany now may be understood in terms of the glorious return of Jesus Christ . On the day appointed he shall consummate all things.
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 272and273
footnote on page 271:
The signs mentioned in Acts 2 : 20 that were to precede the coming of the " great and glorious Day of the Lord " include the items listed beginning at v . 17 and running through v . 21 . Peter specifically declares that " wonders and signs " have oc- curred , starting with the ministry of Jesus ( v . 22 ). The " coming " of the " Day " there- fore does not await the arrival of a day associated with " wonders " and " signs ." Some might propose that it is necessary to have a literal turning of the moon into blood before the arrival of the Day . Yet the fulfillment of the other signs in connection with the coming of Christ in his birth , ministry , death , resurrection , ascension , and out- pouring of the Spirit would suggest strongly that at least the first phase of the arrival of the day has been realized .
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 272.
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Page 271.
In a certain sense , the Day of Yahweh has come . But distinctive to the Day is the characteristic of finality . In a sense the Day came in associa- tion with certain events surrounding the advent of Jesus Christ . But in another sense the Day is yet to come . And as Zephaniah prophesied , it is near . The old covenant Scriptures manifest a variety of phrases by which the coming Day of Yahweh may be designated . Zephaniah speaks in terms of " the Day ," " that Day ," " the great Day ," " the Day of Yahweh ," and " the Day of the overflowing wrath of Yahweh " ( 1 : 7-10 , 14-15 , 18 ). In similar fashion , the new covenant Scriptures employ a variety of phrases in referring essentially to the same phenomenon . The Day of Yahweh may be designated as the " day of judgment " ( Matt . 10 : 15 ; 11 : 22 , 24 ; 12 : 36 ; John 12 : 48 ; 2 Pet . 3 : 7 ), the " last day " ( John 6 : 39 , 40 , 44 , 54 ; 11 : 24 ; 12 : 48 ), the " day of the Lord " ( Acts 2 : 20 ; 1 Cor . 5 : 5 ; 2 Cor . 1 : 14 ; 1 Thess . 5 : 2 ; 2 Thess . 2 : 2 ; 2 Pet . 3 : 10 ), the " day of the Lord Jesus Christ " ( 1 Cor . 1 : 8 ), " the day " or " that day " ( Matt . 7 : 22 ; Luke 10 : 12 ; 21 : 34 ; 1 Cor . 3 : 13 ; 1 Thess . 5 : 4 ; Heb . 10 : 25 ), the " day of Christ Jesus " ( Phil . 1 : 6 ), the " day of Christ " ( Phil . 1 : 10 ; 2 : 16 ), the " day of God " ( 2 Pet . 3 : 12 ), the " eternal day " ( 2 Pet . 3 : 18 ), the " great day " ( Jude 6 ), the " great day of their wrath " ( Rev . 6 : 17 ), and the " great day of God the Al- mighty " ( Rev . 16 : 14 ). All of these passages deserve careful consideration when attempting to determine matters related to the consummate fulfillment of the Day of Yah- weh as prophesied by Zephaniah . Suffice it to say that the cosmic judgment associated with a dramatic theophany now may be understood in terms of the glorious return of Jesus Christ . On the day appointed he shall consummate all things.
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 272and273
footnote on page 271:
The signs mentioned in Acts 2 : 20 that were to precede the coming of the " great and glorious Day of the Lord " include the items listed beginning at v . 17 and running through v . 21 . Peter specifically declares that " wonders and signs " have oc- curred , starting with the ministry of Jesus ( v . 22 ). The " coming " of the " Day " there- fore does not await the arrival of a day associated with " wonders " and " signs ." Some might propose that it is necessary to have a literal turning of the moon into blood before the arrival of the Day . Yet the fulfillment of the other signs in connection with the coming of Christ in his birth , ministry , death , resurrection , ascension , and out- pouring of the Spirit would suggest strongly that at least the first phase of the arrival of the day has been realized .
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
O. Palmer Robertson. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990). Page 272.
Friday, June 12, 2009
summer LISTENING list?
saw this somewhere...
But I’ll jot a little list — suggested listening. This will be just kind of a starter kit — some initial suggestions. And would you do me a favor? I hate to sound like a jerk, but please don’t write me to tell me what I have missed. I know what I have missed, full well, perhaps better than you. (Sorry to be a jerk again!) I simply feel the need to respond to this FAQ. The music question comes up with persistence. And, till now, I have basically said, “Listen to some stuff! Particularly by the great composers. Just dive in, or dip in.”
Today, I will not discuss performances — that is, I will not recommend recordings. That is for another day, or book, or whatever. The important thing, now, is the music — an acquaintance with music. It matters not where the music comes from. Get something cheap, borrow something, attend something — whatever. Okay, here goes.
Maybe dip into some Monteverdi — try his Vespers, or excerpts from an opera: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria or L’incoronazione di Poppea. Maybe try some Purcell — Dido’s Lament, from Dido and Aeneas. Some songs — maybe the “Morning Hymn,” or the “Evening Hymn.” Maybe “Music for a While.” You might also check out the Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day.
Bach? I tremble even to mention his name, much less to recommend particular pieces. Try a smattering: a Brandenburg concerto, a keyboard suite — maybe the Partita in B flat, or in C minor, or in E minor. How about a cello suite (any)? How about an organ compilation?
Get a hold of some cantatas, too — maybe BWV 170, “Vergnügte Ruh’, beliebte Seelenlust,” or BWV 159, “Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem,” or BWV 82, “Ich habe genug.” Also, do yourself this favor: Listen to the B Minor Mass.
Handel? What to say? See what you’ve done to me, you Frequent Askers? By all means, listen to Messiah, at least excerpts. Listen to excerpts from some opera — Julius Caesar. Try the Royal Fireworks music. Listen to some keyboard music — maybe the Suite No. 5 in E, which ends with “The Harmonious Blacksmith.” You know? You could spend a lifetime with Handel (and with many of these others).
Sample some keyboard sonatas of Scarlatti. (He called them esercizi, or exercises.)
Haydn? Oh, boy. He lived a long time, and composed a lot. Listen to a symphony, one or two of his 104. Maybe No. 94 in G, the “Surprise.” Maybe No. 97 in C. (No nickname — it’s just great.) From his piano music? Maybe the Variations in F minor. One of his string quartets? Sure. Almost at random: No. 61 in D minor, “Fifths.”
Mozart. You’ve got to be kidding. Listen to some opera overture — that to The Marriage of Figaro, probably, or to The Magic Flute. Symphonies? Try the last three, or one of them — maybe go to the very last, No. 41, “Jupiter.” Piano concertos? Sure, practically any — try K. 466, in D minor. Listen to the Clarinet Concerto, or the Clarinet Quintet, or both. Try a selection of opera arias. And know the Requiem. Or know the C Minor Mass. Or both. Don’t do this to me.
Take a break for a quick story? Years ago, I took a golf friend to The Marriage of Figaro. (He had never seen an opera, and perhaps not attended a classical concert.) After the overture, he leaned over to me and said, “That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” I thought to myself: He’ll never hear anything to top it, if he listens for decades and decades. In fact, I’m pretty sure I said it.
The question of Beethoven? You’re killing me. Killing me. The symphonies, sure. Any? The Fifth? Why not. The Ninth? Sure. Know the choral movement, at least. Listen to a piano sonata or two — visit the “Waldstein,” maybe. You have the Violin Concerto. A work of chamber music? Okay. A string quartet? Okay. Op. 135, in F? Fine — more than fine.
Schubert — he lived 31 years, but wrote enough for 100 lifetimes. Dip into the songs — just dip into them, somehow. See what grabs you, or doesn’t. Dip into the piano music — some impromptus, a sonata. (Acquaint yourself with the Sonata in B flat, Op. posth., also sometimes written as D. 960.) Try the String Quintet in C, and do a symphony: say, the “Unfinished.” It’s short. (Unlike the “Great C-major,” renowned for its “heavenly length,” as Schumann once said.)
All right, Schumann: Some songs, for sure — definitely some songs. He was one of the greatest songwriters ever. Piano music? Any, really — the Symphonic Etudes. Kinderszenen. Symphonies? All four — beginning with No. 1, the “Spring.” Chamber music? Sure — the Piano Quintet in E flat.
Mendelssohn? He wrote his great, immortal Octet at 16. What were you doing at that age?
You may want to know what bel canto opera sounds like — try the Sextet from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. And know some Rossini — at least some overtures. At least The Lone Ranger! (William Tell.) Listen to an aria — maybe “Non più mesta” from La cenerentola. And, for goo’ness’ sake, see The Barber of Seville — what a joy. And shot through with genius.
Maybe get a little Berlioz under your belt: a concert overture, like The Roman Carnival. “L’Isle inconnue,” from Les Nuits d’été, is one of the great songs, by anybody. And you may get a kick out of the Symphonie fantastique, one of the world’s most popular pieces.
What to do about Chopin? Dip in — try a nocturne, or a waltz, or a prelude, or an impromptu. Or a few mazurkas. Just try something. Oh, I have an idea: the four ballades. Go for it. (Or just one of them.) (As a rule, listen to short things, when you’re starting out.) (I said as a rule.)
Brahms, Brahms. Oh, what a songwriter — absolutely great. What a symphonist — any of the four. Either of the two piano concertos, and the violin concerto, and the double concerto (violin and cello). You will like the Academic Festival Overture — guaranteed. Piano pieces? The ones in Op. 118 will do.
Mendelssohn’s Octet is a staggering youthful achievement. So is Bizet’s Symphony in C (which he wrote at 17). And you know Carmen, right — the soundtrack to The Bad News Bears?
Treat yourself to some Fauré: his little Pavane, or his (less little) Requiem. And, for sure, songs — sung by Janet Baker or Gérard Souzay (oops, sorry, was not going to do performers — I will not slip again). For piano music, try some impromptus (I keep mentioning those).
Dvorak! Know the Carnival Overture. And a symphony — No. 8 or No. 9 (“From the New World”). The chamber music is unbelievably good, and you may wish to hear the Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81. And how about the “Song to the Moon” from the opera Rusalka?
Wagner: Just listen to a few excerpts, from his operas. Find a collection of orchestral excerpts. Or listen to Act I of Die Walküre. Or find some vocal excerpts that include Wotan’s Farewell, the Immolation Scene, the Liebestod . . . And treat yourself to his little Siegfried’s Idyll (for chamber orchestra)!
Mahler? Um, some songs — maybe the Rückert Lieder. A symphony? Can’t go wrong with any of the nine — but maybe start with No. 1, “Titan,” and continue with No. 2, “Resurrection.” On a related subject, what to do about Bruckner? Try one movement from one symphony — maybe the slow movement of the Seventh. Or be uplifted by all of the Ninth.
Let’s go English with some Elgar — his Enigma Variations, and his Sea Pictures (for mezzo and orchestra), and his Symphony No. 1 in A flat. Go Norwegian with some Grieg: his Holberg Suite, say, and some Lyric Pieces (which are for piano).
Okay, to Russia: Tchaikovsky — something from a symphony: probably his Fifth or Sixth (“Pathétique”). And here is something really cool: the little march — the Andantino marziale — from his Symphony No. 2, “Little Russian.” (That refers to Ukraine, not a short Muscovite.) Something from a Tchaikovsky opera — the Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin? And ballet excerpts: from The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake. The Piano Concerto (No. 1)? The Violin Concerto? Course, course.
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, either in an orchestral arrangement or for the piano. (The piano version is rather underrated.) And maybe the death scene from Boris Godunov. Rimsky-Korsakov? In an interview, the conductor Valery Gergiev told me that Scheherazade was pretty much the first piece that “hooked” him. You’ll also like Capriccio espagnol, and the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and . . .
To the opera house: Sample some Verdi — maybe excerpts from La traviata or Otello. Sample some Puccini — maybe excerpts from Tosca or Madama Butterfly — or the little Rondine, Puccini’s “operetta”!
In the song world — specifically, the world of the Lied: Try something by Hugo Wolf — maybe something from Italian Songbook (whose words are in German).
From Debussy, you may want to listen to La Mer, or Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Taste some of the songs, too (especially “Beau soir”). For piano? L’Isle joyeuse? Oh, yeah. And absorb the String Quartet. Relatedly, don’t neglect your Ravel: the Piano Concerto in G; the little Pavane for a Dead Princess; the Violin Sonata.
Holst’s Planets — at least some of them. An amusement — an ingenious amusement — for Halloween? Saint-Saëns’s Danse macabre.
Schoenberg was several different composers, which is to say, he wrote in several different styles, or went through several periods. For example, Verklärte Nacht is one thing; and the String Quartet No. 2 (which involves a soprano) is another. And the Berg Violin Concerto? A flat-out masterpiece of music.
Strauss (Richard — not of the waltz family, though Richard could write waltzes with the best of them) was quite versatile. Try a tone poem — say, Don Juan. Avail yourself of some songs — several songs. If you want the Four Last ones, fine. But there are dozens of others. Listen to a highlight or two of Der Rosenkavalier (speaking of waltzes). Watch, if you can, the short opera Salome or Elektra — Elektra is one of the greatest things in all of music. And maybe just listen to the Final Scene of Salome, which I have long referred to as “the mad Liebestod.”
Rachmaninoff? Some piano preludes. His cello sonata. The Vespers (sublime). The Symphony No. 2. Couple of piano concertos — 2 and 3. Wanna get chilly? (We’re going to Scandinavia.) Listen to Sibelius, perhaps his Symphony No. 5, and definitely — definitely — his Violin Concerto. For dessert, the little Valse triste.
Stravinsky went through more periods than Schoenberg. Sample him in The Rite of Spring, in The Firebird — and in The Rake’s Progress, in the form of the aria that begins “No word from Tom.” Bartok? The Concerto for Orchestra, of course. And how about his Piano Concerto No. 3 (his “Mozart” concerto)? One of the rhapsodies for violin and orchestra (or piano). Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta.
To Spain: A taste of Iberia (Albéniz); a taste of Goyescas (Granados).
Prokofiev wrote a ballet on Romeo and Juliet — which you will want to sample. (Maybe get a suite.) Also consider the Piano Concerto No. 3 (speaking of those). Shostakovich? Ooh, so much: for a sheer kick, the Festive Overture; a symphony or two — No. 5, No. 10; the Second Piano Concerto (which is not well enough known, and a pure delight); the Cello Concerto No. 1; the String Quartet No. 8; and — perhaps above all — the Violin Concerto No. 1. One of the greatest things in music, frankly.
If you’re an American, you’d better know all of Gershwin — and maybe even if you’re not: the piano preludes; Rhapsody in Blue; the Concerto in F; An American in Paris; Porgy and Bess (certainly excerpts). Did your mother ever sing to you “Summertime”? Keeping to the home front, Copland, a Brooklyn Jew, gave us the sound of the American West in Rodeo. He gave us the sound of pastoral America in Appalachian Spring. Try a couple of songs, too — maybe “Heart, we will forget him,” from the Dickinson Songs.
Find some liturgical music by Arvo Pärt. Maybe look into a little Henri Dutilleux – for example, his recent piece Sur le même accord. Try George Crumb’s song-cycle Apparition. Listen to a symphony by Michael Hersch (a friend of mine, I should say). Get some songs of Lee Hoiby (another friend). Minimalism from Steve Reich? Yeah – groove to You Are (Variations).
Some musical people are offended by such products as The Perfect Bach or Chill-Out Classical Music. To heck with them (the people, I mean). Such discs — these compilations — can be a magnificent “gateway.” And enjoyable in themselves. And if you like a particular performer — Horowitz, Milstein, Callas, Celibidache — just soak up the entire discography, or great chunks of it.
Anyway, just an answer — for all its inadequacy — to an FAQ.
But I’ll jot a little list — suggested listening. This will be just kind of a starter kit — some initial suggestions. And would you do me a favor? I hate to sound like a jerk, but please don’t write me to tell me what I have missed. I know what I have missed, full well, perhaps better than you. (Sorry to be a jerk again!) I simply feel the need to respond to this FAQ. The music question comes up with persistence. And, till now, I have basically said, “Listen to some stuff! Particularly by the great composers. Just dive in, or dip in.”
Today, I will not discuss performances — that is, I will not recommend recordings. That is for another day, or book, or whatever. The important thing, now, is the music — an acquaintance with music. It matters not where the music comes from. Get something cheap, borrow something, attend something — whatever. Okay, here goes.
Maybe dip into some Monteverdi — try his Vespers, or excerpts from an opera: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria or L’incoronazione di Poppea. Maybe try some Purcell — Dido’s Lament, from Dido and Aeneas. Some songs — maybe the “Morning Hymn,” or the “Evening Hymn.” Maybe “Music for a While.” You might also check out the Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day.
Bach? I tremble even to mention his name, much less to recommend particular pieces. Try a smattering: a Brandenburg concerto, a keyboard suite — maybe the Partita in B flat, or in C minor, or in E minor. How about a cello suite (any)? How about an organ compilation?
Get a hold of some cantatas, too — maybe BWV 170, “Vergnügte Ruh’, beliebte Seelenlust,” or BWV 159, “Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem,” or BWV 82, “Ich habe genug.” Also, do yourself this favor: Listen to the B Minor Mass.
Handel? What to say? See what you’ve done to me, you Frequent Askers? By all means, listen to Messiah, at least excerpts. Listen to excerpts from some opera — Julius Caesar. Try the Royal Fireworks music. Listen to some keyboard music — maybe the Suite No. 5 in E, which ends with “The Harmonious Blacksmith.” You know? You could spend a lifetime with Handel (and with many of these others).
Sample some keyboard sonatas of Scarlatti. (He called them esercizi, or exercises.)
Haydn? Oh, boy. He lived a long time, and composed a lot. Listen to a symphony, one or two of his 104. Maybe No. 94 in G, the “Surprise.” Maybe No. 97 in C. (No nickname — it’s just great.) From his piano music? Maybe the Variations in F minor. One of his string quartets? Sure. Almost at random: No. 61 in D minor, “Fifths.”
Mozart. You’ve got to be kidding. Listen to some opera overture — that to The Marriage of Figaro, probably, or to The Magic Flute. Symphonies? Try the last three, or one of them — maybe go to the very last, No. 41, “Jupiter.” Piano concertos? Sure, practically any — try K. 466, in D minor. Listen to the Clarinet Concerto, or the Clarinet Quintet, or both. Try a selection of opera arias. And know the Requiem. Or know the C Minor Mass. Or both. Don’t do this to me.
Take a break for a quick story? Years ago, I took a golf friend to The Marriage of Figaro. (He had never seen an opera, and perhaps not attended a classical concert.) After the overture, he leaned over to me and said, “That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” I thought to myself: He’ll never hear anything to top it, if he listens for decades and decades. In fact, I’m pretty sure I said it.
The question of Beethoven? You’re killing me. Killing me. The symphonies, sure. Any? The Fifth? Why not. The Ninth? Sure. Know the choral movement, at least. Listen to a piano sonata or two — visit the “Waldstein,” maybe. You have the Violin Concerto. A work of chamber music? Okay. A string quartet? Okay. Op. 135, in F? Fine — more than fine.
Schubert — he lived 31 years, but wrote enough for 100 lifetimes. Dip into the songs — just dip into them, somehow. See what grabs you, or doesn’t. Dip into the piano music — some impromptus, a sonata. (Acquaint yourself with the Sonata in B flat, Op. posth., also sometimes written as D. 960.) Try the String Quintet in C, and do a symphony: say, the “Unfinished.” It’s short. (Unlike the “Great C-major,” renowned for its “heavenly length,” as Schumann once said.)
All right, Schumann: Some songs, for sure — definitely some songs. He was one of the greatest songwriters ever. Piano music? Any, really — the Symphonic Etudes. Kinderszenen. Symphonies? All four — beginning with No. 1, the “Spring.” Chamber music? Sure — the Piano Quintet in E flat.
Mendelssohn? He wrote his great, immortal Octet at 16. What were you doing at that age?
You may want to know what bel canto opera sounds like — try the Sextet from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. And know some Rossini — at least some overtures. At least The Lone Ranger! (William Tell.) Listen to an aria — maybe “Non più mesta” from La cenerentola. And, for goo’ness’ sake, see The Barber of Seville — what a joy. And shot through with genius.
Maybe get a little Berlioz under your belt: a concert overture, like The Roman Carnival. “L’Isle inconnue,” from Les Nuits d’été, is one of the great songs, by anybody. And you may get a kick out of the Symphonie fantastique, one of the world’s most popular pieces.
What to do about Chopin? Dip in — try a nocturne, or a waltz, or a prelude, or an impromptu. Or a few mazurkas. Just try something. Oh, I have an idea: the four ballades. Go for it. (Or just one of them.) (As a rule, listen to short things, when you’re starting out.) (I said as a rule.)
Brahms, Brahms. Oh, what a songwriter — absolutely great. What a symphonist — any of the four. Either of the two piano concertos, and the violin concerto, and the double concerto (violin and cello). You will like the Academic Festival Overture — guaranteed. Piano pieces? The ones in Op. 118 will do.
Mendelssohn’s Octet is a staggering youthful achievement. So is Bizet’s Symphony in C (which he wrote at 17). And you know Carmen, right — the soundtrack to The Bad News Bears?
Treat yourself to some Fauré: his little Pavane, or his (less little) Requiem. And, for sure, songs — sung by Janet Baker or Gérard Souzay (oops, sorry, was not going to do performers — I will not slip again). For piano music, try some impromptus (I keep mentioning those).
Dvorak! Know the Carnival Overture. And a symphony — No. 8 or No. 9 (“From the New World”). The chamber music is unbelievably good, and you may wish to hear the Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81. And how about the “Song to the Moon” from the opera Rusalka?
Wagner: Just listen to a few excerpts, from his operas. Find a collection of orchestral excerpts. Or listen to Act I of Die Walküre. Or find some vocal excerpts that include Wotan’s Farewell, the Immolation Scene, the Liebestod . . . And treat yourself to his little Siegfried’s Idyll (for chamber orchestra)!
Mahler? Um, some songs — maybe the Rückert Lieder. A symphony? Can’t go wrong with any of the nine — but maybe start with No. 1, “Titan,” and continue with No. 2, “Resurrection.” On a related subject, what to do about Bruckner? Try one movement from one symphony — maybe the slow movement of the Seventh. Or be uplifted by all of the Ninth.
Let’s go English with some Elgar — his Enigma Variations, and his Sea Pictures (for mezzo and orchestra), and his Symphony No. 1 in A flat. Go Norwegian with some Grieg: his Holberg Suite, say, and some Lyric Pieces (which are for piano).
Okay, to Russia: Tchaikovsky — something from a symphony: probably his Fifth or Sixth (“Pathétique”). And here is something really cool: the little march — the Andantino marziale — from his Symphony No. 2, “Little Russian.” (That refers to Ukraine, not a short Muscovite.) Something from a Tchaikovsky opera — the Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin? And ballet excerpts: from The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake. The Piano Concerto (No. 1)? The Violin Concerto? Course, course.
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, either in an orchestral arrangement or for the piano. (The piano version is rather underrated.) And maybe the death scene from Boris Godunov. Rimsky-Korsakov? In an interview, the conductor Valery Gergiev told me that Scheherazade was pretty much the first piece that “hooked” him. You’ll also like Capriccio espagnol, and the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and . . .
To the opera house: Sample some Verdi — maybe excerpts from La traviata or Otello. Sample some Puccini — maybe excerpts from Tosca or Madama Butterfly — or the little Rondine, Puccini’s “operetta”!
In the song world — specifically, the world of the Lied: Try something by Hugo Wolf — maybe something from Italian Songbook (whose words are in German).
From Debussy, you may want to listen to La Mer, or Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Taste some of the songs, too (especially “Beau soir”). For piano? L’Isle joyeuse? Oh, yeah. And absorb the String Quartet. Relatedly, don’t neglect your Ravel: the Piano Concerto in G; the little Pavane for a Dead Princess; the Violin Sonata.
Holst’s Planets — at least some of them. An amusement — an ingenious amusement — for Halloween? Saint-Saëns’s Danse macabre.
Schoenberg was several different composers, which is to say, he wrote in several different styles, or went through several periods. For example, Verklärte Nacht is one thing; and the String Quartet No. 2 (which involves a soprano) is another. And the Berg Violin Concerto? A flat-out masterpiece of music.
Strauss (Richard — not of the waltz family, though Richard could write waltzes with the best of them) was quite versatile. Try a tone poem — say, Don Juan. Avail yourself of some songs — several songs. If you want the Four Last ones, fine. But there are dozens of others. Listen to a highlight or two of Der Rosenkavalier (speaking of waltzes). Watch, if you can, the short opera Salome or Elektra — Elektra is one of the greatest things in all of music. And maybe just listen to the Final Scene of Salome, which I have long referred to as “the mad Liebestod.”
Rachmaninoff? Some piano preludes. His cello sonata. The Vespers (sublime). The Symphony No. 2. Couple of piano concertos — 2 and 3. Wanna get chilly? (We’re going to Scandinavia.) Listen to Sibelius, perhaps his Symphony No. 5, and definitely — definitely — his Violin Concerto. For dessert, the little Valse triste.
Stravinsky went through more periods than Schoenberg. Sample him in The Rite of Spring, in The Firebird — and in The Rake’s Progress, in the form of the aria that begins “No word from Tom.” Bartok? The Concerto for Orchestra, of course. And how about his Piano Concerto No. 3 (his “Mozart” concerto)? One of the rhapsodies for violin and orchestra (or piano). Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta.
To Spain: A taste of Iberia (Albéniz); a taste of Goyescas (Granados).
Prokofiev wrote a ballet on Romeo and Juliet — which you will want to sample. (Maybe get a suite.) Also consider the Piano Concerto No. 3 (speaking of those). Shostakovich? Ooh, so much: for a sheer kick, the Festive Overture; a symphony or two — No. 5, No. 10; the Second Piano Concerto (which is not well enough known, and a pure delight); the Cello Concerto No. 1; the String Quartet No. 8; and — perhaps above all — the Violin Concerto No. 1. One of the greatest things in music, frankly.
If you’re an American, you’d better know all of Gershwin — and maybe even if you’re not: the piano preludes; Rhapsody in Blue; the Concerto in F; An American in Paris; Porgy and Bess (certainly excerpts). Did your mother ever sing to you “Summertime”? Keeping to the home front, Copland, a Brooklyn Jew, gave us the sound of the American West in Rodeo. He gave us the sound of pastoral America in Appalachian Spring. Try a couple of songs, too — maybe “Heart, we will forget him,” from the Dickinson Songs.
Find some liturgical music by Arvo Pärt. Maybe look into a little Henri Dutilleux – for example, his recent piece Sur le même accord. Try George Crumb’s song-cycle Apparition. Listen to a symphony by Michael Hersch (a friend of mine, I should say). Get some songs of Lee Hoiby (another friend). Minimalism from Steve Reich? Yeah – groove to You Are (Variations).
Some musical people are offended by such products as The Perfect Bach or Chill-Out Classical Music. To heck with them (the people, I mean). Such discs — these compilations — can be a magnificent “gateway.” And enjoyable in themselves. And if you like a particular performer — Horowitz, Milstein, Callas, Celibidache — just soak up the entire discography, or great chunks of it.
Anyway, just an answer — for all its inadequacy — to an FAQ.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Griefs Assuaged
Laden with guilt and full of fears,
I fly to Thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written Word
The volumes of my Father’s grace
Does all my griefs assuage
Here I behold my Savior’s face
In every page. --Isaac Watts
I fly to Thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written Word
The volumes of my Father’s grace
Does all my griefs assuage
Here I behold my Savior’s face
In every page. --Isaac Watts
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
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