Friday, September 16, 2011

Morning Selections


We are starting the day off with some musical compositions that have over-arching themes of death and grief.  Some describe this music as divine because it has religious connections--funeral music for the church, music for mass, etc.  What strikes me about it, is how human it all really is; how much the triumph from real earth-bound grief comes in waves, only to have, as always, death prevail in the end.



Mozart's Requiem (Mass in D Minor) and his performed by the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir, conducted by the well known period instrument specialist Sir John Eliot Gardiner.  Mozart is, of course, Mozart.  So nothing he composed is simple, but it can very often masquerade as flowery or even frivolous; that holds with this performance, though   Mozart creeps on you.  Just when you think you've had enough of the seemingly "over-orchestrated" light strings or horn flares, there it is, the Mozart dirge, all dressed in black!  

Mozart stylized death scene

We've done several music Fridays, usually with more heavy metal and death rock, but this house LOVES music.  All types of music.  So yes amongst my love of music, I am a classical fan.  Honestly a lot of this stuff is way more menacing than anything from Danzig, and way more over the top than any Marilyn Manson!  My mother, who used to play classical music on the French Horn will be joining us later.  We also have a guest blogger today!  I am dedicating this day to my late Father.  He hated classical music (he called it "long hair music"), and if he were alive he would not be joining us--but to be blunt, and yes in black humor, HE'S DEAD, so this is dedicated to Grandpa George.


Alleged Mozart death mask


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