4 Brass Ensembles, 16 Timpani, a Full Orchestra and Choir...Can It Get Any Better Than This?

I've been listening to music all day again getting ready for tomorrow's Music History/Appreciation class.  We're beginning the Romantic Era so I've gotten to listen to some of my favorite composers.  Of course, you can't study the Romantic composers without including Hector Berlioz.

 And, my absolute favorite Berlioz piece is his Requiem.  It is an incredible piece of music and the part that has all the stuff I mentioned in the title is the Tuba mirum section of the Dies irae.  Here's a link to one video of it on youtube.  Not as good as listening to the recording I have  but you get the idea of the sheer power of this composition.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2iMbTHPrc8   This recording (which is part 2) starts just at the Tuba mirum section but if you like it, try to find part one, which has the beginning parts of the Dies irae.

We're also listening to some Liszt, Schubert, and Chopin.  Perfect joy.  :)  Thank you God for giving people the ability to write such beautiful music and thank you for giving us ears to hear it.

Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Bread

HUH?  If anyone wasn't sure before, I'm thinking they're sure now that I'm a little wacko.   I do have a really boring explanation for the title of this post although I'm really tempted to be mysterious because it'd be way more fun.  The title of this post is a mnemonic device to help people remember the order of sharps in key signatures (F,C,G,D,A,E,B).  I made a doofy little sketch today as a visual reminder for the kids in music theory class. 

Many thanks to one of the kids' Garfield books for the cat.  :)

I actually spent a little time in the studio today sketching and painting.  I am pretty rusty because I haven't been drawing much lately but it was fun anyway.  I always forget how much I enjoy it and spend weeks away from my sketchbook.  Anyway, today I decided to practice trying to draw stuff up close and fill the frames I'd laid out.

Can you tell what they all are?

Beauty and Joy

I've been listening to Mozart and Beethoven today, getting ready for teaching my music history and appreciation class tomorrow at band.  The Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's "The Magic Flute", "Voi Che Sapete" from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in g minor, The "Apassionata" piano sonata by Beethoven, the "Moonlight" Sonata by Beethoven, Beethoven's 5th  and 9th symphonies.  They are all such absolutely beautiful pieces of music and I can't even begin to describe the joy that they bring to my heart.  They make me cry, they are so beautiful.  I hope that you all get a chance to listen to some of them sometime.

Another joy I'd almost forgotten about is the sunrise the kids and I saw last Thursday when we were getting ready to leave for band.  I can't believe that I get to see such beauty just by walking out my back door.

No retouching done, honest!  This is what we saw.

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

  Psalm 19:1