Dona Nobis Pacem

On October 18, 2010, members of Dallas’ Turtle Creek Chorale joined singers from over 30 area religious institutions and students from Southern Methodist University in a performance titled, A Night For Peace. WIth just three rehearsals to prepare, the 300+ “Partners In Harmony” massed chorus offered a full-length concert, which concluded with Bach’s DONA NOBIS PACEM (Grant Us Peace) from his Mass in B Minor. All stories are real. Featured speakers are current members of the Turtle Creek Chorale.

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Autumn and The Canon

Many people prefer Spring, but I prefer Autumn. As said by Albert Camus, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf’s a flower.” Here are two of my most favorite things…beautiful Autumn scenes set to Pachelbel’s Canon in D. We did have a cool night last Thursday night, but not many other signs of Autumn here in Florida. As an Appalachian State University Alum, I know a thing or two about a beautiful Fall. Even down the mountain in Kings Mountain, it’s still a beautiful time of the year.

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The Lord Bless You and Keep You

This is the Choir of Saint Paul Cathedral performing John Rutter’s, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.” This was from the Jubilee Celebration in 2002 for Queen Elizabeth. As the song concludes with “and give you peace,” you can’t help but feel a sense of peace settle over you. It’s a beautiful performance. I hope you enjoy it, and that you are blessed in the week approaching.

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Just a Calm Moment for The End of The Week

This is Choir of the St. Paul Cathedral doing “For The Beauty of The Earth.” I think too many Christians have forgotten that we are charged with the care of keeping of God’s creation, and especially here in America, we are prone to merely exploit what we’ve been given. We are forever changing our planet by the choices we’ve made, and we’d better start to figure out to take better care of what God has given us to sustain us.

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Dame Judy Dench – Send in the Clowns

Sunday evening the BBC, on their Proms show, celebrated the 80th birthday of Stephen Sondheim. There are several good videos of performances from the show, and while Send in The Clowns isn’t one of my favorite Sondheim songs, it is Judy Dench, and I just don’t know anyone with more class. And below is the very funny take on Everybody Ought To Have A Maid.

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A Lost Surprise – Be

I was messing around on YouTube the other day. Don’t ask why, but I happened to think about Johnathan Livingston Seagull. As you might imagine, the music all on YouTube. I haven’t thought about this for so many years, and can’t imagine what brought it to my mind, but I do still enjoy it. So over the next few weeks, I’ll post one every once in a while.

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An Italian Market and a Little Verdi-Doesn’t Get Much Better

Visitors to the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival got an authentic Italian treat back in April. Over 30 members of the cast of the Philadelphia Opera’s production of La Traviata slipped into the market in street clothes. They swung into action when the music for the famous “Brindisi” started playing through the markets public address system. Hundreds of shoppers got a wonderful surprise performance of one of the rousing pieces from Verdi to along with their Italian Market shopping.

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An Italian Market and a Little Verdi-Doesn't Get Much Better

Visitors to the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival got an authentic Italian treat back in April. Over 30 members of the cast of the Philadelphia Opera’s production of La Traviata slipped into the market in street clothes. They swung into action when the music for the famous “Brindisi” started playing through the markets public address system. Hundreds of shoppers got a wonderful surprise performance of one of the rousing pieces from Verdi to along with their Italian Market shopping.

Read more