Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The Power of Music

The Christmas tree across from Bikkuri Donkey (a restaurant we frequent after Bible studies) was dark by the time Mary and I passed it on our way out of Hirosaki last night. Mary snorted as I remarked "Oh, look they've taken down the Christmas lights already."

Even though our family has some firmly entrenched "we always do this" Christmas traditions somehow once the Messiah Concert is over I often feel that I've already had my Christmas.

Rieko, Takako (Hirosaki Church), me, Mary, Ayaka & Joy

This year 5 of us from Ajigasawa sang. And we talked three of our Hirosaki friends into joining us. (It wasn't very hard!)


Mr. Kumaki - our Conductor

I sometimes think we have the best conductor in the world. He lives and breathes Handel's "Messiah" and he makes it come alive for us.


Mary

Yesterday when we (Mary & I) turned in our money and tickets to Ako Sensei, we talked for a long time about the power of music. The pain we get in our chest and the tears that fill our eyes when the beauty is almost too much...

Ako Sensei is singing St. John's Passion (Bach) in Morioka next month. I wish I could go!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This christmas we ordered a recording of the Messiah by the London Philharmonic. We saved it for Christmas day and played the whole thing. It brings Grandma (who is a lover of music, esp. choral)to tears. (Mamma too... don't think I did but I felt like it.)

Laurie Elliot said...

I'm so glad you all listened to it together - that is so cool!

The part that brings tears to my eyes is the part about "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those who are with young."

If I haven't got tears in my eyes by the time the alto finishes Isaiah 40:11, they're certainly there when by the time the soprano moves into Matthew 11:28 - 30!