TCATS #431 - Finding the Good

The one particularly special thing about today's Music & the Spoken Word performance, was that we had the opportunity to perform a Spanish piece--a piece that, from what I've heard, in pretty popular in Hispanic circles. I did a search for it on YouTube and got at least a dozen hits so I think defining it as "popular" can be confirmed. It's called "ALABARÉ" and the version we sang today was arranged by none other than our director Mack Wilberg. I don't think I really loved the piece from a musicality standpoint, but I loved performing it because I just get excited to share music that resonates with people who either speak a different language or live in another country or both. 

The last piece on today's program is one that I really, really didn't like. And as much as I try (really hard!) to take the high road and remember that it's not about me, that we're singing these songs for other people, that songs I personally don't like might very well be someone else's favorite (or the one that inspires them the most), that I need to re-invent the experience each time, etc. etc., sometimes I just fail at that and sort of put on a fake happy smile and just sing the song without much enthusiasm or conviction. Such is what happened today. "On Great Lone Hills", one of the songs from the choral work "Finlandia", is actually a song that's familiar to many people since the hymn "Be Still My Soul" is based on the same tune. I take issue with the song for two reasons. First, the song starts out with this big orchestral intro full of strings and horns and percussion. It's almost like the beginning of one of those Sousa marches. Very grand. That's not my issue. My issue is that it deceptively draws the audience in and leads them to believe that the rest of the song will be just as exciting. BUZZ. Nope. Suddenly the tempo drops, the orchestrations pull way back and the choir sort of plods along singing the song (which leads to the second reason: plodding along). To me it's just sort of...well...boring. At any rate, just as the audience is surely about to fall asleep, the orchestration picks up again and we end with a bang. (For anyone who loves this song, my sincerest apologies. I certainly respect your right to love whatever song you want to love!)

As I left Choir and was thinking all day what to write about in this blog entry, I thought "You know, I should find something good about "On Great Lone Hills" and expound on it." And why not? I think it's a good exercise for all of us to try and find something good in all situations and in all people we interact with. Wouldn't you agree? So after thinking about it, I went to the lyrics of the song and found a few words that actually resonated with me: "all crowned with light."

I believe that most people are crowned with a degree of light. And in this world that is becoming more divisive and divided than ever (a lot of which we've witnessed this weekend), there's no better time to remember God's second great commandment to love others. We don't need to agree with them or endorse their beliefs. But we can accept them by seeing and acknowledging their light--no matter how small it is or how different a hue it is.

We can respect them. 

We can try to find common ground with meaningful conversation and an understanding heart. 

So I hope we can all do that.  

Until next time, God be with you.

TCATS #430 - Promises

A heartfelt kudos to all the fathers out there who work hard each day to do their best! Thanks for your efforts. And for those who aren't fathers yet or who might not be for one reason or another, I'd bet 10 to 1 you have plenty of father-like attributes that you employ in different ways within your sphere of influence. 

As the day is almost done and I'm really tired, I'm going to make this a quick entry. Ever since I first sang Ryan Murphy's arrangement of STANDING ON THE PROMISES, it's made an everlasting impression on me. Walking the covenant path within the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what it's all about and this song helps remind me not only why the path is important, but the blessings that result when that walk is made each and every day. 

Today as I sang this song, I just felt a renewed sense of hope that everything would work out in the end. 

My favorite moment in the song is at the end when the orchestra is at its fullest and we're singing full voice: "Standing on the promises! Standing on the promises! Standing on the pro-mi-ses of God." It's like everyone at that moment is just singing with their whole heart and soul and it produces all the feels. 

You've been hereby challenged to look for ways that you can stand more firmly in your beliefs--however that looks to you.

Until next time, God be with you.

 

PS: Links below to listen to this song:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4vXQvthIlV0BzNh97x6Sam?si=28eab3a4b3f24d22

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/standing-on-the-promises/1452638314?i=1452639468

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__DTGtQy5H4

TCATS #429 - The Murphy Show

The last time Ryan Murphy ran the Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra "show" completely, was a really long time ago. So long ago that I'm not even sure when it was. Typically Ryan will conduct one or two songs on a broadcast and then will be given the last 20 minutes of a Thursday or Sunday rehearsal to take us through various upcoming pieces that he'll be directing. But this week, Ryan directed all of Thursday's rehearsal and then did both the broadcast today and the extra rehearsal afterwards. (Where Mack was, the Choir wasn't told)

While there are several commonalities between Wilberg and Murphy (they are both musically brilliant, work us hard, compose and arrange pieces we love, and have ears that catch the slightest of intonation issues-- which sometimes drive us crazy), they are different in a few significant ways. As I was thinking about what ways those were, a friend of mine brought up this topic on his own accord and it was interesting to find out that his perspective and observations largely matched up with mine. 

Rather than compare and contrast though (since I don't want this to come across as one is better than the other), I'll just focus on some things I enjoy about Ryan Murphy.

My admiration and respect for Ryan started back in my BYU Concert Choir days. Ryan was in the Choir with me, but rather than contributing to the choir by using his awesome tenor voice, he usually acted in the capacity of accompanist. I thought on more than one occasion how talented he was. 

Coming into the Tabernacle Choir almost 20 years later, it was fun to see him in a director role. While Ryan doesn't waste any time in rehearsals, he does take the time to give us back stories of the songs we're singing. I REALLY appreciate that. Knowing the back story of a song (why it was written, who it was written for, etc.) makes singing it all the more rewarding. Along with back stories, we sometimes get personal commentary on why certain songs mean so much to Ryan. These commentaries and personal experiences also really enhance the songs we sing because we can often relate to them ourselves.

Another thing about Ryan I like is he'll spontaneously start playing on the piano some song from the 80s--just for fun. Like on Thursday, right after rehearsing one our upcoming numbers, the clock happened to strike 9 PM and Ryan started playing Billy Joel's "Piano Man". And of course many in the Choir started singing "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in...". That's as far as we got, but it was fun. I often think how awesome it would be to have an 80s sing-a-long with Ryan, haha. But I digress...

One hope I have, should Ryan ever become the main director for the Choir one day, is that he'll work on refreshing the songs we sing that are tied to musicals. I love "Climb Every Mountain" (Sound of Music) and "Tonight" (West Side Story) and "It's a Grand Night for Singing" (State Fair) just as much as the next guy, but I dare say there are some songs from musicals in the past decade that would be really, really cool to sing (and might make inroads more effectively with the younger generation). 

I'm grateful for both Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy. They each bring their own style and testimony to the Tabernacle Choir experience. This week in particular though, it was nice to have Ryan take the reigns and to share in the experience he helped create for all of us. 

Until next time, God be with you.