The Season Draws Near: "Father Christmas"

FATHER CHRISTMAS

They often asked him for a story. But telling stories had never quite worked for him. No, he was a farmer: a tree farmer, to be exact. And farming, especially winter farming, was solitary work.

Although his chapped lips rarely moved in speech, warmth radiated from his deep brown eyes when he smiled, something he did freely and often. His face glowed with the light of youth, despite his having worked in evergreen fields through countless Indiana winters.

Years passed, quickly and slowly.

Saturday Morning Poetry: "Angling"

"Angling"

His skin like parchment
Stretches, stretches, stretches
Over bones hallowed by salt sea
In the dim, red light of morning

And in the pulsing flame of warnings
Issuing from white towers,
Unheard but not unheeded by
Eyes weary but unblinking,
Aware of the fragility of each wave
That rises, then breaks,
Forgotten on cold stone.

His lines fly silently on unrelenting winds,
Angle wordlessly over sparkling gray and green,
Cold depths concealing
A scaly world of slimy life--

Life!
The place of origins
That feeds the multitudes
Ever and still,
Still.

He has no need for angling,
Not that kind, anyway.
Angling has taught
What anglers never learn:

Time will take care of most things.
Salt wounds fade, while
Tides rise and recede,
Rise and recede--
And days dawn and die,
Dawn and die.

Creation, Evolution, and Faith, Part 3: The Problem With Integration

In Part 1, I looked at models for understanding the interaction of science and religion. In Part 2, I argued that there's not a debate between science and religion, because there's no reason why the two should be considered to be in conflict at all. If you haven't checked those out yet, I'd recommend giving them a quick read before you continue.

Here in Part 3, I'll look at the possibility of the "integration" of science and religion. Integration puts the data of science and the data of faith in a harmonious one-to-one relationship. Because there's only one set of data, science and religion ultimately fit one another hand in glove. Phenomena like evolution might turn out to be revelation of God's "design" and the play of law and chance might turn out to be the "place" where God works.

For Integration, the Book of Nature and the Book of Scripture don't just have one author.  They're the same book.

8 Tricks to Stay Awake During Mass

We've all been there.  

After a late night out, you drag yourself out of bed to join your compadres in faith for Sunday morning Mass. Unfortunately, this time of prayer is all-too-often more sedative than celebration, making the simple act of staying awake for these 58-62 minutes no small feat. What's a good Catholic to do?

Here are eight tricks for keeping the eyelids open and the brain alert during even the most soporific celebrations of the Eucharist. Use them, and use them well.

1.  Go to the Bathroom. Twice.

As children, Catholics don't just learn about Jesus, Mary, Joseph, saints, rosaries, angels, and tasteless wafers. In their most formative years, Catholics also learn that trips to the bathroom are the easiest way to pass time during a dull homily or blandly-delivered Eucharistic Prayer. But why make one trip when you can go twice? Carefully plot your escape, once during the Liturgy of the World and once during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. That should be enough to carry you through.

Maybe you'll actually pee one of the two times!

2.  Play "Name That Saint"

Statues, statues everywhere! But can you name that saint? Pass a few minutes studying the statues around you, looking for clues to the identities of the immobile men and women that surround us during Mass. St. Jude might have fire above his head, and St. Teresa might be holding a flower. See if you can figure out who's who. This game is even better with a partner.

But be careful not to talk too loud:  God (and the old lady behind you) are watching!

3.  Plan Your Own "Catholic Greatest Hits" Album (or the music for your wedding or funeral!)

Hymnals are more than good paperweights and toys for the kids (watch the crayons!). They're a compendium of music that we know and love - and hate (Here I Am, Lord? Classic. On Eagle's Wings? Ugh. So overplayed.). So, spend some time perusing the hymnal. Pick out your top ten songs, or pick the music for your wedding or funeral. Or design your own wallpaper.

Marry 'em and bury 'em.  That's what the Church does best!

4.  Volunteer to Cary Up the Gifts

This one is easy and contributes to the Mass! What a win-win! Worrying about falling asleep will keep you awake through the first half of Mass. The halftime exercise of walking to the altar and bowing (oh, the bowing!) will get the blood flowing well enough to carry you through to Communion, when you'll get to move around again.

Maybe you can even snag a snack on the way. Those hosts really hit the spot.

Music Monday: Open Doors: A Story of Beginnings

"Let's call it 'Open Doors,' because that's what I do."

When I asked Sebastian "Seb" Bonaiuto, my college composition and conducting mentor, to choose the title for the second piece I'd premiere and guest conduct with the Boston College Concert Band (the first was "Ave Maria" and the third "Hollywood Lament"), that's what he said.  

And he was right.  Composing and premiering "Open Doors" opened tons of new doors for me. Although looking back, the piece lacks a lot of the finish of my more recent work and the performance isn't flawless, it has its moments - like the saxophone solo that I wrote for one of my closest friends, Becca "Bawlz" Brooke (don't ask).  

Seb and I in 2014

Most of all, I can still hear my compositional imagination at work.  I didn't intend for it to be the case, since I finished the piece before it had a title, but the different soundscapes that arise over the course of "Open Doors" are a lot like peeks in through different doors, into different dimensions of sight, sound, and experience (not to sound too much like Rod Serling of The Twlight Zone fame).

Beyond that, this was the piece that made me realize I could never stop composing, not even after beginning a PhD in Theology!  So, I hope "Open Doors" opens doors for you, dear listeners.  Enjoy!

And Seb, I can never thank you enough for all the doors you opened for me.

Creation, Evolution, and Faith, Part 2: Is There Conflict? Is there a Debate?

In yesterday's Part 1 post, I defined some basic terms and outlined Ian Barbour's four ways of understanding the interaction of science and religion. In this post, I'll argue that despite the public obsession with conflict, there's actually no conflict between religion and science - or, at least, between religion and science thought of in a certain way.

And if there's no conflict, there's no debate.

But how can that be?

When Creationism and Hard Materialism say that the other is wrong - when they say there's a conflict between science and religion - they're assuming that the "data" of science and religion are data of the same kind. In other words, they're saying religion and science are doing the same thing in the same way.  But are they?

The Bible, the inspired Word of God, is a written account of the encounter between people of faith and the God in whom they believe. Although it's God's Word, it's God's Word recorded by particular people in a particular place, time, and culture.

Its truth may be timeless, but its creation is time-bound.

The authors of the Bible had no resources to talk about particle physics or evolution or waves or even gravity or a round earth or cars or simple machines. Ideas like these would be totally unintelligible, incomprehensible! The Bible contains their worldview, not ours. And it can't contain ours, because the terms of our worldview are completely different from theirs.

It's the same world and a different world all at once. 

Creation, Evolution, and Faith, Part 1: Terms & Models

These days, the so-called "Creation-Science" debate is everywhere.  Whether it's on the lips of Ham and Nye or Dawkins, Dennett, and Hitchens, the basic ideas are the same:

Evolution and the Bible aren't compatible.  

You can't "believe in the Bible" and "believe in evolution" at the same time.

But I disagree.  Personally, I don't take my Ham on Nye (a-thank you!). In this four-part Theology Thursday series, I'll look at the problem, challenge the idea that there's a debate, and present my own view. This week, we're just mapping the terrain - looking at the terms and possible ways science and religion might interact.
The real fun will start next Thursday, so stay tuned!

But first, it's important to get the terms right.  Just so we're on the same page, here's what I'll call the people and ideas involved:

1. Creationism/Creationist:  The belief (or someone who believes) that the world was created exactly as recounted in the Book of Genesis. 
2. Hard Materialist:  Someone who believes everything can be reduced to physical processes, leaving no room for God.
3. Intelligent Design:  The belief that there's a "divine plan" or "blueprint" for the cosmos. This blueprint "unfolds" through the evolutionary process, according to God's will.

A really helpful thinker for understanding what's going on and what's at stake in this 'debate' - if, as we'll see, it is a debate at all - is a British philosopher named Ian Barbour (or "called" Ian Barbour, if you're British). Barbour writes about four ways of understanding the interaction of science and religion. They go like this:

1. Conflict: Religion and science are totally incompatible, each one's "data" disproving the other's in an either-or way. The Bible proves evolution wrong, and evolutionary science proves the Bible wrong. It's religion or science. This is the way most people think of the interaction of science and religion.  Examples include Creationism and Hard Materialism.
2. Independence: Religion and science are incompatible, but they should each just do their own thing and not worry about the other. They serve different purposes and have different ways of doing things. They're not the same, and shouldn't be thought of as the same.
3. Dialogue: Science and religion are neither incompatible nor totally compatible.  They do have different purposes and ways of doing things, but they both look at the same world, and they should talk about that world together while respecting each other's limits and methods. They shouldn't try to prove one another wrong, because they can't.
   
4. Integration: Religion and science are totally compatible, and their data "fit" one another, hand-in-glove. That means that science is discovering God's plan in nature, and we can see that, if we look closely at the data. Examples include Intelligent Design and Process Theology.

If you're really interested in this stuff, pick up Barbour's book, When Science Meets Religion. (You're welcome, Sir Ian.)

So, those are the basics. But which of these approaches makes the most sense? Which is the best way for talking about the way in which science and religion meet?

Find out in Part 2!  Click here.

"Say Yes" to Michelle Williams' Christian Soul Jam (with Beyoncé and Kelly to boot!)

They're baaaa-aaaaack!  

Who's back, you ask?

Who?

It's Destiny's Child (divided by three!).

That is, while they're no longer Destiny's Child (though the band still has a website), you'll find Michelle, Kelly, and Queen Bey herself reunited (and it feels so good) in this soulful, African-Latin-grooving, booty-shaking, Christian praise tune written and headlined by Michelle Williams.

It may lack the drama of Solange's recent battle with Jay-Z, but this instance of collaboration over competition is noteworthy for a bunch of reasons.  But first, hit play and enjoy some Christian soul.

When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no.  Amen?

Amen, Michelle!

The song opens with a simple but super-catchy beat that carries it along. After Michelle's initial chorus and verse, which will implant themselves in your brain quicker than an alien probe, somebody else shows up (around 1:20). Who is joining Michelle's catchy Christian street-dancing romp?  

Why, it's...Beyoncé! 

Music Monday: "Elicit Dimensions" Takes Me to New Dimensions

Happy Music Monday, everyone!

I'm excited to share this piece, which may be the least heard of anything I've ever written, despite being one of my most mature compositions - and a piece of which I'm very proud.

Here's how the piece came to be:

In October of 2008, at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival in Evansville, IN (second only to Mardi Gras as street festivals go, mind you!), my close friend Blake Goedde introduced me to Julie Wilder, a woman he'd met the summer before through his tubist friend. Julie was finishing up her Master's degree in Tuba Performance at Western Michigan University. We talked about a lot of things - mostly music and my composition background. 

I had no idea, however, that Julie had plans for me!

Shortly thereafter, Julie asked if I'd be willing to compose an original piece for her Master's recital.  I'd never written for tuba, so I was a little hesitant at first, but after talking with her a little more, I agreed to write a trio: for Tuba, Horn in F (aka French Horn), and piano. The composition process itself was tough. I didn't know how to make a tuba soloistic, but with Julie's help, I came up with something that made us both happy. And that's the essence of collaboration, right?

After an initial statement of the theme, the piece journeys off in many directions, eliciting dimensions - Julie's titular choice - along the way. 

I hope you enjoy the piece, and thanks to Julie for allowing me the chance to write this piece - it was a truly enjoyable and groundbreaking experience! I'll never think of tubas the same way again...

Elegy in Eight: Remembering Cheryl Barbara Grotius Hunt

My Aunt Cheryl was a remarkable, wonderful woman.  I know we all say that about our aunts, and I'd never say it wasn't true of a single one of them.  Most often, aunts are special blessings, not-mothers who love and support us - but at a safe distance.  Like I've heard so many grandparents say, there's joy in caring for grandkids but a certain grace in being able to "give them back" at the end of a day or a stay.  I think the same goes for aunts.

From every summer and holiday break from as far back as I can remember up to today, I've looked forward to my visits with Cheryl, her husband Jim, and my eight Hunt cousins.  That's right, eight.  Cheryl was remarkable if for no other reason than that she gave birth to eight fantastic little Hunts, who I've been blessed to call some of my best friends for my entire time here on this rock of ours.  Yvette, Erin, Frankie, Todd, Rachel, Adam, Alexis, and Zachary - also called The Redchild - are like my second family.  

Beyond her remarkable childbearing (and childrearing!) capacities, Cheryl possessed the same intoxicating smile, vibrant laugh, and peculiar sense of humor that is the mark of any member of the Grotius-Macksoud clan.  Plus, she was a woman of profound faith.  As Todd wrote in her obituary (the rest is below), "Upon hearing an ambulance, a shadow of pain and worry would pass over her face as she said, "Thank you, Jesus," while making the sign of the cross. She loved her husband and children, family and friends without judgment."  And we loved her right back.  With a love like hers, there was no other choice.

It was all the sadder, then, when Cheryl died at age 61, after a 3-1/2 year battle with cancer on June 22, 2008, surrounded by Jimmy and her eight children.  You can read a written reflection on her death here.

I wrote this elegy two days after her death, while I was on retreat at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana.  Entitled "Elegy in Eight," it's a tribute not only to Cheryl but to the family she raised.  I performed it after the funeral ended, so none of the family probably got to hear it then.  It may have circulated a bit after that; I'm not sure.  In any case, it's here now.  I go more into the structure of the piece - yes, it's dissonant in places - below, but you only have to read that if you want to.  For now, just hit play and remember with me a woman of boundless faith and incredible love.

Cheryl, we miss you.

About the piece:
I don't want to overanalyze my own music, but I do want to give you a sense of what's behind how this piece is constructed and, as a result, how it sounds.  This might be especially important to the family, because despite the fact that I know Cheryl wanted (and had!) a joyous funeral, I didn't write the piece for her - so it may not be in the style we'd expect when thinking about her wishes for the funeral.  Rather, I wrote as an expression of my memory of and my feelings for her, especially in her relationship to the family as a whole.

Here's how it comes together:
The opening theme is "Cheryl's Theme."  Light, a little playful, melodic.  After the initial statement, a second theme, "Jimmy's Theme," enters and interacts with the first, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in in tension.

In the next section, the first pitches in a series of eight pitches that will dance throughout the piece enter the mix, forming new chords, interspersed with variations on the first two themes (like 1:24-1:40) meant to depict the warmth of a family growing together.  This sequence repeats itself as the second set of four pitches in the sequence are introduced, one by one.  Then, with a clash, adversity enters the life of the family.

After a final statement of Cheryl's theme at 2:50 and a rapid-fire playing of the eight pitches in sequence, the eight tones enter the bass line in sequence under a soaring chordal adaptation of the theme, depicting one's final rising above the adversity of life before passing into silence.

Finally, the entire obituary, by my cousin Todd Austin Hunt:
Cheryl Barbara Grotius Hunt; beloved wife, adored mother of eight children, cherished sister and daughter, surrendered her time upon this earth Sunday afternoon.  She was 61.

In the midst of a years-long struggle with cancer which she fought with her brilliant faith and beautiful smile, she underwent a second operation to address a staph infection on June 9.  In conjunction with her courageous fight with cancer, Cheryl emerged from the procedure unusually weak.  After much prayer, the Hunt family took her to Hunt Country, the family home in Lexington, Friday June 20.  Cheryl Hunt died peacefully, surrounded by her husband and eight children.

The oldest sibling of six children all concentrated with talent, Cheryl blessed those in her presence with a lovely singing voice.  Her voice saturated the Hunt home with a divine harmony.  For each of her children, she composed a song to celebrate their names in infancy.  She was a devastatingly beautiful woman who captured the hearts of many, but chose only one to love for her life.  Gifted with a wild imagination, she told improvisational stories to get her children to sleep.  Cheryl, with her husband Jim, loved to travel; they journeyed to Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Mexico and Central America, as well as much of the United States.  During those travels, she would discover the wonderful purses and craftsmanship which thrilled her.

Cheryl Hunt’s greatest legacy is her encompassing love and faith in Jesus Christ.  She loved all without the barrier of selfish, personal gain.  Upon hearing an ambulance, a shadow of pain and worry passed over her face as she said, “Thank you, Jesus,” while making the sign of the cross.  She loved her husband and children, family and friends without judgment.  She lived her life in imitation of Christ, giving and giving, until that point when she could give no more.  She is loved and will be sorely, sorely missed.

Cheryl Hunt is survived by husband Jim Hunt of Lexington, KY; daughter Yvette Andrejczak; daughter Erin Hunt Ferguson; son Frank Hunt; son Todd Austin Hunt; daughter Rachel Hunt, son Adam Hunt, daughter Alexis Hunt and son Zachary Hunt of; mother Najla Grotius, sister Dianne Berry, sister Terese McKannan, sister Bobbie Ann Schutz, brother Joseph Grotius and brother Gregory Grotius of Evansville, IN.  

Three Thoughts About Pentecost

Happy Pentecost, everyone!  

So sorry I've been a little quiet lately. Things actually got busier after the end of the school year, so I've been struggling to post. But what better day than the birthday of the church for a new beginning. Today, Christians around the world celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit and the foundation of the church's mission to the world. To celebrate, I'd like to share three thoughts about this great feast.

Here they are:
1)  "Pentecost," Greek for "50th day" or "50 days," is the Jewish harvest feast, like our Thanksgiving.  It's celebrated 50 days after Passover, just as our feast falls at the end of the Easter Season, 50 days after Easter. The Jewish feast existed long, long before Christians celebrated their Pentecost and the descent of the Spirit. That's really important, because:

2)   Acts 2:1-11, the first reading in the Catholic Church (and many lectionary-based churches), reminds us that - to confuse the issue a little - the first "Christians" weren't Christians at all.  That name came much later.  They were Jews.  All of them.  The early believers in Jesus were Jews that believed that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures.  They weren't Messianic Jews, either.  They were just "Jews and converts to Judaism," as Acts 1:11 states.  So, while it's true that the proclamation "Jesus is Lord," which according to Paul happens only "by the Holy Spirit," these words were first proclaimed by Jews in a Jewish context and understood in a Jewish way.  The idea of the Spirit of God as breath is everywhere in the Hebrew Scriptures.  There was nothing like the Christianity we know today in that time period. There was Judaism with and without belief in Jesus, and there was paganism.

Now, you might say I'm just mincing words when I say that believers in Jesus were Jews, not Christians - because if they believed in Jesus, they were Christians, right?  I'd say wrong. Their beliefs and practices were Jewish - and only Jewish. They learned Hebrew. They prayed in Hebrew in the synagogue (no churches yet, folks!). They read only from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), because the Gospels didn't exist yet!  At the time the events remembered in Acts 1 took place, Paul hadn't even begun writing.

In short, they couldn't be Christians in the way we understand Christians today, because no such thing existed yet!  Why does this matter?  It matters because:

3)  Lots of people know "Jesus was a Jew" and will talk about that.  But just stating the fact doesn't really get at what's at stake here.  As a Jew, Jesus' words and actions were decisively Jewish; as I said above, the gospels take place in the context of Jewish thought and practice.  So, Jesus didn't come to start anything new.  That happened on its own.  Jesus came to reveal the fullness of God's presence within the context of Judaism.  He knew the saving power of God in his own Jewish tradition; he had heard the stories of the Exodus and knew the prophets, and the words he spoke were intended as reforms of Judaism, not as the start of something new.  That would be violent.  Horribly violent.  So if Jesus saw salvation coming through his own Jewish tradition, salvation comes through Judaism; Paul consistently makes this point, putting Jews first.  And when Paul speaks of salvation coming "first to the Jews," he does so in contrast to gentile converts to Judaism, not Christians. Because like I said, there weren't Christians yet!

I don't want to take this reflection any further today.  I just invite you to really think it over, putting aside easy and familiar interpretations and giving the historical development of faith in Jesus Christ its full due.

And, of course, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Pentecost, church!  Let the Holy Spirit be our guide in all things, enlivening and inspiring us always.  Amen.

Remembering My Grandfather: Hollywood Lament

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

My grandfather, Robert Charles Grotius (1924-2003), was a tremendous man.  A WWII Veteran with a Master's Degree in education, an historian, political commentator, devoted father, committed Catholic, lifelong teacher and learner, he absorbed information like a sponge absorbs water.  He'd impersonate the great actors - and sometimes actresses - of the Golden Age of Hollywood, softshoe around the house, and then open a big book of evolutionary biology of political history while drinking a Natural Light or Milwaukee's Best.

Just after he died, my mom told me that she'd been thinking of a song that he used to love, "Hollywood and the Stars," by Elmer Bernstein.  It was used as the opening theme for a 1963 NBC documentary series and was frequently played on the Oscars.  Since I was coordinating the music for his funeral, I wrote an original piece entitled "Hollywood Lament" in his memory.  The piece includes a quotation of Bernstein's piece in a few places and ends with a quotation from the famous "I'll Be Seeing You," a song my grandfather and grandmother (a former USO performer) used to sing together.

Here's the piece, performed by members of the Boston College University Wind Ensemble and featuring pianist Adam Birnbaum.  I'm guest conducting.  The song itself begins at 4:20, after an introduction from Sebastian Boniauto, the composition mentor I mention in my "Ave Maria" post, and me.

Miss you, Papa!  

Here's "Hollywood Lament."

The Vocal Ranges of the Greatest Singers (and Rachelle Ferrell): My Take!

On Monday, Ryan Kristobak of HuffPost covered Concert Hotels' chart, "The Vocal Ranges of the World's Greatest Singers."  This list is pretty neat (and pretty long, so scroll all the way down!).

Those of you familiar with their music probably won't be too surprised to find Axl Rose and Mariah Carey at the top of the list.  Axl's scream and Mariah's "whistle register" are legendary.

In his commentary on the chart, Kristobak rightly notes, "...it is important to remember that it represents the recorded vocal range of each of these artists, not necessarily their actual range," but he doesn't explain this statement. What he means is that - as any Karaoke Idol knows - there are parts of people's vocal ranges that are reachable but not sustainable (and reasons not to sing "Don't Stop Believin'").

In these extremes, singers can "hit the notes," but they can't sustain long passages. Even if they could, it'd sound something like this:

So, although she's not the only one who had it (cue Minnie Riperton), Mariah's signature whistle register makes her the literal envy of other singers, as Kelly Rowland indicates here:

Kristobak also (again rightly) notes that while range is important, there's a lot more to being a "great singer" than having a wide range. "Tone, creativity in melody composition, lyrics and dynamic abilities," as well as "a great band or composition" also make a singer a great singer.

While that's definitely true, it comes as no surprise that pop-country's T-Swift and country's L-Bryan are the last two on the list. The heavily studio-shopped music they release work(s)well with a small range; but voices like Steven Tyler, XTina, my namesake Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Tina Turner, Bono, Beyoncé, Steve Winwood, and so on don't gel with the heavy effects of 2000's pop. That's what makes them great.

As for the other traits Kristobak mentions, you can't - in my opinion - beat (my #1 pick in bold):

1. The tone of Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Bono, Beyoncé, Adele, and Annie Lennox (something about Britain is going on here). 
2. The melodic creativity of Prince, Xtina, Thom Yorke, Freddie Mercury, Bono, Lana Del Rey, and Dolly Parton. 
3. The lyrics of Steven Tyler/Aerosmith, David Bowie, Paul McCartney/John Lennon/The Beatles, Thom Yorke/Radiohead, Freddie Mercury/Queen, Bono/U2, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger/The Rolling Stones, and NOT Katy Perry (see this post for my explanation).
4. The dynamic abilities of Mariah Carey, Xtina, Freddie Mercury, Bono, and Annie Lennox. 

Yeah, I know I put Bono on all four lists.  So sue me! I think he belongs there. Do you?

And while I'm asking questions, what do you think of my picks? Have I picked the Greatest of the Greats in each category, or is there something I've missed? What do you think? Check it out, comment, and share!

And speaking of range - last but certainly not least - check out these performances of "Bye, Bye, Blackbird" and "I Can Explain" by experimental jazz singer Rachelle Ferrell.  She's got it all, and more.

And keep singing, folks.  

There's a Karaoke Idol inside each of us, just begging to get out.

For He is Coming: An Advent Anthem

I love Advent.  And today, I'm declaring it ADVENT IN MAY!  And a few years ago, inspired by the spirit of the season, I wrote this choral anthem, entitled "For He Is Coming." The words are drawn from various parts of the Bible, especially the Book of Revelation and the Book of the Prophet Micah.

Wait for the Lord, who is coming

He is the first and last, the living one

Who is, who was, and who is to come

And he shall be peace

Wait for the Lord, who is coming

Wait.

This video is from the St. Mary Choir's 2010 concert in the Basilica of St. Ignatius of Rome, near the Pantheon.  That concert was one of the highlights - if not the highlight - of my time at St. Mary.

Please like, comment, and share if you like what you hear!

You can find more of my compositions over on my YouTube Channel.  

For more of the St. Mary Choir's concert, you can visit their YouTube Channel.

And just for fun, here are some photos from the choir's Rome concert!

Why Did Beyoncé's Sister Solange Knowles Attack Jay-Z in an Elevator? Top 10 Reasons

This morning, I posted the third volume of my three-part Fierce-Off between Beyonce and J-Lo. (Part 1 and Part 2 are here, as well!)

But this.  This is amazing.

I'm not sure what just happened.  But when the time came for Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Solange Knowles (Beyoncé's sister) to leave the Met Gala - one of the classiest events of the year - Solange decided to get "physical" with Jay-Z, and not in the way that made Olivia Newton John famous (oh, how sweet she was in her Grease days...).

Nope, Solange tries to beat the crap out of Jay-Z.  In an elevator.  Check it out here:

What?

I say, what?!

It boggles the mind.  And Bey just stands there.  

Did she agree with Solange?  Did she think it was funny?

I don't have an explanation, but I thought I'd offer a few thoughts.

Here are my Top 10 Reasons Why Solange Knowles Attacked Jay-Z in an Elevator.

10.  Jay-Z confused Solange with her other sister, Matilda.
9.  After a night at the Met gala, Solange couldn't wait to show off her martial arts skills.
8.  Jay-Z told her Kelly and Michelle have a bigger shot at fame than she does.
7.  Solange was showing Jay-Z her latest dance moves.
6.  One word:  Global Warming.
5.  Jay-Z told Solange she wasn't ready for his jelly.
4.  Jay-Z told Solange the real reason she got invited:  Jay-Z.
3.  Jay-Z interrupted Solange's conversation with Anna Wintour by saying, "Excuse me, Solange, I need my curtains back."
2.  Jay-Z boarded the elevator before Beyoncé.  And nobody boards the elevator before Queen Bey.
1.  He married Beyoncé.

Imagining the Triduum in Song: Triduum 2004

In the spring of 2004, my college voice teacher and liturgical music mentor, Michael Burgo, offered me the chance to compose, arrange, and direct music for Noon Mass on Easter Sunday at St. Ignatius Church, which sits on the corner of Boston College's campus.  Mike is the Director of Music there.

I was thrilled by the opportunity, and I really can't express just how formative an experience this was and just how grateful I am for the opportunity Mike afforded me.

He also makes fantastic kibbi (really, it was the best I've ever had).

As part of the Mass, I composed for the first time a musical reflection on the Triduum, which was played by a small wind ensemble I put together for the celebration (N.B. with limited rehearsal, so there are a couple of performance glitches along the way).

After that year, I continued the practice of composing one such piece every year until 2010, when I came to Fordham and no longer had a market for such works.

These reflections intend to lead the listener through the warmth and light Holy Thursday and the horror and injustice of Good Friday to the glory of Easter Sunday.  In this version, I used Middle Eastern musical motifs for Holy Thursday, a slow, somber chorale, for Good Friday, and a bit of pomp for the Resurrection event of Easter.  Although the performance isn't 100% on-target, and although this is much less mature than the 2007-2010 versions to come, it's enough to convey the message of the piece.

Unfortunately, I don't have recordings of all the pieces, like the ones from 2005 and 2006 that I wrote while working on Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota.  But the ones I have, I'll post - and I hope you enjoy them all!

Stay tuned for more, and please share/+1 if you like what you hear!

Fierce-Off: Vol. 3 | Who's Better? Beyoncé vs. J-Lo: Most Recent Hit | "I Luh Ya Like XO"

This little trip through the careers of our two divas-in-question comes to an end here in the present day, with two of their more recent releases.

First, we have Beyoncé's "XO," an arena anthem celebrating her fans (at least that's what she told us at her concert!).  The piece builds to its anthemic climax, in which Queen Bey proclaims, "I love ya like XO!"

Then, we have J-Lo's...ahem...different take on love:  "I Luh Ya Papi," from her forthcoming album A.K.A.  Actually, I really dig what J-Lo's video is about:  picking apart the male construction of female beauty and objectification of women found in most music videos.  She does it by a massive role reversal, putting scantily clad men in the positions that women usually occupy and "dancing up on them" while she and her two friends, sip drinks on yachts - you know, typical music video stuff.  So, given these two videos, I ask you once again:

Who's the fiercest of them all?

Comment, share, and tell the world what you think!

By a narrow margin, I'm going to hand round three to Beyoncé.  Although I think J-Lo's song is really catchy and the video is great as a quasi-feminist reaction to male privilege in the music industry, Beyoncé's vocals and natural grace win me over every time.  Plus, if you haven't heard the rest of, Beyoncé, the self-titled album "XO" comes from, you should check it out.  Something tells me that despite her great efforts here, J-Lo's A.K.A. simply isn't going to match the fierce we see here.

So Beyoncé wins 2-1.  Did I make the right call, or should J-Lo wear the crown?  Tell the world what you think:  who's the fiercest of them all?

In case you haven't already, check out Vol. 1 here and Vol. 2 here.

Fierce-Off: Vol. 2 | Who's Better? Beyoncé vs. J-Lo: LIVE | "A Tribute and a Medley"

If you can't do it live, you shouldn't do it at all.

If you ask me, more pop musicians these days could take that motto to heart.  I'm tired of people with supposed "music careers" humiliating themselves in front of audiences.  Really, really tired of it.

But anyway, as I said in Vol. 1, two that can "do it live" (thanks, Bill O'Reilly) are J-Lo and Beyoncé.  I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about this until I saw J-Lo perform on the AMAs last year and until I saw Beyoncé live in concert last winter (her Super Bowl performance is basically that show, in a nutshell).  Check them out and once again decide:

Who's the fiercest of them all?

Is it J-Lo, with her tribute to Celia Cruz - which includes some pretty incredible singing and dancing - or Beyoncé's walk down memory lane, featuring Kelly and Michelle from Destiny's Child (or Jonette and Britanica from Gemini's Twin, if you're Ana Gasteyer and Maya Rudolph)?

You decide.  Leave a comment to tell the world what you think!

To my mind, J-Lo takes this round by a decent margin.  Yes, there's (a little) nostalgia (I guess) in seeing Destiny's Child together again, and Beyoncé has great moves and sounds great live - largely because of her amazing all-female band and backup singers, "The Mamas" - but J-Lo blows the roof off the venue with this performance.  

She looks great (how about those costume changes?), sounds great, dances brilliantly, has great backup singers and dancers, and thrills her audience.  Listen closely - you can hear them cheering throughout, and JT and T-Swift's reactions at the end say it all:  JT is proud of his fellow 90's pop star, and T-Swift and Friends can't believe that there are performers like J-Lo out there; it's so unlike what they do!

But what do you think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Tell the world who's the fiercest of them all.

Fierce-Off: Vol. 1 | Who's Better? Beyoncé vs. J-Lo: First Single | "You Can't Base It On the Booty"

Pop has given us a bumper crop of divas.  From Ella and Aretha to the present day, we've heard voices wail and seen bodies groove like no tomorrow.  But if you ask me, only a few of these ladies really shine.  Two that do are Beyoncé and J-Lo (that's Jennifer Lopez).

In this 3-part series, we'll take a look at these two divas' first singles, live performances, and most recent releases.  Check out these videos and decide:

Who's the fiercest of them all?  

Keep in mind that a lot changed between 1999, when J-Lo released "If You Had My Love," and 2003, when Beyoncé released "Crazy In Love."  But check out the performances, the dance, the vocals, whatever you like - and tell the world what makes your pick the best - the fiercest of them all.

One thing's for sure, though.  When it comes to these two, you can't base it on the booty.

Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" (2003)

Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love" (1999)

Although as a pubescent teenage boy, I was (like her...uh...voyeur) obsessed with J-Lo's style and moves - especially in the dance break - I think Beyoncé's combination of vocals, style, dance, and runway strut win her the day.

Do you agree?  Disagree?  Tell the world what you think!

Check out Vol. 2 here.

Giacomo Leopardi's Poem "L'Infinito"

On my birthday in 2004, weeks before my graduation from Boston College, two of my fellow music ministers from St. Ignatius Church in Boston got together with me to record this musical setting of Giacomo Leopardi's "L'Infinito" (1819).

With this setting, I sought to give voice to the poem's haunting images in the way that only music can do.  Thanks to my mentor, Susan Michalczyk, for introducing me to the work of Leopardi. Text is below the video.

And below the text is a surprise worth scrolling down for!

---

"L'Infinito"

Michelle Abadia, Soprano

Stephanie Pile, Piano

"L'Infinito" (1819)

Sempre caro mi fu quest’ermo colle,

e questa siepe, che da tanta parte

dell’ultimo orizzonte il guardo esclude.

Ma sedendo e mirando, interminati

spazi di là da quella, e sovrumani

silenzi, e profondissima quiete

io nel pensier mi fingo; ove per poco

il cor non si spaura. E come il vento

odo stormir tra queste piante, io quello

infinito silenzio a questa voce

vo comparando: e mi sovvien l’eterno,

e le morte stagioni, e la presente

e viva, e il suon di lei. Così tra questa

immensità s’annega il pensier mio:

e il naufragar m’è dolce in questo mare.

---

English Translation:

Always dear to me was this solitary hill

and this hedge, which, from so many parts

of the far horizon, the sight excludes.

But sitting and gazing endless

spaces beyond it, and inhuman

silences, and the deepest quiet,

I fake myself in my thoughts; where almost

my heart scares. As the wind

I hear rustling through these trees, I, that

infinite silence, to this voice

keep comparing: and I feel the eternal,

the dead seasons, the present,

and living one, and the sound of her. So in this

immensity drown my own thoughts:

and sinking in this sea is sweet to me.

---

And now, just for fun, check this out.  Best version of "Happy Birthday" I've ever heard!  Thanks, Michelle and Steph!

Doors and Windows: A Poem

"Doors and Windows"

Is there ever a moment
When doors aren't opening or closing
And windows aren't
Cracked
At the hand of a mother
Letting some fresh air in
Or by a stray baseball
Flying just enough off course
Just enough off course
To remind us of the fragility
Of each moment
Which is there
Then gone
Just as the doorknob turns
To let in another ghost
Or another guest
Another
Whose presence graces us
And haunts us
Whose being-with-us challenges us
To pick the lock
With the clicking of metal on metal
As the clock ticks
Click, click, click
And open another door

The Last Batch of Wedding Music from Scratch

Greetings, listeners!

Here they are:  the two remaining movements of "Six Festive Hymns," which were composed - by some mathematical magic - for three different weddings.

The third movement, "Love's Rejoicing," was commissioned by Monisha and Michael Barnhill, friends of mine from Evansville.  It's a playful, soulful tune written in a jazz idiom, a little bit (but I can't claim too much) á la Gershwin with hints of Jeff Barry and Ja'net Dubois' "Movin' On Up," the famous theme from The Jeffersons.  You can listen to it here, as performed by Rachel Long Arrington, Flute, Jonathan Dowell, Violin, and Dennis Russell, Oboe.

The fourth movement, "Wedding Hymn," exists in two versions, which I arranged for two different weddings.  The first was for organ, and was played at the wedding of my aunt, Barbara Schutz Hopf, and her husband, Ron.  A few months later, I adapted the piece for a string quartet and later for a small chamber ensemble (as heard here) for my cousin Erin Hunt Ferguson and her husband, Tom.

Rachel Arrington, Flute; Dennis Russell, Oboe

Jonathan Dowell, Violin; Sarah Bielish Moor, Cello

Lorraine Fader, F Horn; MaryAnne Matthews, Classical Guitar

Jamie Morris and Maria Russell Morris, Percussion

And just in case you haven't heard the theme from The Jeffersons lately (or ever, if you're not from Earth), you can listen to it, too!  Keep movin' on up, people!

COMING UP on Take the Middle Way

Happy Thursday, everyone!

So, this is kind of a "meta" post.  Not a post, really, but a post about posting.  Or a post about posts to come.  Last night, I drew up a schedule for regular posts on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

But that's not all.  These days have names!


Starting next week, you can look forward every week to:

• Music Mondays:  Posts and stories of original music.
• Variety Tuesdays:  Videos, reviews, poetry, and theology posts.
• Theology Thursdays:  Theological reflections, ideas, and more!

And now, just so this post has a little content, here are some photos I took around my hometown of Evansville, IN, last fall.  Enjoy!

-Paul

Don't be skinny!

Altar and window at St. Mary, Evansville, IN.

Cross and organ at St. Mary.

St. Mary Catholic Church:  My Old Stomping Grounds.

Historic row houses in downtown Evansville, IN.

The Linden Lane street sign in Evansville, IN.

A frog in the pavement.

A view of the historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, Jasper, IN. 

Light on the pavement outside St. Joe Church, Jasper, IN.

Old English Sounds Good Read, But It's Even Better Sung: Caedmon's Hymn

While studying Old English under the tutelage of Robert Stanton at Boston College (yes, there are people that do that, and no, Chaucer isn't old enough!), I discovered some great texts just begging to be sung.  One of these, "Caedmon's Hymn," is a 7th-century hymn praising the Creator.

According to the Venerable Bede, Caedmon was a 7th-century monk who learned to compose liturgical poems in a dream.  "Caedmon's Hymn" is his only surviving manuscript.  While I can't claim the same mode of inspiration as Caedmon, I can say that Caedmon's text inspired me enough to set it to music.  And so I did.

Thanks and praise to Prof. Stanton, too.  

You're one of the most wonderful teachers I've ever had.

Please comment and share if you like what you hear, and check out my other posts!

"Caedmon's Hymn" (Lyrics below)

MaryAnne Mathews and Maria Morris, Soprano

Mary Lynn Isaacs and Betsy Henessey, Alto

Paul Schutz and Jamie Morris, Tenor

Mark Valenzuela, Stephen McCallister, and Joe Birkhead, Bass

The West Saxon version reads:

Nu sculon herigean       heofonrices weard,
meotodes meahte          and his modgeþanc,
weorc wuldorfæder,      swa he wundra gehwæs,
ece drihten,                   or onstealde.
He ærest sceop            eorðan bearnum
heofon to hrofe,            halig scyppend;
þa middangeard            moncynnes weard,
ece drihten,                   æfter teode
firum foldan,                 frea ælmihtig.

(That doesn't look like English at all, does it?)

Here it is in modern English:

Now let us praise the guardian of heaven

the might of the Creator, and his thought,

the work of the Father of glory, how the Eternal Lord

established each of the wonders in the beginning.

He first created for the sons of men

Heaven as a roof, the holy Creator,

then Middle-earth the keeper of mankind,

the Eternal Lord afterwards made,

the lands for men, the Almighty Lord.

Ave Maria for Winds and Chorus

Happy Monday, everyone!

Somewhere in my parents' house in Indiana, there's a video of this performance.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, given that I was in my freshman-50 days), I don't have it to upload here.

But I do have the audio, and so I invite you to use your imagination as you listen to this, my setting of "Ave Maria."  After composing and test-recording the original version (for organ, piano, and chorus) with musicians from Evansville, IN, I offered the piece up at the desk of Sebastian "Seb" Bonaiuto, Director of Bands at Boston College, in January 2002.  Although I'd been a member of the Concert Band - which Seb conducts - for my first two years at BC, I only really knew him at a distance, as a member of the group.

Seb took to the piece, and he encouraged me to expand it to include a full wind ensemble and chorus.  He said that if I did, we could possibly perform it at BC.  Needless to say, I was elated, and over the next few months, I met with various members of the BC music department and with Mike Burgo, my vocal coach and liturgical music mentor, to discuss the piece.  But it turned out that along with Mike, who helped me assemble what came to be known as "Schutz Choir," the best advice I got came from Seb himself (this seemed to be the case with me and the BC music department; we just never could get along!).  So, in the fall of 2002, I asked Seb if he'd work one-on-one with me in theory, composition, and conducting.  He agreed, and one of the most fruitful academic and personal relationships I've ever had began to form.

I clearly remember the night of the first rehearsal of "Ave Maria," when I told the ensemble that we'd "Sightread the piece and see what happens."  After the rehearsal, Seb took me aside and told me, very sternly, to never, never to say something like that again.  "If you're going to put an original work in front of a group," he told me, "the least you can do is be confident in it.  Saying you'll 'see what happens' isn't going to make anybody excited to play your music."

Truer words were never spoken, and it's wisdom like that that has led me through the musical work I've done in the past years and that will guide me in the years to come.

So, thanks Seb, and thanks, Mike.  I couldn't have asked for a better pair of musical mentors.

Another Batch of Wedding Music from Scratch

Here's part two of the wedding music posts.  These two pieces were actually the first I wrote, for my cousin and her husband, Yvette and Paul Andrejczak.  Yvette and Paul wanted a Medieval-sounding entrance and a recessional inspired by a combination of Yvette's Lebanese ancestry and Paul's Polish ancestry.  What emerged was a dance written in a Lebanese style, but undergirded by the oom-pah two-step of the Polka.  I hope you enjoy!

Please check out my other music on my YouTube Channel.

Performed by:
Rachel Long Arrington, Flute
Sarah Bielish Moor, Cello
Paul Schutz, Piano

Six Festive Hymns:  II.  Courtly Dance

Six Festive Hymns:  IV.  Raqs Arabi