Music, music, music

Last night was one of those serendipitous evenings when timing falls into place and it’s just clearly God blessing the whole evening.  Because I was sick this week and not up to any kind of cooking, but well enough to invite Malinda over for supper, I began plotting bringing home Chinese from our local China Bistro. Once Jeff got involved, the whole thing slid sideways into a gigantuan takeout order, large enough for 30 or 40 or I don’t know how many people.  Suffice to say, it was wise of him, in talking to Koos while on his way to pick up the food, to invite our tall, hungry, Dutch, Latin-professor-friend to join us for dinner.  We got out all the extra tables we’d just managed to put away from the Easter party and set them back up, and had a fabulous foody time together.

Afterward, while the paper plates were being tossed, Koos put mom’s piano through the paces and gave his hearty approval, and before long we were gathered round the music area improvising harmonies on Easter and Taize hymns. Then we brought out Veni Creator and Koos filled in for Megan on the melody (who, being out of voice at the moment, happily cheered us on) as we sang in four parts. That made Koos think of Orlando di Lasso – Missa super “Osculetur me” – so we adjourned to the office to give it a listen.

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Then we gave a quick listen to a few bars of Missa: Octavi Toni von Orlando di Lasso (which, having just sung over Easter with the SSJ Cathedral choir, was fresh in our minds) before our musical ADD sent us off into the realm of the exquisite work of Eric Whitacre. First we heard the rapturous Alleluia:

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Then we listened to just a smidge of When David Heard, but it was too long and we wanted to listen to his remarkable virtual choir performance, with singers from 12 different countries of Lux Aurumque before Koos had to leave…

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Oh, but then we couldn’t stop without listening to Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium, sung by The Concordia Choir – Dr. René Clausen conducting, from the Christmas Concert 1997.

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And from that, which could easily have been the crowning glory of the evening, Koos went looking for something by Arvo Pärt, and got sidetracked when he learned I had not heard the heart rending Lacrimosa – Requiem for my Friend (Preisner):

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And then, for something completely different, we turned to Chanticleer performing Riu Riu Chiu,
before finally rounding out the evening with the Phoenix Chorale singing “Ubi Caritas” by Ola Gjeilo (Feb 2011).

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 As I said – musical ADD — but so much fun!!
This is my favorite kind of evening…. making and appreciating music together beats watching stuff every day of the week.