Music Meme from Marko

hey, in celebration of Marko’s birthday… this meme from his blog.
I expect all you lurkers and fellow bloggers to tag in, no excuses, ‘kay?

Here’s the rules.

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool!

Opening Credits: Brighter Days – Leeland

Waking Up: Different Names For The Same Thing – Death Cab For Cutie

First Day At School: Ruby – Brigitte De Meyer

Falling In Love: Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone) – Johnny Cash (no kidding!!!)

Fight Song: Babygirl – Anthony Green

Breaking Up: Four Years – Ivy Rossiter (NZ)

Prom: I’m Leaving It All Up To You – Sonny & Cher

Life: No Sleep – The Cardigans

Mental Breakdown: Supermassive Black Hole – Muse

Driving: No Accident – Bruce Conlon (NZ) (hahahaha, this is hilarious!)

Flashback: Cars Can’t Escape (Rhythm) – Wilco

Getting Back Together: As The Rain – Chris Cope (NZ)

Wedding: I Am Warm And Powerful – Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Birth of Child: All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

Final Battle: Little Thing – Dave Matthews ft. Tim Reynolds

Death Scene: Extraordinary Girl – Green Day

Funeral Song: Warning Sign – Coldplay

Remembrance Song: Oh Well – Fiona Apple

End Credits: Distant Sun – Crowded House (NZ)

The Harmony Of Voice.

This is brilliant.
It’s an acapella version of the song Typical by band mutemath.

From Dwight’s Journal of Music
Boston, September 13, 1856.

It has long been a matter of wonder with us, considering the flood of wishy-washy, common-place, mechanical and un-religious psalmody in which we have been weltering, that someone has not felt moved to give us in convenient form, the incomparable old German Chorals as harmonized by John Sebastian Bach. Could these be studied in our more advanced choirs, our choral societies, our musical classes and “Conventions”, their influence in developing a love and taste for what is true, and pure, and high, and really devotional in sacred music, would be incalculable. It is not possible that no one can once become familiar with Bach’s Chorals and not love them – not feel that the highest ends of music are wonderfully realized in their most soul-ful and unworldly harmony. Bach never wrote for money or for cheap effect; he was a religious artist; his artistic efforts were his aspiration to the beautiful and good and true – to the Most High. All that he did was genuine. Hence his works never grow old. To those who study them now, a century since his death, they are the newest of the new. “In all his works he stands out great and bold and new.”

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Congregational singing in unison is the practice all over Germany, and hence the Bach Chorals are not used there in the churches. We, on the contrary, have our small trained choirs, who sing in parts. Why, then, should we not, instead of common-place and trashy psalmody, make some use of those purest, noblest models of four-part sacred music that exist? The reasons why we have not done it are obvious. In the first place, as work of Art, they imply a more refined and cultivated taste than has prevailed or ever can prevail in our church, so long as we have only the cheap and easy psalmody of everybody’s manufacture for the musical religious sense to feed upon. And then it might spoil the enormous trade in psalmody, to allow the love for the true thing to be nurtured; for just so surely as any company of singer, who have music in their souls, shall get familiar with these chorals, will they find the common psalmody become “flat, stale and unprofitable.” (We do not mean, of course, “Old Hundred” and the few grand old tunes.) In the next place the rhythm and metre of these old German hymns is so peculiar in most cases, abounding in double endings, or what is called female rhymes, that the tunes cannot be used much in connection with our hymnbooks. The Bach Chorals cannot supplant the psalm-tunes in our common forms of worship until the forms themselves are changed. But not the less is it desirable to have them made accessible. They may be put to excellent uses, of which we name the following:

1.
They may be sung as voluntary piece for the opening or closing of service by choirs; and they suit equally well the largest or the smallest (simple quartet) choir; provided they be executed with the utmost precision and true feeling by good, well-trained voices.
2.
They may be used with admirable effect in alternation with congregational singing; a verse of the latter, with organ accompaniment, in strong, homely unison, followed by a verse of the former, by trained voices, without accompaniment, the same hymn responding as it were from a more spiritual height, glorified in the fine harmonies and modulations of Bach; for as he has treated them, you have the religious essence of the music expressed, and purified from all that is low and common.
3.
For great Choral or Oratorio Societies, to be sung in their more miscellaneous sacred concerts, or at the beginning and ending of a performance. Nothing has made a finer impression in such concert here than two of these same Chorals, similarly treated by Mendelssohn in his “St. Paul.” When perfectly sung by a great mass of voices, as our Mendelssohn Choral Society gave them, the effect is sublime.
4.
In little private musical clubs and circles they will afford the very best sort of practice.
5.
For organists and pianist, to be used simply as instrumental pieces, their purity and marvellous beauty and significance of harmony must commend them. There is more religious satisfaction in just playing them on the piano, then in listening to most of the music to be heard in any of our churches. The way in which each of the four parts, and each note in each, so perfectly serves the end of the great whole, is in itself a type of pure devotion.

Been & Seen & Read Updates…
A busy month of travel and good times is fast coming to a close – a weekend away two weeks ago at the beach in Ngunguru was a much needed remedy for the soul. It was great to soak up the sun in Northland. I re-read The Unbearable Lightness of Being, in keeping with my current reasoning of trying to work my way through the list of classics that really must be read within my lifetime. Not knowing how long that lifetime may be, it pays to keep ahead of these things!

Also managed to squeeze in Body Of Lies which i thoroughly enjoyed – I continually enjoy Russell Crowe in roles that have such undercurrents and depth. Particularly gnarly knucklebuster scene, but great storyline and plot.

Last Wednesday I spoke with Papatoetoe Baptist Church youth group – a crazy bunch of kids led by my dear friend Marty (with cohorts Todd, Caleb and Fraser. It’s the 4th presentation on adolescent development/sexuality I’ve done this year and another couple of presentations on the way – I so love talking with girls and guys and creating some fresh frameworks for helping them to develop healthy sexuality that’s integrated with their spirituality.

This last weekend was a great escape to Brisbane, and the most delightful part catching up with the Winslades and van Vliets. Playing chaperone to a 7 year old boy was a jolly good time and we returned exhausted on Monday. I also managed to polish off Love In The Time of Cholera which is also on the classics list.

On the plane I managed to enjoy Fools Gold because I unashamedly love a bit of adventure and frolicking. Besides, there is a treasure hunter deep within my soul somewhere!

Highlights of Brisbane were Southbank, including it’s gorgeous and highly functional park with mini-beach included, such an inspiring public space that really made me think about worship spaces in community. The japanese restaurant Dani and I went to on Friday was truly great. The McGills Whiskey Special came out for the troops on Saturday.

On the way home I snuck in a very disappointing My Blueberry Nights which proves once and for all that not all people that sing can act – it had great potential but it really didn’t carry it off.

In the midst of that, work is ramping up into the busiest season with Parachute on the way, as well as various other projects. One of the greatest enjoyments of work recently is being able to use the vast amount of research into the GenX / GenY chasm I’ve been stockpiling into good use! Hopefully this will become a seminar format that will be useful for both youthworkers, church/parachurch staff and not for profits. I’m very interested to continue looking at the development of fresh strategies for churches in crossing this divide!

Coming Up
This holiday weekend looks set to be a bit miserable weatherwise, so the current plan involves a list of classic movies in a stay-at-home filmfest… any recommendations are warmly invited! Also on the list, a viewing of “Everything is Spiritual”.

Next week I’m preparing a talk for Blueprint in Wellington on working for the kingdom in all sorts of ways. It will be interesting to bring some of my own story into being here. Ideas around how the kingdom bursts out of the doors of church:institution and into everyday lives. At the moment I’m planning on incorporating a hands-on exercise too and I’m looking forward to spending some more time with like-minded friends. (Yes, that means whiskey and cigars, at least I’m hoping).

I’m going to embark on a novella, for my own amusement more than anything else, and inspired to collaborate the ideas of philosophy, spirituality, art and poetry into a story about hope and humanity. We’ll see – I may yet prove to be overly ambitious – but the upshot is, my other manuscripts are also making slow but steady progress.

Conversations
Are focussed around generational divide, communication, church doctrine, the new reformed, calvinism’s comeback, fear of the calvinist comeback, art, love, hope and church politics. Filtering all of those things are work, youth ministry, young adult ministry and the forthcoming elections.

Really Enjoying
Having Mark Pierson back in the country and being able to interact with him in a variety of capacities, from last night at a gig in town, to around the table at a World Vision presentation for work. It’s so engaging to have ongoing dialogue with his wisdom and experience. His ability to recognise, engage and ask significant questions and bring accurate observations is gold to my soul.

Meeting Kevin Denholm of Exposure after a steady stream of people in common, it nows feels a little that I should simply pass on Kevin’s greetings to most people of my acquaintance! However, finally connecting in their offices last week was a positive and joyful experience – seeing how other storytellers have excelled in doing kingdom work in significant ways and bringing beautiful things into being.

Grasping a few moments of conversation with Brian Winslade over the weekend in Brisbane, about things going on. When I first came to my church to do the internship, working under Brian was one of the key influential factors. In the short few months that he’s been absent, I have missed hugely the significant impact of his wisdom, skills, talent and intellect in shaping and guiding my steps in the world.

Song Of The Moment : One More Day
by Rosie Thomas

One more day
Just one more day then I’m done
One more car ride and
One more rising of the sun

Then I’ll jump so high
Angels will catch my fall
I’ll jump so high
Angels will catch my fall

I had my chance and I just showed it to the door
I won’t apologize to myself anymore

So I’ll jump so high
Angels will catch my fall
I’ll jump so high
Angels will catch my fall

One more day
Just one more day then I’m done
No more failures and
No more feeling alone

A Poem By Grace.

Grace is one of the children attending the school in Kibera Slum that 100days100dollars is working with. This is her recital of a poem (unknown origin).

life oh life life
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how many ever lived and today no more but dust
it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor
surely life is more than south african gold

all sons of my woman, of my woman
and daughters of my womb
this generation of young ducks has fallen apart
days and nights
boys and girls
walk right left left right
forward backward

alcoholic —-
tell me where is your destination
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