One piece that I omitted from my post on settings of biblical texts to music by female composers is that featured in the video above: “How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place” (Psalm 84) by Victoria Bond. You can read Bond’s notes about the composition in The Bible Retold by Jewish Artists, Writers, Composers and Filmmakers, edited by Helen Leneman and Barry Dov Walfish. I was struck to learn that Bond’s piece is part of SDG Music’s “Psalms Project,” as there... Read more
“Rebellions are built on hope.” But so too are empires. Yesterday I finally saw Rogue One, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Its religious and political themes were especially interesting to me. I won’t try to keep this spoiler-free. The opening phrase in this blog post is a catchphrase of Jyn Urso in the movie, as most people will have seen in commercials and trailers. But the movie explores the similar and different aims and methods of empires and those that... Read more
As I was preparing to speak about Handel’s Messiah recently, I came across a great description of what the Hallelujah Chorus is, stylistically speaking, in Calvin Stapert’s book about the piece (p.135). It is a coronation anthem for Jesus. I think that grasps the feel of the piece perfectly, and it is striking as well that Handel’s coronation anthems, like so much of Messiah, draw heavily on the Psalms. Have a listen, in particular, to his coronation anthems for George... Read more
Next year, there will be a new Blade Runner movie. Excited? Via Polygon. Read more
Some students, it seems, do not really understand what the syllabus is and what it is for. This podcast has interesting suggestions on how to approach them better so as to communicate something genuinely important and meaningful, and to do so in an effective manner. Apologies if this post falls into the “too soon” category. Grading is not even finished for some people, and already I’m talking about preparing syllabuses?! Of related interest, here is a link to a podcast about... Read more
I really like this reworking of Jack Chick’s famous tract, “This Is Your Life,” in honor of Chick’s death, by Gretchen Koch. Of related interest, Randal Rauser shared that someone made a movie version of the Chick Tract “Somebody Goofed”… Read more
The video above is about the fascinating musical project by David Bowen, which has a piano played according to the way clouds move across the sky. You can read more about it in this article, or on the composer’s website. The video above is mostly informational, while this one is more music: Read more
Talking about Handel’s Messiah in the chamber chat on December 12th with Maestro Matthew Kramer, the question of the “authentic version” of Messiah came up. It was interesting to note how similar the issues are that connect music and Biblical studies when one approaches them by way of questions about manuscripts. Manuscripts in both areas have turned up time and again in unexpected places, often in the act of being destroyed, damaged, and misused in a variety of ways –... Read more
Via Religion in American History: THE CENTER OF THEOLOGICAL INQUIRY CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR INQUIRY ON RELIGION & MIGRATION During the academic year 2017/18, the Center will hold an “Inquiry on Religion & Migration.” The human species has been a migrant one since its evolution out of Africa. In an era of forced migration, this phenomenon is now of global concern. Religion is a key factor in the movement of peoples and the study of migration. What do... Read more
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