These Things Shall Be

These Things Shall Be - Happy 70th Birthday Dad

[audio:dad07piano.mp3 | titles=These Things Shall Be - Piano Development|artists=music2work2]

It has been an incredibly turbulent week across all fronts.  It started horrifically with Charlotte being badly injured in a car accident and finishes today with my father’s 70th birthday.  Charlotte is on her way to recovery although she has a few nasty surgeries ahead while my Mum & Dad are about to embark on a 5 week trip around the planet – arriving in LA in a month’s time – funny thing life!

I originally wrote the music for a school competition – based around the words of the hymn “These Things Shall Be!” which in turn was derived from the poem “A Vista” by John Addington Symonds 1840 – 1893.  I was never a terribly good student but I do remember working hard on the music and it became one of my dad’s favorite pieces – so much so that he’s requested it to be played at his funeral.

Pretty macabre really, which probably explains why 25 years later I haven’t finished it!  This is the core piano part on top of which sits 4 different string voices and a bloody great church organ that comes in at the end.  I always pick it up again at this time of year, around his birthday, and work up another version.  Maybe I’ll have something I like before they arrive.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Here are the words of the hymn which I always liked – uplifting, inspirational and about as far away from funerals as you get – long may it stay that way.

These things shall be, -- a loftier race
Than ere the world hath known shall rise
With flame of freedom in their souls,
And light of knowledge in their eyes.

They shall be gentle, brave, and strong
To spill no drop of blood, but dare
All that may plant man's lordship firm
On earth and fire, and sea, and air.

Nation with nation, land with land,
Unarmed shall live as comrades free;
In every heart and brain shall throb
The pulse of one fraternity.

Man shall love man, with heart as pure
And fervent as the young-eyed throng
Who chant their heavenly psalms before
God's face with undiscordant song.

New arts shall bloom of loftier mould
And mightier music fill the skies,
And every life shall be a song,
When all the earth is paradise.

John Addington Symonds

Happy Birthday!

Just thought I would write a quick note to say that Music2Work2 is 2 years old today. It's hard in some ways to believe that we have been doing this for two years - - but in others it seems longer. Music2Work2 has certainly grown and changed over the past two years, and will continue to grow and change. It has been terrific being a part of this endeavor - the future looks even better.

Thank you, Andrew, for letting me be a part of your wonderful vision!

Birthdays

I pretty much took the day off yesterday, in celebration of my birthday. That is the reason no blog was posted. Birthdays are strange times when you reach my age..........depressing on the one hand because you realize so much of your life is over. I have gone through many really horrible times in my life, so I should actually be thankful to have made it through all that and to have reached this age. At times, I am kind of amazed that in spite of too many surgeries to count and all the pain I have lived with since I was born, that I am actually still here, keeping on keeping on.

The good part about birthdays, even at my age, is the realization that so many friends care enough about you to remember your birthday and wish you well. I am extremely grateful for the friends in my life, who have gone through so many of the bad and difficult times with me; and for my family who has been a part of them all, who has stuck by me, made accommodations for me when my physical limitations have been a problem, and who take on additional work doing things for me, as well as what they need to do for themselves. A great deal of credit goes to friends and family that I have managed to reach this age..............No, it's not 80, 70 or even 60 - -- between 50 and 60 - - but at times it seems like 100!