Sound Theology by Colleen Butcher

On August 10^th, The Proms (or more formally, the Henry Woods Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC) will celebrate their 120^th season of music making. Held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, with the BBC Orchestra, The Proms are an annual celebration of music of all genres. They’re called the proms because they were originally concerts where the audience could “promenade” through the park as they listened to the music! Today, in Royal Albert Hall, there is a large standing-only section on the floor of the hall where the audience gets up to some enjoyable shenanigans, if not actual “promenading.” Conductor Jiri Behlolavek has described The Proms as “the world’s largest and most democratic musical festival.” read more…

In 1961, the little-known British song-writing duo Newley and Bricusse penned a song that has become a jazz standard: “Feelin’ Good.” As is often the case, the song was part of a now forgotten musical, Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, which debuted in London and ran in New York for only 555 performances. The hit song, however, has become a much-loved anthem to resilience and the promise of better days ahead. read more…

In the Old Testament book of Numbers, the LORD gave words to Moses to pass on to Aaron and his sons that we now know as the “Priestly Blessing” (Number 6:24-26). Aaron’s sons were instructed to use these words to bless the people of Israel so that they would be “named” as God’s people.  

Named as God’s people . . . that is a remarkable and undeserved blessing; one that stretches through time to name and call us even today. read more…

Paul Wittgenstein, the older brother of Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, was an accomplished pianist before WWI interrupted his concert career. During the war, Wittgenstein was shot in the elbow and his arm had to be amputated. Despite this significant injury, and against all the nay-sayers, he determined to continue to perform as a pianist. He worked extensively to strengthen his left hand and develop techniques that would allow him to play more complex music. Following the war, he began approaching composers to write works for only the left hand; and many significant European composers did! Korngold, Hindemith, Stravinsky, and Richard Strauss all wrote pieces that Wittgenstein commissioned. read more…

July 11, 2015

A few weeks ago we talked about the start of this year’s Tchaikovsky Competition taking place in Moscow and St Petersburg. The competition has now concluded, the winners and audience favourites have been announced, the final performances have been enjoyed, and the flowers have been presented. Life has, on the surface, returned to normal.

But what happens to the competitors, those who invested innumerable hours and energy into these few days of performances? How do they begin to process the experiences – the joys and disappointments – of the past few weeks? For the winners, the intensity of the schedule and the pressure of performance will intensify as they sign recording and concert contracts. For the others, it’s a return to the routines of life. read more…