Grateful for Music

I am grateful for music.  I can't say I like all kinds of music, but I enjoy many.  I usually listen to classical and jazz music when I drive.  Not only are the local stations ad-free, but there's such a wide variety of pieces, and I can usually enjoy what they play.  I appreciate YouTube for making even more old and new music available.  The Caterpillar is really a connoisseur of interesting music from around the world, and his selections add a lot of variety to our atmosphere.  

I also enjoy making music.  I miss singing in the choir at church, and fiddling with a group at the mall.  But I can play our piano, and practice those fiddle tunes on my own--maybe I'll be able to keep up with the others when we meet again.

 

I'm grateful that the rest of the family is musical, too.  Dandelionslayer is a percussionist.  The Caterpillar plays brass and bass, and whatever he can get his hands on.  Scoot left his saxophone home when he set out on his mission, but he shares music in Europe with his recorders.  School band isn't really an ensemble thing these days, but Rollo enjoys his trombone and piano lessons.  D2, who used to claim that he hated music, is doing well with his clarinet lessons, and enjoys listening to classical strings.  

 

Sometimes we can even persuade them all to play together!

I've also been grateful for some inspiration to arrange and compose a few pieces myself.  Here's a link to one I wrote about a year ago.  At a Young Women activity, one of the girls lamented the short supply of Thanksgiving carols.  I challenged her to write one herself.  I don't know if she had any good ideas, but a few days later, I did.  I'm grateful to be able to share it at SacredSheetMusic.org, where I've shared a few others, and found many other pieces to enjoy from talented composers.

I love all the concerts and musical events that usually come at this season of the year.  I'll miss going out for those this year, but I've been finding some online opportunities for enjoying good performances.  I hope you will, too!

Music has such a powerful influence on our feelings, and I'm grateful to be able to listen and participate in music that soothes, peps, inspires, and pleases. 

What music do you love?

#givethanks

Musical Monday

The Caterpillar composed this "Mother's Lullaby" for me on Mother's Day.  Isn't it pretty?  Since we don't have any pictures of me asleep, I've included this one of the Caterpillar, when he was seven.  He's still sweet.

Musical Monday

This tune has been on our minds for months now.  Good thing I love it!

At the 2016 Washington State Ensemble Festival, Scoot and friends played the beautiful Notturno from Alexander Borodin's String Quartet No. 2, arranged for five saxophones by W. Schmidt.  Why turn a quartet into a quintet?  I don't know, but it works. They scored well, and enjoyed their big day.

Musical Monday

Happy Easter!

Sheet Music Competition

The Caterpillar and I have each entered a piece to the yearly Sacred Sheet Music Competition at Free LDS Sheet Music.  We both submitted arrangements of Christmas tunes.  There are many beautiful entries.  Check them out, and vote for all your favorites!

Christmas Musical Monday

Ah, sublime music from Plácido Domingo, the Piano Guys, and a choir of children who look like they are wearing cupcake wrappers.


Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Music on Wednesday

Oops.  Monday got past me.  But there's always time for some good music!


The latest from Lindsey Stirling.

Hanukkah Musical Monday

A little treat for the beginning of Hanukkah:


Dandelionslayer was doing some research on a piece his band will be playing at work, and ran across Meshugga Beach Party--traditional Jewish dance music, played surfer style.  They're fun to watch, and you'll want to dance along.  This is not quite a traditional song, nor one of their original Hanukkah pieces, but you'll recognize it. Enjoy!

Christmas Musical Monday

It's time to get the Christmas music season off to a roaring start!




The Sterling Singers describe it thus: "The world's happiest song meets the world's angriest."  Maybe it will be therapeutic to sing to yourself when you're feeling a bit of holiday stress.  I dare you to not laugh!

Happy Turkey Day!

There are so many things to appreciate.  How many blessings can you count while you listen to the Caterpillar's composition?




At least you can be grateful that you are not a turkey!

Musical Monday

I mentioned recently that the Caterpillar has been exploring steampunk music.  It's a fun mixture of the music of various traditions, with stories of universal human emotions and cool gadgets.



This is one of his favorites, "The Mechanical Girl," by Voltaire.  

Enjoy!

Musical Monday

I don't listen to much popular music, at least not in its original form.  I prefer to sample it through various filters.  For instance, Weird Al's versions that keep the music, but vastly improve the lyrics.  Or covers by The Piano Guys, or Lindsey Stirling, or even the high school pep band, that refine the music and dispense with the lyrics altogether.


The Caterpillar recently found another filter, Postmodern Jukebox.  This group gets together in someone's large living room, and belts out new songs in classic styles.  They do preserve the lyrics, which can be appalling, so make your selections with care.  This number, however, is delightful, and perfect for the rainy sort of day we're having right now.  Enjoy!

Musical Monday

Spring is here!

 The weeds are going to town.

Hopefully the strawberries will, too.

When spring is here, I always think of this song.  I would never do such a thing to a pigeon, of course.  But I'm about ready to do in the varmints that chew up the wires in the car every winter.  Any ideas?

Christmas Musical Monday

Christmas Musical Monday

They aren't wearing green sleeves, but the Harp Twins play a lovely arrangement of "What Child is This?"

Christmas Musical Monday

Good wishes from some very merry gentlemen!

Christmas Musical Monday

For a silly start to the season:

The Caterpillar loves the Carol of the Bells.  He's read up on its Ukrainian spring-time origins, and loves it for Christmas, or any other time of the year.  Here is a version he discovered recently.

Musical Monday

When everyone gets ready to go back to school and work after the weekend, they often have a hard time finding some important things.  For some, it becomes a manic Monday; others get the blues.

Here's the one and only B.B. King, with Sandra Boynton's "One Shoe Blues."

Musical Monday

When Scoot was assigned to recite a poem in his English class, he chose "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late," by J.R.R. Tolkien.  It's the sort of piece that would most effectively be sung, while dancing on top of a table, so the Caterpillar searched for some music for it.  He found this:

The Fellowship recorded an album of music inspired by Tolkien's work, and it is all rather nice. 

Scoot usually doesn't seem like the dancing-on-the-tables type, but he did earn 175% on his presentation.  I may have to inquire about the details!

Merry Christmas!

We brought this greeting to some of our friends Christmas Eve.
Now we send it from our home to yours...