This is about resistance. Our resistance. Bear with me.

Winter storm warning. May snow down here tomorrow. This iis the biggest snow of the whole winter in the mountains. New snow depth in feet, not inches. Gonna make wet slab avalanche danger over the next few days extreme.

About the You Tube piece

These are notes fcom "about the music."

Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.
After the merry gathering of the countryfolk and the storm comes the finale of Beethoven's Sixth, titled "Shepherd's song. Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm," with the Italian tempo mark "Allegretto" (slightly fast).

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major, opus 68, 'Pastoral', is so different from his Symphony No. 5 that it's almost hard to believe that they came from the same composer. All the more surprising: Ludwig van Beethoven worked on both at the same time. Both were presented on December 22, 1808 in the same, four-hour concert at Vienna's Theater an der Wien that also included his Fourth Piano Concerto and other music.

One might wish that a time machine existed to take us back to that notable event. At least, however, this performance comes from Beethoven's home town, Bonn, Germany, where the original score to the Symphony No. 6 is preserved at the Beethoven House archive.
Studying original sources is important to conductor Paavo Järvi, who prepared these recordings over a period of years in the "Beethoven Project."

Deutsche Welle and Unitel Classica present Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi, conductor of the year 2019, and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, recorded at the Beethovenfest in Bonn.

Well, there's more to it than this. This is the only symphony to which he titled movements. This finale, the Shepherd's Song is followed by "The Creation thanks Almighty God for the life giving rain." A bit better than the truncated and not exactly accurate "good feelings" explanation, which actually is from the first movement. "Good feelings from approaching the countryside."


Like you and me, Beethoven loved the wilderness. The Shepherds Song motiv begins with the flute, then horns, then strings. It is developed and returned to the song for a second time. That is developed again and returned a third time. Only this time the theme is absent, and surrounded by a variation that if you are very calm, still, and sensitive, you can hear the theme in your mind. Remarkable.

Then as the storm finally breaks, Godbeams can be heard in the music, piercing the clouds and illuminating the creation below with that pre dusk evening light, beauty of which is attempted in words and music, but never achieved.

it's kind of like these pictures.







So today, instead of seeing an icky, dreary day, I am joining the Creation to thank almighty God for the life giving rain.

Those Godbeam moments in this symphony used to draw deep emotion and tears. For a long time, it was the only one. Now it is happening more and more frequently with more, touching music that crosses a threshold of absolute truth and ultimate human value.

I wondered. Am I losing it? What is happening? The chapter or book of my professional music performance is now closed and forever sealed. I am dedicated here forward to writing the last things I have left to say, and working with our praise orchestra, and others as an outreach in overcoming and defeating the evil that moved into our White House.

As the Creation thanked almighty God for the life giving rain, I am wondering if in fact I am being prepared to thank Him face to face, for the life and opportunity He gave me. No it isn't imminent, but it isn't far off either. I think we all know that about ourselves as each day progresses. The years and days ahead are far fewer than those behind, in the rear view mirror. It's the cycle of life.

Keep the spirit going. Move. Exercise. Write. Create. Protest and resist evil. Keep the fire lit. Don't let the bastards win. Pour water on their fire. Stir and stomp them out. Then do it again. Do it until they are cold and threats to nobody.

Thursday when this all breaks, I am going up there somewhere to have a look see at all the new snow. Like being a little fleck of dandruff that fell onto a sparkling tiara. Somewhere areound Mt. Lincoln, or maybe Elbert and Massive, and maybe hear the roar of a few slides.