As of late I have been doing something I can only describe as cleansing my musical palette. It has even led to something completely new for me: I have been listening to the actual radio. There is an awesome classical station in Seattle, and it has dominated the speakers in my mini van the last month.
My mood has been very reflective and my musical taste buds have not wanted much to do with my normal favorites. I have followed my cravings and they led me to one of the most amazing things ever: the Saint Marks Compline. It is a choir of men that sing beautiful songs and chant prayers every Sunday night in the Saint Marks Cathedral in Seattle. It has become so popular that you can listen to it online or download it as a podcast.
The music sounds just like I would imagine it in a cathedral in the 1500′s. I recently read a book about Joan of Arc that really affected me, and currently reading “Out of the Flames” a book describing the Reformation, in particular the scholar and martyr Michael Servetus. This combined with a love of history, music, and the never to be forgotten feeling I had when we were in St. Pauls Cathedral in London earlier this year when we sat and listened to the choir sing, has made me love this compline service. Really I love the singing, the chanting is interesting though I am not a Catholic. But they are worshiping our Savior Jesus Christ, and as a Mormon I enjoy and appreciate it very much.
I really want to see the service live, but it takes place way after my kids bedtime so I have not done it yet. I think it would be a great experience for them, although I am a little nervous that they would pretend to hit themselves in the head and laugh loudly at their Monty Python reference.
So this is what I’ve been up to lately, and it has cleansed my palette and made me ready to enjoy other music again. I think I needed to find a new balance, and learn how to deal with a beloved relative’s sickness.
I can think of nothing more soothing and lovely than this at the moment. I hope that you listen to a service, you may be delighted with what you hear!
Now that I’m feeling so good, I think I’m ready to dive into some Jonsi next. My really neat friend Larry has written about him at least twice on his blog (in my blog roll: Royalkeister United) and I have been saving it up for just the right time (kind of like how Ive been waiting all year to eat cheesecake on Christmas Eve).
Merry Christmas everyone who actually read this to the end! (and to those who didn’t )
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