In the wondrous blending of sounds it is Thy call we hear; in the harmony of many voices, in the sublime beauty of music, in the glory of the works of the great composers: Thou leadest us to the threshold of of paradise to come, and to the choirs of angels. All true beauty has the power to draw the soul towards Thee, and to make it sing in ecstasy: Alleluia!
The breath of Thine Holy Spirit inspires artist, poets, and scientists
The power of Thy supreme knowledge makes them prophets and interpreters of Thy laws, who reveal the depths of Thy creative wisdom.
Their works speak unwittingly of THEE
How great art Thou in Thy creation! How great art Thou in man!
Glory to Thee, showing Thine unsurpassable power in the laws of the universe
Glory to Thee, for what Thou hast revealed to us in Thy mercy
Glory to Thee for what Thou hast hidden from us in Thy wisdom
Glory to Thee for the inventiveness of the human mind
Glory to Thee for the dignity of man's labour
Glory to Thee for the tongues of fire that bring inspiration
Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age.
_______________________________________________
William Congreve
I fell in love with two quotes by Congreve - the first goes:
"Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing."
Would that my fellow Americans were so wise.
The Second Goes in Modern English - Music has Charms to sooth a savage Breast, To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
The Mourning Bride (1697)
Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,
To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
I've read, that things inanimate have mov'd,
And, as with living Souls, have been inform'd,
By Magick Numbers and persuasive Sound.
What then am I? Am I more senseless grown
Than Trees, or Flint? O force of constant Woe!
'Tis not in Harmony to calm my Griefs.
Anselmo sleeps, and is at Peace; last Night
The silent Tomb receiv'd the good Old King;
He and his Sorrows now are safely lodg'd
Within its cold, but hospitable Bosom.
Why am not I at Peace? ____________________
As Christians ALL THINGS belong to us and we are instructed to seek out the Good and Beautiful and to contemplate them. I catch hell from some fundamentalists for unashamedly appreciating beauty in all its forms, even when it rest under a dark cloud. This site is Dark Clouds and Glory. I hold my love of music and poetry close, it helps make the struggles joyful, the sharp pains blunted, and the destructive designs of the evil one at bay. Music, is a tool of human intelligence, the human psyche, the soul, the heart - it echoes the songs of the stars and all of it that soothes the soul, is healing.
This page is arranged according to artist and not according to music type. A person who only one type of music to the exclusion of all others is like a art lover that only loves one color - it is a narrow way to live. In America the corporation have control of the music and they use it to "brainwashing effect" so it is repetitive and boring - this site is dedicated to REAL music. That is not a slam against electronic music - I make some of that music myself. My point is a little more subtle.
My Original Compositions and yours truly at the piano:
The Symphony Hall Compositions
Favorite Tracks - Volume One
Favorite Tracks - Volume Two
Pipe Dreams - Some favorite Pipe Organ Pieces - a few featuring Cameron Carpenter - WOW! Unbelievable Talent!
Amazing Grace! In Celebration of the Year of Grace
Aretha Franklin - Did you know she played gospel piano?
Autumn Leaves, The Sounds, The Colors
Chet Baker - In his own words.
Tom Barabas - My Favorite Composer
Dave Brubeck - The Classical Side of Jazz
J.D. Cash - My Favorite "Crooner"
Joe Cocker - It's All About Soul. Back in the dark ages when I was a railroad engineer, a black trainman bet me ten bucks that Joe Cocker was black. Days later when I showed him Cocker's album cover, my friend mumbled every time he passed me in the cab - "I can't believe that M.F. is white! How do a white man make that sound come out his mouth?" At the end of the run he was still shaking his head in disbelief as he handed me the ten.
A Collection of Soulful Songs That Haunted My Youth.
John Coltrane - In his own words.
Rita Coolidge - It's about haunting sounds and poetic lyrics.
Paul Desmond - Alto Sax
Eliane Elias - Awesome Multi Talent - Jazz, Vocal, Piano, Brazilian.
Bill Evans - The Greatest White Jazz Pianist
Alicia De Larrocha - Alicia was truly a sweetheart. I remember the first time I prepared a piano for her, I was so young she actually pinched my cheek and hugged me. It was a pleasure seeing her warm face on tour over the years. May she rest in the loving glow of the Divine Light, a tiny portion of which always flashed in her eye.
Misha Dichter - Classical Pianist
Rufolf Firkusny *Personal Note: One of the most poignant and precious moments of my life was when a dying Rudolf Firkusny cancelled a national appearance on PBS, that was honoring the music of Czech composer, Janacek whose compositions Firkusny has both premiered and promoted. It was a huge showcase for him. But, he was weeks from dying of bone cancer. He said that he wanted to play his last concert surrounded by friends, (Dave Young, Marion Robinson, Luly Hay and others,) and where yours truly cared for the piano. We had been friends for more than twenty years at the time. Once he had come to my defense when I was in a little professional trouble and the Atlanta music critic had it in for me - he was a true friend.
That evening was one of his best performances - it was truly awesome and there is a recording of it somewhere (one of my recording engineer friends has it.) When he existed the stage for the very last time, this usually very reserved man, looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Marion, part of that applause is for you, you know." He was referencing my piano work, I had just rebuilt the hall's piano. He actually hugged me. When he did I could see how terribly frail he was under his tux. The Lord Blesses us with moments and memories capable of creating sweet tears, if our hearts are open to Him and others. - Maestro - May you repose in Christ's Divine Light.
Astrud Gilberto - LOVE HER, Astrud sang with such simple innocence her voice was haunting and never over powered but honored the music. Chet Baker had the same ability to sing so very subtly that you knew it wasn't about the perfection of the voice, but the haunting flow of the music.
Stan Getz The smoothest Tenor Sax every.
Johnny Hodges - with Duke Ellington on some.
Norah Jones - What's Not to Like
Oliver Jones - An Awesome Jazz Pianist - Disciple of Oscar Peterson
Wouter Kiers - Requires a little explanation. He is a little known tenor sax player in Europe - who plays bars and small festivals. I first heard him imitating Boots Randolph and it was awesome. He needed a good manager.
James Morrison - Brass Man Extraordinaire
Romano MUSSOLINI - I have to admit that seeing El Duce Benito Mussolini's son playing New Orleans style jazz is a little bit of a culture shock. But there he is - honestly El Duce's son, Romano.
Gerry Mulligan - Love The Baritone Sax
Wes Montgomery - In his own words.
Alvo Part
Oscar Peterson - The Greatest Jazz Pianist - after Art Tatum
Michel Petrucciani - This Man Inspires Me Like Few...
The Rachmaninoff
Frank "Sugar Chile" Robinson
Arthur Rubinstein
Rudolf Serkin - Music and Interview by Isaac Stern...
Zoot Sims - In his own words.
Art Tatum - The Greatest Jazz Pianist of all time - and quite frankly maybe the greatest pianist of all time -his facility is mind boggling. Oscar Peterson came very close - but Tatum started the era of the Jazz Pianist, taking Ragtime mixing it with classical, creating a type of music never heard before, that required a technique BETTER than any classical pianist I personally witnessed - and in my line of work I saw and new a great many of them - pianists of all fields.
Joe Walsh - A Little Comedy - Life's Been Good To Me - So Far
Ben Webster - In his own words
Maria Yudina - I would love to have known Maria Yudina, because she is a genuine hero of mine. She was a russian in volatile times. The Tyrant Stalin suppressed her career. She is one of the brave souls who clung to her Faith in God, specifically her Christian Faith, publicly proclaiming her Faith in Jesus Christ, in the face of Stalinist persecutions. Her style was very innovative, and I'm sure held a great influence over Glenn Gould, at least in my mind I hear shades of her technique in his gymnastic performances. She and he, let the piano be the piano in a unique way that frankly I know when I hear it but I cannot put into words.
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