Heaven and Earth

When I was in high school music class, we learned about singing in rounds. You know, like Row, row, row your boat and Make new friends but keep the old. 

We were introduced to a variety of multicultural rounds, one being a Jewish round, typically sung by children: David melech Yisrael, chai chai vekayam. It is a simple song consisting of only five words. 

The Hebrew translation to English remains simple as well:

            David David (is) king of Israel,
            David David (is) king of Israel
            David (is) king of Israel living and existing.
            Alive, living and existing
            David (is) king of Israel
            Alive, living and existing - king of Israel. 

Another was a German folk song sung in a two-part round. Himmel und erde. Roughly translated, it means something like: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the music will never die. 

            All things shall perish from under the sky
            Music alone shall live, music alone shall live
            Music alone shall live, never to die.

These little songs stayed in my head until they were drowned out by Wake Up, Little Susie and Love Me Tender. I am very fickle when it comes to music. Basically I love all genres. (That excludes rap which is noise, not music.)

Summertime came and with it, our annual family vacation which consisted of an 8-hour car trip to visit Grandpa and Grandma on their farm in South Dakota.  For Dad it meant solo driving, for Mom it meant previous days of packing for eight. For six squirmy children - not me, of course - it meant a very long car ride crowded in the back of our Rambler station wagon. When boredom set in and the bickering started among my little sisters - all four of them - I decided to teach them these two little songs so we could sing them together in rounds.  

To my surprise, they were not only cooperative but enjoyed the singing and learned the songs quickly. The time in the Rambler passed in a much more pleasant manner.

Fast forward to 1994 as we planned our parents' 50th wedding anniversary dinner. We decided as part of the program, we'd bring back the memory of those long summer trips by singing the two little rounds. We laughed at the recollection of it, Mom and Dad loved it, and we've talked about it since. 

I don't think we will ever get those little folk songs out of our heads. Their memories serve us well.

I met Jenny

A week ago on a Sunday evening, after visiting my husband in the hospital in Minneapolis where he is being treated for some complications following his recent cancer surgery, I drove over to the Danish American Center for a much needed, relaxing evening of music in their beautiful atrium.

Jenny Lind, 1849

It was there I met Jenny.

The Swedish Nightengale, Jenny Lind, was visiting Minneapolis all the way from Sweden in the year 1849.

This was expertly done through the beautiful soprano voice of Carolyn Pratt, Oberlin Convervatory-trained opera singer and performing soloist. Ms. Pratt convincingly assumed the role, dressed in a gown replicated to match the one in Jenny Lind's portrait which was exhibited on an antique easel and served as a backdrop. Accompanying her on the piano was Mary Goetz, a performing pianist.

It was nothing short of magnificent. The atrium was filled to overflowing. The sun shone through the atrium windows as if to shine a spotlight on Ms. Pratt as she sang as beautifully as we all imagined Jenny Lind herself sang. Pieces from Mendelssohn, Taubert, Schumann and Chopin were sung in Swedish. Between selections, Ms. Pratt spoke as Jenny, telling of her life, her studies in music, her travels, the stages she sang on and the audiences around the world.

Along the way, she met Hans Christian Andersen, and became good friends with him.  Andersen, however, thought of her as much more of a friend and wanted to marry her. In her mid-twenties, Jenny knew she was experiencing only the beginning of a budding career and preferred to continue with her dream of singing and performing. There was nothing quite like it, she said.



Carolyn Pratt, soprano soloist and Mary Goetz, pianist

Andersen wrote several fairy tales about his friend and love, Jenny. Among them is the delightful story, The Nightengale.

One of my favorite selections was the Norwegian Echo Song. Much requested by audiences all around the world, Ms. Lind; rather, Miss Pratt, does an echo with her voice, cupping her hands to shout out, tilting her head to softly echo back. I'd really never heard anything quite like it.

Following the concert, a Danish supper was served which was equally as wonderful as the concert had been.

All in all, more than than evening of enjoyment with beautiful soothing music, good food, and seeing my Danish American friends again, it was nourishment for my soul.

After several weeks of worry about my husband and his surgery, his re-hospitalizations, taking care of him at home and not seeing him recover as we'd hoped, the evening was a welcome respite and blessing to me.

The musical evening comes back to me at just the moment I need it and helps me remember the beauty in the world. My husband will recover from what they're calling "just a bump in the road" and the music will go on.

Hallelujah!

We welcomed the holiday season last night
by attending a musical, Hallelujah! at North Heights Lutheran Church in Arden Hills,
a 45-minute drive from our house.

We went with three other couples who are
long-time good friends. We celebrate the season each year by attending a special holiday production. This is the one we selected for this year's tradition, and we were glad we did.


This is no ordinary musical. But then, it is no ordinary church.

I'm sure it is the largest church I have ever seen. Although it is really a huge auditorium,
it is warm and inviting all the same. It has wonderfully cozy seats with ample space between rows for walking through, and acoustics that are second to none. The sound was amazing.

There is no "stage." The production, with a cast of hundreds, including children, takes place all over: on balconies, in the aisles, on a real skating rink, even from the ceiling.

Hallelujah! features stunning holiday music
by very talented musicians, including an orchestra, several choirs and singers, creative dancing, graceful ice skating, and flying angels in flowing white to announce the birth of Jesus. The lighting and visual effects were spectacular.

It was fast-paced, joyful, uplifting and a simply delightful way to usher in the holidays with good friends.

Hallelujah! was not only inspiring, it really captured the true beauty of the season: the newborn Babe of Bethlehem.

Summer concerts

Every Wednesday evening at 6:30, townsfolk (there's a word you don't hear anymore) gather in front of the bandshell at Lion's Park for a concert.

The summer series is called, Harmony in the Park. For a couple of hours, the day's cares and stresses are forgotten.

An evening breeze wafts through the park. Children don't need to be hushed. Young and old, physically or mentally-challenged, all belong. Community is connected.

The musical offerings are diverse. From Elvis himselvis, to the St. Croix Symphony Orchestra, to bluegrass, New Orleans jazz, Irish dancers, and clogging, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Last night, a group of local artists were invited to display some of their work. The community could see and marvel at what was merely a smattering of the talent that abounds in our local community.

My friend, Lenore, does beautiful watercolors. She brought a sample for last night's display. She converts some of her paintings into greeting cards which are always popular, and an affordable purchase.

There's always an ice cream wagon selling treats. Last night, the Lions Club sponsored a "corn feed."

I was born and raised in the city. I never heard of a "corn feed" before. After twenty years living in lake country, 45 miles from the city, I still chuckle at small town life. But I have adopted it for my own. And so I participate in all it has to offer.

Last night's concert featured a group performing songs from the Beatles. The park was packed. You bring your own folding chair, or there are benches to sit on as well. If the spirit moves you, you get up and dance to the music. From folks in their 90s to little tots, everyone is enjoying the spirit of community.


Life's simple pleasures. What a treasure.