Music

Bach and Beethoven

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It is plain impossible to remain unmoved by the St Matthew Passion composed by Johann Bach. This premiered on April 11, 1727, a Good Friday.

If there be another piece of music that evokes such emotion, it is Beethoven’s Concerto 5. When this made its debut, critics didn’t know what to make of it. This was music that broke the rules as they understood it. But Beethoven was ahead of their time.

We listen to their works, centuries after the composers have gone gone. We can’t stop listening to their works. The more we hear of what they created, the more apparent it becomes that much of what passes of as contemporary music sounds like rubbish.

Their music underscores a truth as well: Anything of consequence stands the test of time.

Suzanne

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Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night forever
And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her
Then he gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer that you've always been her lover

And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him
He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone

And you want to travel with him, and you want to travel blind
And you think you maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with her mind

Now, Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river
She's wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey on our lady of the harbor
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love and they wil lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds her mirror

And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind

A morning playlist

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Of all the playlists for the morning, this is among my favorite. On this list, if pushed to the wall and asked to pick what are my favorites, #2, #3 and #5 will be it. But that is unfair. Because the playlist is an incredible one for me. I guess much of it has to do with that Sanskrit is an incredibly beautiful language. To get it right takes much effort and learning. Much credit must go to the singer 

1. Om Shanti Om 

2. Antarjami Purakh Bidate 

3. Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu 

4. Tan Man Shaant 

5. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu 

6. Gayatri Mantra 

7. Asatoma Sadgamaya 

8. Shanti Mantra

The other playlist I really like is about an hour long. Of that Hum hi Hum and Om Guru Deva Namo are among my favorites.