Music and memory
When I was a little boy, perhaps aged 8 or 10, a piece of music would make me cry.
To this day I do not know why.
But I cried every time I heard the “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” from Handel’s Oratorio “Solomon”.
I still love that piece, but I no longer cry when I hear it - more’s the pity - tears are good!
Yesterday, when listening to NPR I heard Shubert’s incidental music for the opera “Rosamunde”. That made be very sad. It was one of my Dad’s favourite pieces.
When he was a-dying, Beethoven’s Romances for Violin were being played on the B.B.C. I cannot hear that lovely music without thinking of Dad’s death bed. I get sad, but do not cry.
Many years after Dad’s death Mum re-married. She married a fabulous man, Len Woolcock. Each of us - nine siblings - adored Len. He was a wonderful second husband for Mum, “Stepfather” for us.
Len died unexpectedly some ten years ago. I say “unexpectedly” because he had never had (or shown) a day of sickness.
Mum awoke one night in the wee hours, to find her second husband in cold death beside her. It was a grievous blow.
Some very few months later, Mum, my older sister Maureen, and my younger brother Martyn with his wife and children visited me in Pittsfield, MA where I Rector at St. Stephen’s Parish.
It was a hard visit for Mum. All she could think of was her previous visit with her beloved Len.
Some time during that visit I placed a C.D. on my player. It was of famed English contralto, Kathleen Ferrier. Mum knew and loved the music.
But at one point she said “do not play the next one”. The “next one” was Kathleen singing “What is life to me without thee”, (from Gluck's 'Orfeo and Euridice')
Of course this aria was unbearable to Mum in her grief, and I can never again hear it without thinking of my good step-father, Len.
And there is another song/hymn which has deep memories for me. It was written by the Deist, Thomas Addison , and was the School hymn at my High School.
(Who can imagine that a school would have an official hymn?!)
We sang it with the wonderful “Fairfield sound” (rich harmonies at Fairfield Grammar (High) School, under the direction of our superb music teacher W.J. Richards). Always to the tune “Contemplation”.
And Deist or not, I want it to be sung at my funeral!
When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I’m lost
In wonder, love and praise.
Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From Whom those comforts flowed.
When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe,
And led me up to man.
Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the last a cheerful heart
That tastes those gifts with joy.
Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I’ll pursue
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.
Through all eternity to Thee
A joyful song I’ll raise;
For, oh, eternity’s too short
To utter all Thy praise!
Sing will ye!
To this day I do not know why.
But I cried every time I heard the “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” from Handel’s Oratorio “Solomon”.
I still love that piece, but I no longer cry when I hear it - more’s the pity - tears are good!
Yesterday, when listening to NPR I heard Shubert’s incidental music for the opera “Rosamunde”. That made be very sad. It was one of my Dad’s favourite pieces.
When he was a-dying, Beethoven’s Romances for Violin were being played on the B.B.C. I cannot hear that lovely music without thinking of Dad’s death bed. I get sad, but do not cry.
Many years after Dad’s death Mum re-married. She married a fabulous man, Len Woolcock. Each of us - nine siblings - adored Len. He was a wonderful second husband for Mum, “Stepfather” for us.
Len died unexpectedly some ten years ago. I say “unexpectedly” because he had never had (or shown) a day of sickness.
Mum awoke one night in the wee hours, to find her second husband in cold death beside her. It was a grievous blow.
Some very few months later, Mum, my older sister Maureen, and my younger brother Martyn with his wife and children visited me in Pittsfield, MA where I Rector at St. Stephen’s Parish.
It was a hard visit for Mum. All she could think of was her previous visit with her beloved Len.
Some time during that visit I placed a C.D. on my player. It was of famed English contralto, Kathleen Ferrier. Mum knew and loved the music.
But at one point she said “do not play the next one”. The “next one” was Kathleen singing “What is life to me without thee”, (from Gluck's 'Orfeo and Euridice')
Of course this aria was unbearable to Mum in her grief, and I can never again hear it without thinking of my good step-father, Len.
And there is another song/hymn which has deep memories for me. It was written by the Deist, Thomas Addison , and was the School hymn at my High School.
(Who can imagine that a school would have an official hymn?!)
We sang it with the wonderful “Fairfield sound” (rich harmonies at Fairfield Grammar (High) School, under the direction of our superb music teacher W.J. Richards). Always to the tune “Contemplation”.
And Deist or not, I want it to be sung at my funeral!
When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I’m lost
In wonder, love and praise.
Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From Whom those comforts flowed.
When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe,
And led me up to man.
Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the last a cheerful heart
That tastes those gifts with joy.
Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I’ll pursue
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.
Through all eternity to Thee
A joyful song I’ll raise;
For, oh, eternity’s too short
To utter all Thy praise!
Sing will ye!
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