Happy 2010!

Art: You should like it 'cause it's cool.

Internet, if you were a person, I'd tell you to go see the Louvre exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. But since you aren't a person, I need you to help me tell other people to go see it. You see, it's a very well-done exhibit filled with some beautiful art: some paintings, some drawings, some sculpture, some other stuff. It includes all sorts of interesting pieces that have helped define what a "masterpiece" is to different generations. Even the forgeries they've included in the exhibit are beautiful works of art (and also thought to be masterpieces before they were uncovered as frauds). I liked it very much when I went there with some of the fam yesterday, especially because I learned stuff (like what repoussé and chasing are) and got to see some interesting and intelligent art. I also enjoyed the two corresponding exhibits (one on what the MIA curators believe to be masterpieces, with one of my favorite pieces from that collection here, and the other an exhibit showing all the different pieces that Vermeer used in 1668 in his painting The Astronomer - let me tell you: it's kind of cool to see an astrolabe up close and personal). So, Internet, tell your [real, human] friends that they should go see it: on now at the MIA until January 10, 2010.

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John Martin, English, engraving Pandemonium, 1825

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Antoine-Louis Barye, French, bronze Lion with Serpent, 1833-1836






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Jean-Baptiste-Jules Klagmann, French, silver ewer, ca. 1848 (example of repoussé and chasing)

2009 v. 2010: Accomplishments v. Goals

Q: Accomplishment in 2009?

A: I, having been nominated to undertake the task for the first time ever, made the gravy for the turkey on Christmas Day (mainly 'cause no one else standing around in the kitchen wanted anything to do with it). It was a tasty success. I figure if you can make good, edible, non-lumpy gravy, you can cook pretty much anything.

Q: New goal for 2010?

A: I have decided that for vacation next year, I want to go here and do some of this and this and this, and see some of this and most definitely this, and maybe ride one of these. And some other stuff, too. Doesn't Alaska sound great? You'd think with all the snow we've received here lately, I would be less interested in hiking about in a wilderness where you can see snow all the time. But no. I'm dreaming of AK next summer.

Ah, Winter

My balcony, around the time our great winter whiteout started on Wednesday

My dad with the snowblower at their house on Christmas Eve - before I stole it 'cause I like to play with it

"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

Merry Christmas!

Antonio da Correggio's Nativity (1529-1530)

When came in flesh the incarnate Word,
The heedless world slept on,
And only simple shepherds heard
That God had sent His Son.

When comes the Savior at the last,
From east to west shall shine
The awful pomp, and earth aghast
Shall tremble at the sign.

Then shall the pure of heart be blest;
As mild He comes to them,
As when upon the virgin’s breast
He lay at Bethlehem.

As mild to meek eyed love and faith,
Only more strong to save;
Strengthened by having bowed to death,
By having burst the grave.

Lord, who could dare see Thee descend
In state, unless he knew
Thou art the sorrowing sinner’s Friend,
The gracious and the true?

Dwell in our hearts, O Savior blest;
So shall Thine advent’s dawn
’Twixt us and Thee, our bosom Guest,
Be but the veil withdrawn.

Words: Joseph Anstice (1808 - 1836)

Music: Walsall, attributed to Henry Purcell (1658-1695)

Merry Christmas!

Some Christmas Pics from Minny LinnEy

At Home: a real fake Christmas tree

(Instead of the fake-fake tree...but don't worry: We still put up the coat rack Christmas tree, too)

At the Parents' Home: Lots of snow, with more to come

Beauty & the Beast: Beautiful or Beastly?

I went to see Beauty & the Beast at the Ordway last night with cousin R, who is in town for Christmas. I was looking forward to it, but I have to admit, I kind of agree with the Strib's review ("Ordway Show is Beautiful at Times, Beastly at Others"), and even the Pioneer Press has some of the same comments ("Ordway's 'Beauty and the Beast' is Predictable Fun"). In a complete twist, my favorite character in the musical version was Gaston (Jonathan "Goose" Burgard) - but he's usually my least favorite in the movie, and the Beast (Jeremiah James) had an excellent singing voice. I was also highly entertained by Lumiere (Bradley Greenwald) and Cogsworth (Ed Dixon) in a completely predictable way (every funny line of theirs was in the movie), but it was Madame de la Grande Bouch (Christina Baldwin) who stole the show in this musical, at least when it came to the servants: loved her. As for Belle (Laurine Price), well, I love her speaking voice. But the pacing just felt off, and although her singing voice had its moments, it generally just fell flat for me (flat as in energy and pacing, not that she was necessarily flat...in fact she sang sharp a few times, but that wasn't the part that bothered me so much).

The sets were amazing, the costumes great. But Internet, you want to know what drives me nuts? If I'm going to spend so much $$$ on a ticket to see a professional performance, I would like those Ordway people to hire someone to proofread the program. It would be nice if they spelled people's names correctly ("Loe" instead of "Leo"?), or maybe just used spell check (for example, that would've picked up "centenial" and changed it to the proper "centennial"). I'm just sayin'.

Even though it took me a while to get into it (I kept thinking it would've been cheaper and I could've stayed in my nice warm house by renting the movie), by the end I was sucked in and had a good time, and it's always enjoyable to go to the beautiful Ordway and see the Christmas lights in Rice Park across the street.

Not only is his cell phone nicer than mine...

...so is his dinner. Seriously? Mushroom risotto?

And for those of you who will argue that he's not homeless, and the shelter is privately run, I'm still cynical enough to believe that this probably does happen amongst some people who choose to use their assistance (whatever variety or shape it comes in) for things other than true necessities...

The Blind Side

Internet, everyone I know plus a few I don't and all of their mothers recommended I go see The Blind Side. So that's what I did last night, and I can understand why they all said that. It was the best movie I've seen all year. Granted, I'm pretty sure it's the only movie I've seen in a movie theater this year, so let's say in the past few years. It was actually worth the money to go to the theater. And it's based on a book, so you know I've got to go find and read the book now.

So, everyone who knows me and a few people who don't? Take my suggestion and go see it.

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part III

The creation of George Frederic Handel's Messiah was actually the idea of Handel's librettist, Charles Jennens. Jennens, a literary scholar who had attended Balliol College in Oxford, expressed in a letter to his friend George that he wanted to create a Scriptural anthology set to music, and would George mind writing the music? Handel (1695-1759) composed the masterpiece Messiah in a mere twenty-four days in the summer of 1741 (talk about thinking of Christmas music way before the season actually starts...and the Easter music WAY too early...kidding, kidding). Anyhoo, that's an average of 2 or 3 songs a day, which I suppose is not bad. (Ha! As if I could ever be that productive...It's taking me five days just to post all the Scripture references and stuff...let alone actually compose something...)

George's remarks upon finishing it? "I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the Great God Himself." There is another story told (perhaps apocryphally, according to the wikipedia) about the Hallelujah Chorus, probably the most famous chorus ever written, that Handel's assistant "walked in to Handel's room after shouting to him for several minutes with no response. The assistant reportedly found Handel in tears, and when asked what was wrong, Handel held up the score to this movement and said, 'I thought I saw the face of God.'"

It was debuted in Dublin, Ireland, in April of 1742, and apparently (as some accounts I've read, say), the public rehearsal the day before the big performance was so packed that hundreds of people had to be turned away because of lack of space. Proceeds from that first concert were donated to local charities and hospitals for the mentally ill at the request of Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Part III: The Aftermath

1. The promise of redemption from Adam's fall
2. Judgment Day
3. The victory over death and sin
4. The glorification of Christ

(45) I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano Air)
Job 19:25-26 "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand on the latter day upon the earth: And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."
I Corinthians 15:20 "[For] now is Christ risen from the dead...the firstfruits of them that [sleep]."

(46) Since By Man Came Death (Chorus)
I Corinthians 15:21-22 "Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

(47) Behold I Tell You a Mystery (Bass Recitative)
I Corinthians 15:51-52 "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet."

(48) The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass Air)
I Corinthians 15:52b-53 "The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal man must put on immortality."

(49) Then Shall Be Brought to Pass (Alto Recitative)
I Corinthians 15:54b (Isaiah 25:8) "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"

(50) O Death Where Is Thy Sting? (Alto and Tenor Duet)
I Corinthians 15:55-56 (Hosea 13:14) "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law."

(51) But Thanks Be to God (Chorus)
I Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(52) If God Be For Us (Soprano Air)
Romans 8:31, 33-34 "If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us."

(53) Worthy Is the Lamb (Chorus)
Revelation 5:12-13 "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing...Blessing and honour, glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen."

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part IIb

This is Christmas: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1, 14). In this section of part II of Messiah, we see this Word - Jesus - being spread throughout the nations: a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the New Testament (which is why so much of the New Testament seems to quote Old Testament verses: the prophets of old spoke of the coming of Christ, and of God's ultimate triumph over Satan and the things of this world - including those who wage war against Him and His people; it is God the Lord who reigns on high as the King over all those other guys).

Handel's Messiah

Part II: The Passion

4. God discloses His identity in heaven
5. The beginning of evangelism
6. The world and its rulers reject the Gospel
7. God's triumph

(37) The Lord Gave the Word (Chorus)
Psalm 68:11 "The Lord gave the [W]ord: great was the company of [the preachers]."

(38) How Beautiful Are the Feet (Soprano Air)
Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7) "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

(39) Their Sound Is Gone Out (Chorus)
Romans 10:18 (Psalm 19:4) "Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world."

(40) Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together? (Bass Air)
Psalm 2:1-2 (Acts 4:25-26) "Why do the heathen rage, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed."

(41) Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder (Chorus)
Psalm 2:3 "Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us."

(42) He That Dwelleth in Heaven (Tenor Recitative)
Psalm 2:4 "He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision."

(43) Thou Shalt Break Them (Tenor Air)
Psalm 2:9 "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

(44) Hallelujah (Chorus)
Revelation 19:6; 11:15 "Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign forever and ever...KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS."