Haydn

I think we're often missing out with music these days. I just listened to Haydn's "Nelsonmesse" ("Lord Nelson's Mass"), and it's freaking amazing. I looked up the background to the mass--partially because it's in German, and partially because I often end up enjoying the music more when I know what to "listen for" within it (maybe someday I'll learn to hear it on my own, but for now I "cheat")--and... Man. It's hard to summarize music in words. Basically he's able to musically express this progression from chaotic terror and despair, with people frantically crying out for mercy, into this swelling Gloria chorus praising God for who He is and remains in the midst of the chaos, then into a declaration and affirmation of the Incarnation (God made flesh!) and triumphant Resurrection, which moves into a soloists-only expression of the intimacy we can now experience with God, and culminates in a joyful choral Dona Nobis Pacem ("give us peace"): certain peace and joy replace the original fear because the triumphant work of Christ has freed His people.

You should go listen to it. Seriously. The narrative Haydn can create with sound: it's like listening to an illuminated manuscript. The words and music both have such beauty and significance on their own, but then together they augment and infuse each other to create this...whole. Bah. I can't describe it. Just go listen.

That said, I think I'll also throw out there that I hate it when people go on and on about how amazing something is and I just don't get it. I listen, or read, or look, and hear pretty music, or read big words, or see a nice painting, but it doesn't move me. So I hope I haven't caused that "what am I missing?!" feeling if you've now gone and listened to Lord Nelson's Mass and shrugged. Or even yawned. (Perhaps I'm the only one insecure enough to wonder what's wrong with me when I seem to be missing what others are enjoying. Or arrogant enough to to think I could cause that reaction in other people, I guess... Hm. But now I'm rambling.)

Anyway. I hope you go listen to some Haydn, and that you like it. Or look at a Caravaggio painting, or a Bernini sculpture, or something. Because there's a lot of beauty even in this messed up world of ours.

So, yeah. Every time I try to end this post it sounds super saccharine or cliche or contrived or just dumb. So I guess I'll just stop.

Bah. This is an extremely unsatisfying way to end a post about something so lovely.