The years 1927-37 were critical for artists in Germany. In 1927, the National Socialist Society for German Culture was formed. The aim of this organization was to halt the “corruption of art” and inform the people about the relationship between race and art. By 1933, the terms “Jewish,” “Degenerate,” and “Bolshevik” were in common use to describe almost all modern art. http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/ARTS/artDegen.htm
Continue reading “Nazi Censorship on the Arts and Music – Entartete Kunst”
On November 9, 1938, the Nazis unleashed a series of riots against the Jews in Germany and Austria. In the space of a few hours, thousands of synagogues and Jewish businesses and homes were damaged or destroyed. For the first time, tens of thousands of Jews were sent to concentration camps simply because they were Jewish. This event came to be called Kristallnacht (“Night of the Broken Glass”) for the shattered store windowpanes that carpeted German streets.
“Those that do not learn history are forced to repeat it.” Never forget.
http://www1.yadvashem.org/exhibitions/kristallnacht/homepage.html
Continue reading “Kristallnacht – The Night of Broken Glass”
I have been doing a lot of reading on Martin Luther lately. The book HERE I STAND is a classic biography and THE WIT OF MARTIN LUTHER gives insight to his lighter and naughtier side. But the two shocking discoveries were his encouragement to use violence against peasants in the early 16th century as well as his vehement and bold anti-semiticism. I have spent many hours grappling with these events; trying to reconcile that this is the great Luther of the Reformation. The hero. The changer and uplifter of society and religion.
As of yet I have not been able to personally reconcile these events. It is a painful chasm in once again realizing the world that history is perhaps not the same as we were brought up to believe. Here are the thoughts of Nadine E. Ridley on the same issues. This is a sermon she gave on November 20, 2005 at The King Lutheran Church in Vestal NY called “Things They Didn’t Teach Me About Luther In Sunday Schoolâ€.
She tidies up the end with a happy ending which I think can work well for a Sunday sermon. But the truth may be that in reality the end is not so tidy after all….
I was also raised Lutheran, and went to Lutheran Confirmation, attended Pacific Lutheran University and a summer at St. Olaf; was even an acolyte in the Order of St. John in my youth. And yet this side of Luther is nothing that I remember ever discussed. Thank God for the internet.
Continue reading “Things They Didn’t Teach Me About Luther in Sunday School”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4924xJl38E
[Les Miserables] 10th anniversary – 17 VALJEAN Do you hear the people sing.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy2Oqr3zjnw
Angela Lansbury and George Hearn starring in Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim
A great scene from Sweeney Todd that keeps the attention with the growing anticipation of the shave’s outcome…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60zuJnYrTU
Stephen Sondheim, Composer/Lyricist
James Lapine, Librettist/Director
Sondheim says you can not make an audience like something, but they have to understand the intention. Preview performances focused on making things clear to the audience.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWC5qfVnsVs
Stephen Sondheim talks about the writting of Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music – with excerpts of the rehearsal with Sally Ann Howes. Insight into Sondheim’s composing process – he says he does not let lyrics or melody get too far ahead of each other during the writing process.
Sondheim says he likes to know how a song will end when he starts it.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzCSb6OnkZA
[Les Miserables] 10th anniversary – Epilogue (Finale)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLg0oRC4lUA
The song ‘Evening bells’ in russian (Вечерний звон – Vecherny svon – Abendglocken – Les cloches du soir) by Ivan Rebroff.
This song brings back memories. My father used to endlessly play a record of Ivan Rebroff singing “Evening Bells”. One of my favorite Russian songs.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzK5YEVMHn4
From the video author:
This choir is from Moscow. They were recorded while they were touring through the Europe. They defiantly are the great bunch with beautiful voices but it looks like this group gathered just for the tour. Nobody saw or heard of them after. I tried to find them and invite for the tour to US but unsuccessfully.
Chesnokov’s “Gabriel Appeared”
Soloist: Chernegov-Nomerov Egor (choral dir.)Чернегов-Ðомеров Егор Глебович
Info from Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Music Conservatory