Thursday, December 16, 2021

CHEERS for the Healthy, Happy, and Safe New Year, with more MUSIC and less mutations

Our last Music holiday gathering in 2021 was celebrated virtually, with great program and lively discussion. 

WISHING YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Here's for a HEALTHY, HAPPY, SAFE, and PEACEFUL 2022! Everyone attended with favorite drinks. Amelita had her own special glass vessel from her 2001 journey to Leipzig (and other cities) in which J. S. Bach worked as Thomaskantor, responsible for writing music for church services. Amelita's contribution of her choice to have Bach's Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, priest die Tage on our Program (December 15, 2021) was wonderful. She contextualized her personal experience with her husband as homage to BACH's birthplace in Eisenach, along with his workplaces in Leipzig, Weimar, and Arnstadt.

From left: Rochelle (FWC Music Section zoom hostess)
Milos (photo credits), Glorya, & Zorana (Founding Chair of the FWC Music Section)
Middle row: Shirley, Zahava, Roma, Debby and Dave (invited guests)
Bottom row: Amelita, Lorraine, Mary-Anne (Johanna is not on the screen)

Some of the other music pieces on the Holiday Program included:

Good King Wenceslas, a Christmas carol that tells a story about a Bohemian king going on a journey in harsh weather to give food to poor peasants. The lyrics written in 1853 by John Mason Neale, suggesting: ... "wealth or rank possessing, Ye, who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing."

Tchaikovsky's The Spanish Dance (from Act II, Nutcracker)

F. Schubert: Ave Maria (Lorraine's choice)

F. Schubert: Der Erlkoenig (poem by Goethe, written in 1815)

L. van Beethoven: Ode to Joy, from his Ninth Symphony, based on F. Schiller's poem written in 1785.

Here we are all in the orchestra seats (virtually) cheering for

HOPE, PEACE, BROTHERHOOD, and FREEDOM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ludwig van BEETHOVEN, December 16, 1770

Our invited guests, Debby and Dave, shared with us their recent journey: The 2021 Italian Album

See you all next year, January 19th at 12:30 PM for another great Music Program in virtual gathering !