Mozart, Candlelight, and Eternity
Plus, Daddy-O's Gaudete Sparkler, a festive dinner out, and sundry Sunday musings
On Friday, the sopranos and altos of the St. Louis Choir sang our “Carols By Candlelight” concert — and I’m still glowing from it.
With all the hours I put into rehearsing, I never fully grasped how it would hit me when we finally sang it. That’s the mystery of choral music: you prepare, you analyze, you count — and then, in performance, something larger sweeps you up.
One highlight of the evening was Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum.” Frank Scinta accompanied us on the piano. Stephanie, one of our wonderful sopranos, sang the solo. The rest of us — sopranos and altos — formed the chorus.
From the very first rehearsal we knew: this was the emotional center of the concert. I didn’t start that conversation, but you’d better believe I joined in. I loved hearing the other singers say things like: “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever sung.”
“It’s going to be hard for me not to cry.”
I knew the piece from way back. I first heard it as a teenager, in my room with my record player. I didn’t know anything then about the Vespers, or traditional Catholic liturgy, or even much Latin — I was behind in Latin class, truth be told — but when this track came on, I sat up straight. What is this? It felt like a door opening.
Actually singing it made it new all over again.
When you sing in a choir you learn the music from the inside out, and this one is truly magical. Mozart weaves the soprano solo and the choral line together so seamlessly. The text is ancient — from the psalms:
“Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all ye peoples.
For his loving kindness has been bestowed upon us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.”
“Et veritas Domini manet in aeternum.”
The truth of the Lord endures forever.
The music is calming, reassuring, transcendent. “Aeternum” — eternity. Stephanie was singing that last syllable — and right then, we came in:
“Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto…”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
At the “Amen,” the soprano solo rises again, holding that luminous note until it evaporates into another breathtaking melody — and the rest of us, at least those of us not in tears, join with our own soft “Amen.”
All this beauty… in under five minutes.
Even the alto line is lovely on its own — peaceful, grateful, glorious. And it’s funny: our choir spans every political viewpoint you can imagine. But in a moment like this, everyone stands together, everyone singing with conviction, everyone’s mind on something higher.
The music — and those ancient texts — do what words alone cannot. They make eternity feel near.
Here is a recording I found on YouTube. I chose this version because you’re not distracted by a particular face or soloist, and because so many performances these days take place in concert halls. This piece shines anywhere, of course, but when you hear it in a sacred space, it comes alive. It really is a prayer. I called our event a concert, but honestly, that word doesn’t quite describe it.
More Sunday Musings
My Next Singing Experience
Now that I am in the zone, I can’t wait for Wednesday, Dec. 17. That is when the St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum is singing a Lessons and Carols at 7 p.m. at St. Peter and Paul Church in Williamsville. The music our director, Steve Quebral, chose is unbelievable. So beautiful.
Some of it is unusual, I mean off the beaten track. We have an arrangement of “The Holly and the Ivy” by Steve’s brother, Marty Quebral. Marty drops hints of other sacred songs throughout the Christmas carol to make us think of what is to come following the birth of Christ. It is really unusual — genius, if you ask me. I love it.
By the way St. Peter and Paul Church is one of those historic places that are under the radar. It goes back to the Civil War era and was founded by St. John Neumann. There is a portrait of him in the back of the church. You are where a saint was! I love thinking that.
Click here for a preview of some of the music we’re singing in the Schola for our Christmas concerts. Yes, there I am, right under the director’s nose. He has to keep an eye on me!
Happy Anniversary to Us!
Howard and I celebrated our, yikes, 21st anniversary this week! We were married Dec. 12, however I was singing at St. Louis and Howard was playing at the Hyatt. So we celebrated the next night.
We went to Johnny D’s, Howard’s place of employment. We love it there! I had the New York Strip Steak. Howard had the Roasted Duck.
How cute he is! I know, you shouldn’t choose your husband for his looks, but sometimes you just gotta. What fun this was. And there was cake.
Daddy-O’s Cocktail of the Week
Today was Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” means “rejoice.” The priest at St. Louis did not wear the traditional rose-colored vestments however he did speak about Gaudete Sunday, including lots of Latin, which we loved.
Later, at home, mellowing out, we asked Daddy-O, aka AI, to come up with a cocktail for the occasion and he was happy to oblige. Gratias, Daddy-O!
🎄 THE GAUDETE SPARKLER
A rosy, merry, third-Sunday-of-Advent celebration in a glass.
Ingredients (per cool cat):
1 oz gin (a clean London Dry or something botanical)
1 oz cranberry juice (the good tart stuff, not the sugar bomb)
½ oz St-Germain or other elderflower liqueur (adds joy!)
½ oz fresh lemon juice
A few drops orange bitters
Prosecco or Cava, chilled
Rosemary sprig + a few fresh cranberries for garnish
How to make this groovy drink:
Shake the gin, cranberry, St-Germain, lemon, and bitters with ice, hep cat — shake it like bells in the choir loft.
Strain into a flute or coupe.
Top with Prosecco until it sings.
Garnish with a rosemary sprig and bobbing cranberries, looking like little Advent berries of joy.
Vibe:
It’s bright, it’s rosy, it’s celebratory, and it nods to the rose vestments of Gaudete Sunday — Rejoice!
Christmas on the Rhine
This week I found a copy of “O Tannenbaum: Christmas On the Rhine,” a classic German Christmas LP on the Decca label. I have bought it up at thrift stores whenever I have found it, which is less these days, so this record seems to be drifting into the past. Anyway, it is lovely. My parents had this record and we would play it when we trimmed the tree.
I was playing it today. It kind of brought my parents alive again. It’s funny, up above, I wrote about my mom just now: “She once had a darkroom, and she has a real flair for it.” I decided to let that “has” be. It should have been “had,” because she’s gone, however my faith tells me I will see her again, unless I screw up royally which, you know me, is always a possibility I have to guard against. And it is not as if she is not still running my life, LOL.
Here it is. You’re welcome!! If you see this anywhere, do pick it up. You will not regret it. So beautiful.
Treat Yourself
Do buy a record player, if you do not have one. I just got a new one for my sun room. It has gone up a little in price since I bought my last one (for the living room), but it still cost only $40 or so, and that included it being brought to my house in a nice clean box by a nice man from Amazon Prime.
I set this record player up in a corner of the sun room, wherein resides the Champagne Christmas Tree, and voila! Instant chic. Last night, glowing after singing “Carols By Candlelight” with the Women of St. Louis, I kicked back on the wicker couch and listened to Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. You know you want a record player. Treat yourself.
Questions For You
Do you have a record player? Where is it located? What records do you bring out this time of year? Did you try making the Gaudete Sparkler?
So........Howard the Duck....
"habit"...well put amy...i am now in the "habit" after a month. Mainly to beat the dreariness of short days. hey i found that "christmas n the rhine" record mary. since i have mom's collection, it must be the same one. it has the dust jacket still btw.