Conference yukon::christian_v7

Hi Mike,

As the author of 58.18, I have to soft-pedal on this one.  I've heard that
Bach was God fearing too, and many composers wrote music directed at
spiritual / church functions.  However, I'm not sure that these were
necessarily motivated spiritually, rather than financially.  I think
'Cathedral organist', as a salaried post, attracted the secular skilful as
much as the spiritual.  Often, for the great pieces, the actual libretto
would be delegated to an 'expert' (eg for the Messiah), so it isn't
necessarily the indicator one would like to think. 

I've seen articles claiming various classical composers as Christians. I've
also seen articles 'exposing' these same composers as having grossly
unhealthy habits or tastes (Mozart is the specific one who comes to mind in
this context).  Not for me to judge, but I can enjoy the music, which in
many cases I am confident is inspired by the LORD, whether in spite of the
human tool, or with more spiritual cooperation, I don't know. 

As I gave Beethoven such a bad press in 58.18, I'd better clear his (my!)
name some!  He's been (one of) my favorites since I reached double figures.
Whether choosing Schiller's words for the 9th were due to a deep
conviction, a 'popular' lapse, or a blind spot which prevented everyday
earnings from meeting his spiritual life in the awareness dimension, I
don't know.  I do know that most of his symphonies are like coming home, to 
a degree, they sit so comfortably with me.

Of them all, I've heard Mendelssohn was a Christian, with least to refute 
it.
   
�    Does anyone have any specific background information about the faith of
�    these composers or possible sources that talk about it?

There has certainly been a book on this available over here.  I'll see if I
can identify it for you. 

								Andrew

    79.2 was set hidden and the author has been contacted.
    
    Nancy
    Co-mod CHRISTIAN

Re: .3

Hmmm.  I can almost guess.

Well, this is an interesting thread.  We could continue talking about some
of the composers whose lifestyles do fall within the conference guidelines.

A question in particular: I seem to recall that J.S. Bach wrote at the end of
all of his compositions: "SDG" which stood for, in Latin "Solo Dei Gloria"
or "Glory to God Alone."  (I might be a little off on the Latin)

Can anyone confirm this?

I've often considered putting something like that at the end of some of the
programs I've written.  Strictly in the spirit of historicity, naturally. 8^)
Though I'll admit my work doesn't rank on the level of Bach's fugues.

Just wondering.

Rick

>Well, this is an interesting thread.  We could continue talking about some
>of the composers whose lifestyles do fall within the conference guidelines.

John Newton would then not fit, eh?  He was a slave runner, captain of a
ship that carried slaves (to England, I believe).  But despite his wretchedness,
he became saved and composed a familiar ditty that most of us know:

Amazing Grace!  How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fear relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come.
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far;
And grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years;
Bright, shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Then when we first begun.

    Re:  J.S. Bach -- it is true that each of his works bore the
    inscription (or acronym thereof) "To the glory of God".  Most of these
    compositions were the result of Bach's "job" with the church however
    (see Andrew's comments in .1), so I wouldn't take the inscription as an
    automatic indication of spirituality.  However, I have no reason to
    doubt Bach's spiritual side or the sincerity of the inscription.  I do
    enjoy his music very much.
    
    Mark L.

>    Re:  J.S. Bach -- it is true that each of his works bore the
>    inscription (or acronym thereof) "To the glory of God".  Most of these

 Off topic just a tad....I've heard the story behind one of my favorite hymns
 (It is Well With my Soul), but its been quite a while.  Does anybody know?
 I seem to recall the author lost his family in a tragic accident of some
 sort...


 When peace like a river attendeth my way
 when sorrows like sea billows roll
 whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
 it is well, it is well, with my soul


 My sin, O the bliss of that glorious thought
 my sin not in part but the whole
 is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.


 And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
 the clouds be rolled back as a scroll
 The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
 even so, it is well with my soul..








Jim

    I don't have the entire story (or even the author's name) committed to
    my memory banks, but what I can remember....
    
    The author's family was crossing the ocean and their ship was sunk (it
    may have been torpedoed) and his family perished.  At a later time, the
    author was crossing the ocean, and as they passed the location where
    his family's ship had sunk, an announcement as to such was made.  It
    was at that momement that the words to the hymn "It is well with my
    soul" were inspired.
    
    Mark L.

    RE: John Newton
    
    I recently on a tape by Bob Phillips(pastor of Times Square Church)
    that John Newton had a vision of heaven or something like that and he
    remarked that he was surprised at many of the people he saw there. 
    Then he remarked that he was real surprised at who he didn't see there.
    His biggest surprise, however, was the fact that he saw himself there.
    
    Dave

Re: .8

Extracted from: 101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck
A very beautiful book, I might add...

                     IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
            Author - Horatio G. Spafford 1828 - 1888

     This beloved gospel song was written by a Chicago Presbyterian
layman, Horatio G. Spafford, born in North Troy, New York, on
October 20, 1828.  As a young man Spafford had established a most
successful legal practice in Chicago.  Despite his financial
success, he always maintained a keen interest in Christian
activities.  He enjoyed a close and active relationship with D. L.
Moody and the other evangelical leaders of that era.  He was
described by George Stebbins, a noted gospel musician, as a "man of
unusual intelligence and refinement, deeply spiritual, and a
devoted student of the Scriptures."

     Some months prior to the Chicago Fire of 1871, Spafford had
invested heavily in real estate on the shore of Lake Michigan, and
his holdings were wiped out by this disaster.  Just before this he
had experienced the death of his son.  Desiring a rest for his wife
and four daughters as well as wishing to join and assist Moody and
Sankey in one of their campaigns in Great Britain, Spafford planned
a European trip for his family in 1873.  In November of that year,
due to unexpected last minute business developments, he had to
remain in Chicago; but sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as
scheduled on the S. S. Ville du Havre.  He expected to follow in a
few days.  On November 22 the ship was struck by the Lochearn, an
English vessel, and sank in twelve minutes.  Several days later the
survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs.  Spafford
cabled her husband, "Saved alone."  Shortly afterward Spafford left
by ship to join his bereaved wife.  It is speculated that on the
sea near the area where it was thought his four daughters had
drowned, Spafford penned this text with words so significantly
describing his own personal grief - "When sorrows like sea billows
roll..."  It is noteworthy, however, that Spafford does not dwell
on the theme of life's sorrows and trials but focuses attention in
the third stanza on the redemptive work of Christ and in the fourth
verse anticipates His glorious second coming.  Humanly speaking, it
is amazing that one could experience such personal tragedies and
sorrows as did Horatio Spafford and still be able to say with such
convincing clarity, "It is well with my soul."


[It would be difficult to add to a story like this.  Just go back to .8 and
 read the lyrics...  Very moving.  --Rick]

    Thanks, Rick.  I have that book, as well as 101 More Hymn Stories.
    
    Mark L.

    You got a story on Fanny Crosby in that book?
    
    Now *she* is an *inspiration*!!!!
    
    Nancy

Get Psalty's Praise 7 tape.  It will tell you about Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosbie,
John Newton, David, Solomon, and Little Psalty.  A great tape!

    Can't do that Mark, they use drums.

    Speaking from memory on Fanny Crosby....
    
    At one time in her life, Fanny Crosby was becoming fearful due to her
    lack of resources.  (Her blindness limited her possibilities.)  Then,
    she was paid a visit by a man who enjoyed her poetry/hymns.  Upon
    departing, he shook her hand, leaving a gold coin behind in it.  Upon
    this occasion, Fanny penned
      All the way, my Savior leads me,
       What have I to ask beside,
      Can I doubt His tender mercy
       Who through life has been my guide?
      Heavenly peace, divinest comfort
       Here by faith in Him to dwell,
      For I know what e're befalls me
       Jesus doeth all things well.

    I took a quick look at my "101..." and "101 More Hymn Stories" this
    morning to see what else I could find about Fanny Crosby (who penned
    around 8000 hymns in her lifetime).  There are several entries, but one
    that I found especially interesting (even moreso with discussion in
    another note about "music").  After a while, Fanny's hymn writing
    became quite well known.  Sometimes people would suggest or request
    themes or ideas for a hymn.  Others would come to her with the music,
    and Fanny would add the words.  Such was the case with one particular
    hymn played by an amateur musician (I believe her name was Mrs. Knapp)
    who created a tune for Fanny Crosby.  After playing it, Mrs. Knapp
    asked Fanny what the music suggested, and Fanny immediatly replied,
    "Blessed Assurance", and quickly penned the hymn that many of us love.
    
      Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,
        O what a foretaste of glory divine,
      Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
        Born of His spirit, washed in His blood.
    
      This is my story, this is my song,
        Praising my Savior, all the day long...
    
    Mark L.

    There is a great Christian Film about Fanny Crosby's life, I believe it
    is available through Bob Jones University.
    
    

    
    Mike,
    
    I have read a book you might be interesting in looking up.  It's
    everything the title suggests. 
    
    The Spiritual Lives of Great Composers
    Patrick Kavanaugh
    c. 1992 Sparrow Press, Nashville TN
    ISBN 0-917143-08-6
    hardcover, $12.95
    
    Its Table of Contents lists a chapter on each of the following:
    
    Handel
    Bach
    Haydn
    Mozart
    Beethoven
    Schubert
    Mendelssohn
    Liszt
    Wagner
    Dvorak
    Ives
    Stravinsky
    
    Enjoy and God Bless,
    Ann Marie
    

Article 3426 of clari.news.music:
From: [email protected] (UPI)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.science,clari.local.ohio,clari.news.features,clari.news.music
Subject: Mozart's illness identified by OSU researchers
Lines: 70

	COLUMBUS, Ohio (UPI) -- Ohio State University researchers say the
fainting and severe headaches Mozart suffered before his death at 35
were probably caused by a pocket of blood on his brain -- not by being
poisoned by his arch rival Salieri, as one legend has it.
	The composer probably suffered from a chronic subdural hematoma,
according to Miles Drake, an OSU neurologist. Evidence from the skull
purported to be Mozart's suggests that a fracture of the left temporal
bone, probably the result of a fall, could have caused the slow leakage
of blood onto the brain.
	Drake said the cause of Mozart's odd sickness has been a mystery for
some time, leaving scholars debating whether he may have suffered from
infection, fever, tuberculosis or some brain lesion.
	Applying modern knowledge of neurological disease to the 200-year-old
debate, Drake, an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at
Ohio State, has described the condition that, had Mozart been alive
today, could have been diagnosed after a few routine CAT scans.
	Drake's work, recently published in the journal Neurology, helps
settle the controversy about the musician's demise in late 1791 and
explains some of the composer's extreme and odd behavior in his final
months.
	The composer's problems probably started with a fall, said Drake. The
most obvious sign of Mozart's hematoma is a healed fracture of his skull
that seems to have dated back to 1790 or early 1791. Drake said that is
a time when historical records suggest that Mozart was becoming more and
more fond of beer, wine and punch.
	``His letters to friends talk of frequent falls, probably linked to
his drinking.'' Also, the area of his fracture -- just between the left
eye and left ear -- is a common site for trauma among drinkers given to
falls, Drake added.
	There were many signs of neurologic disease in the last 18 months or
so of his life. At one point he became hypersensitive and intolerant to
the singing of his beloved canary and had to have it removed from his
room. He also increasingly suffered from some of the characteristic
symptoms of a subdural hematoma, including mild to severe headaches,
progressive weakness, convulsions and paralysis, vomiting, fluctuating
changes in consciousness and changes in vision.
	From Mozart's personal letters, Drake found that the musician had
become more and more of a recluse. At one point Mozart wrote to a friend
that he could not visit because his headaches were so bad that ``my head
is covered with bandages.''
	His work on one of his last operas, The Magic Flute, was interrupted
by fainting spells and he was not able to attend the opening night
performance of the opera. In 1791, while working on the famous Requiem
that his assistant had to complete for him, he suffered vomiting,
headache and weakness, followed by convulsions and coma.
	In determining Mozart's condition, Drake studied the detailed
analysis of Mozart's skull conducted by scientists in the last several
decades. Though Drake has not seen the skull itself, the evidence on
hand helped him to pinpoint the specific cause of the composer's
symptoms.
	Besides the healed fracture, there is also some nearby erosion on the
inner layer of the skull, suggesting a growing pocket of blood pooling
over the brain. The once-common practice of bloodletting -- in which a
small amount of blood is drained from the body -- may have reduced the
size of the hematoma intermittently, but it's difficult to know, Drake
said.
	The OSU researcher said it's also difficult to determine the final
cause of Mozart's death. Fevers and infections could have contributed to
his demise, or, Drake said, his doctors may have literally bled him to
death.
	The evidence Drake draws on comes from studies of the skull believed
to be Mozart's, although, because the composer was buried in an unmarked
grave, there is no way to prove that it was his. The skull, which is
kept in a museum devoted to Mozart in Salzburg, was identified by the
descendants of Mozart's gravedigger and has been passed down through the
years.
	Anthropologists who have used clay to reconstruct the skull's face
have found that it closely resembles portraits and descriptions of
Mozart. Also, evidence of pockmarked teeth coincide with reports that
the musician incessantly picked his teeth with toothpicks.

    
    Makes you think twice about using toothpicks!