What I Know

'Tis what I know of Thee, my Lord and God,

That fills my soul with peace, my lips with song;

Thou art my health, my joy, my staff, my rod;

Leaning on Thee, in weakness I am strong.

- H. Boner 

Beginnings Matter

As I listened to a favourite piece of music I studied my reaction to it and realized that with that specific one the beginning was the part which gave me the goosebumps and took my breath away (literally). Mostly in other songs the middle part is the one where I find all the character, and there are some others where the end is the part that I wait for throughout the piece. But when it comes to beginnings...

Thinking about it, only two pieces came to mind in which the beginning is what I love most about the piece (make sure your volume is turned up!):

Daniel and I went to a Johann Strauss New Year's Concert in Barcelona in 2014, and one of the last pieces they played was The Blue Danube. As I live and breathe today, I tell you that when the lights turned down low and in the expectant silence the first violin notes were heard I got such a lump in my throat I couldn't breathe, and I got goosebumps all over. 

Beginnings matter!

J. S. Bach's Complete Lute Works

I discovered this quite by accident. If you've ever used YouTube lately, you've probably noticed that a relatively new feature, an "Up Next" video option, unless you cancel it manually, automatically plays another similar video to the one you've been watching.

I had started the day off by playing Henry Purcell as I worked, and absorbed in my chores I suddenly realized that I was listening to an unfamiliar piece of music. Puzzled, I came to check what was going on, and it turned out that the "Up Next" video wasn't Henry Purcell but Bach.

His complete lute works, at that. They're beautiful, peaceful and perfect to work along to in a relaxed manner. There are almost two hours of music, so once you start playing, you should be done with your chores by the time the video is over!

Dichter Und Bauer

Studyin' and workin' to the best music!

The Poet and Peasant is an overture by Franz von Suppé that I first heard played as an arranged piano piece. My sister put a lot of feeling into her interpretation, so I've always enjoyed listening to it. Some days ago I was humming it to myself as I studied and was curious about it, so I looked it up on the Internet to learn more about it (I like to acquaint myself with the history of the pieces and composers I listen to). I found several orchestra and solo versions of it, but the original orchestra piece is by far my favourite. Therefore, without further ado, click play and enjoy.

To learn more about Franz von Suppé, click HERE.

Spring is Here!

Perhaps this announcement is a little bit belated, but with Spring being here and gracing us with beautiful, warm, sunny weather during the first couple of days she happened along (something new around these parts, believe me...), you will understand the impossibility of me staying indoors.

The weather has gone back to its old self again - cloudy, windy, grey, rather chilly - but it would seem that the little bit of sunshine I managed to soak in during the last couple of days has been enough to have me in the best of spirits this morning!

Without further ado, I will accompany the belated announcement with a beautiful song my Mum posted along with her welcoming of Spring.

This past weekend I found out, though, that in Romania Spring starts on the 1st of March, and Summer starts on the 1st of June. It was stated, therefore, that I was married in Spring and my husband was married in Summer.

Happy week, everyone! Toodle pips!

We Have This Moment Today

Today, as I hung the laundry and sung along in harmony to a song by one of my friends and her family, I have been reminded of what a gift we have in the moment of NOW!

Originally written by Bill Gaither, this song has the capacity of sending thrills down my spine and giving me goose bumps every single time I listen to it. It's a song that challenges you to appreciate the small things of life, to enjoy, live and make the most of the present, because that's what we get - now. Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come.

This is the only decent version I have found on the Internet. There are plenty of others, but they had speeches or they were live. This version does not convey the feeling to me as my friends' version, but it is still sung lovely:



We Have This Moment Today

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living,
Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;
Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows,
Making mem'ries of what was today.

Chorus:
We have this moment to hold in our hands
and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;
Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today.

Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling,
For Daddy to hear just what she has to say;
And my little son running there by the hillside,
May never be quite like today.

Tender words, gentle touch and a good cup of coffee,
And someone who loves me and wants me to stay;
Hold them near while they're here and don't wait for tomorrow
To look back and wish for today. 

Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest,
And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay;
Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn,
And weave you a lovely today.

Do we truly appreciate what we have been given? Do we recognize our happy family moments and small daily details as a gift and enjoy them in the moment?

Love in Venice

Love in Venice is the title of the piece which gives André Rieu's newest album its name. This original song was quite a surprise for me, as I am used to another, more easy-going style in his playing instead of the romantic, melancholic thoughtfulness of this one, so I thought I'd share it and see what others think.

Enjoy!

Laundry Companion

Experience

This is something I've learnt from experience...

Vienna New Year's Concert 2014

Happy New Year! I hope you all have a wonderful 2014 full of beauty and blessings.

Vienna, Austria, is where the most famous New Year's concert takes place every 1st of January. It has been a tradition in our family to watch it ever since I can remember, but this year we missed it because we had an engagement elsewhere. Therefore I searched it on the Internet, and found it on YouTube. In case you missed it too, here's a chance to watch it!

However, for some reason, Blogger won't let me find the video, so I will just post the link. You can click HERE, or go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GlxUNue2MI

Enjoy! It is beautiful!

New Lullaby

New on the list of "to-learn" for when I sing babies to sleep!

It Is Well With My Soul

This hymn is a favourite of mine, mainly because of what it says. The lyrics are very beautiful and full of meaning as to the right attitude towards life. In all things we should rest in the knowledge that our Heavenly Father watches over us and that

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

For Your Enjoyment

Easy listening music has always been a favourite of mine - it doesn't have words, you can play it in low volume, you don't have to pay attention to it, and yet it makes your work easier by creating a pleasant and cheerful atmosphere.

For your enjoyment, I shall present you with a few of my favourites:

This is just a quick selection... I have so many folders and collections I could not choose one song from each! Hope you like 'em.

Typerwriter Symphony Orchestra

Yesssssss! I should learn how to play the typerwriter!

Holland's Definitely Got Talent

Magnificent!

But For Now...

...I've become a tad bit melancholic and I guess I miss my darling...

 

Carmel Acappella Singing Vivaldi´s Spring

Tornada de les meves vacances a Romania, i mentre m'organitzo i organitzo les possibles històries que pugui penjar, us deixo amb aquest quintet. És força fascinant.

Concierto de Aranjuez - Adagio

This is one of the best versions I know of the Adagio in the Concierto de Aranjuez. It's played by Paco de Lucía on the guitar.

Aranjuez,

Un lugar de ensueños y de amor,

Donde un rumor de fuentes de cristal

En el jardín parece hablar

En voz baja a las rosas...

Aranjuez,

Hoy las hojas secas sin color

Que barre el viento

Son recuerdos del romance que una vez

Juntos empezamos tu y yo,

Y sin razón olvidamos...

Quizá ese amor escondido esté

En un atardecer,

En la brisa o en la flor,

Esperando tu regreso

Aranjuez,

Hoy las hojas secas sin color

Que barre el viento

Son recuerdos del romance que una vez

Juntos empezamos tu y yo

Y sin razón olvidamos

En Aranjuez, amor,

Tu y yo...

These pictures are of my very first and were taken with my first camera ever. I had no photography experience back then (I was not yet thirteen), but to me they're still beautiful, and they bring back good, fun memories. :)

The New World Symphony

Originally the Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178, composed by Antonin Dvořák in 1893.
It is divided in four movements: I. Adagio (min. 0:00), II. Largo (min. 12:07), III. Scherzo (min. 24:14) and IV. Allegro con fuoco (min. 31:29).
My cousin Eli introduced me to this composer a year ago, and I have enjoyed his music very much since then. :) I hope you like this Symphony, if you have the patience to listen to it full!

Ma Vlast: No. 2. Vltava

Recently I have been (re)discovering many composers, singers, and musicians. Music usually makes studying so much more bearable, and as these past couple of weeks and the coming ones have been and will be studying 24/7 (with occasional breaks in order to eat and, maybe, sleep), Spotify, Grooveshark, YouTube, and so on have been extremely active on my computer.

One of such re-discoveries has been Bedrich Smetana. Therefore, I leave you with one of my favourite pieces by him. :) Enjoy!

P.S.: One of my projects in this summer's bucket is to learn to play the flute part in this piece. :)