Category Archives: Music & Movies

Sound and Light

Musica sacra

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Michaela

The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, has always been very special to me. From when I was a kid I heard them many times performed live on Sundays at church and I was always fascinated by … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical Music, Music & Movies, Musica Sacra | Tagged Joseph Haydn, Kyrie, Order of Mass, Religious music, Spirituality, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Sacred Music

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Michaela

My father was not a religious man, but he loved music. This is why we used to go to the Sacred Music Mass, performed each Sunday in Vienna’s St. Augustine Church. It is a beautiful gothic building, founded in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical Music, Music & Movies, Musica Sacra | Tagged Catholicism, Franz Schubert, Holy Spirit, Kyrie, Order of Mass | Leave a comment

Come, sweet death

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Michaela

Franz Schubert left this world when he was only 31 years old. A few months before his death, in the summer of 1828, he composed his final instrumental work, the String Quintett in C Major. At the time … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical Music, Music & Movies | Tagged Cello, death, Franz Schubert, longing, Musical composition, pain | 1 Comment

Ghosts

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Michaela

Beethoven composed the piano trio in D, Op 70 “Ghost” in 1808, when he was nearly completely deaf and clearly in a mystical mood. The trio is dubbed “the Ghost Sonata” because of its strangely scored and undeniably eerie-sounding slow … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical Music, Music & Movies | Tagged Arts, August Strindberg, Ghost Sonata, Places and Hauntings | Leave a comment

What is a moment?

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Hiro

“Moments” by Will Hoffman. This films is a celebration of life that was inspired by David Eagleman’s book, Sum. From moment to moment, the life unfolds itself. It is phenomena. How amazing!

Posted in Music & Movies, The Armchair | Tagged art, David Eagleman, Film, Religion and Spirituality, Short film | 3 Comments

A song of suffering

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Michaela

At the same time Beethoven was at the pinnacle of his creative powers, despite his deafness and failing health, another composer faced disease, poverty and death in the imperial city of Vienna: Franz Schubert (b 1797 d 1828) 1823 was … Continue reading →

Posted in Music & Movies, Musica Sacra | Tagged death, der Doppelgänger, disease, Franz Schubert, Heinrich Heine, process of awakening, suffering, Transcendence | Leave a comment

The martyr’s crown

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Michaela

Fidelio is Beethoven’s only opera and he wrote it under considerable difficulties. In a letter he mentioned that this opera will surely win him a “martyr crown”. Beethoven has been such a teacher on this journey. From the windows of … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical Music, Music & Movies | Tagged Fidelio, freedom, Ludwig van Beethoven, surrender | Leave a comment

A mass for the spirit

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Michaela

A prayer coming out of absolute of stillness The ‘Missa solemnis’ is considered to be one of Beethoven’s most profound creations. Composed only a few years before his death, approximately around the time of the 9th symphony, Beethoven himself considered … Continue reading →