"I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me..." (Psalm 23, 4)

By a chance, I got to our Community Orchestra concert yesterday, mostly classical music. Michael, my co-parishioner, was part of it - he plays cello - and I learned of the concert in the church. I'm glad I went, the orchestra did a great job. Out of what they played, 2 pieces were very special to me. Even though their "topics" were different, I listened without looking at the titles.

First one reminded me of Palm Sunday: the trombones (and maybe other instruments) were playing a middle-eastern melody, which triggered me to think in that direction. Generally the music was joyous and sunny but with some worrying, trouble interwoven deep inside.

It turned out to be "Dance Bacchanale" by Camille Saint-Saens.

Then there was couple of pieces where two trumpets solo'd, but those didn't stick with me: either the trumpets were confused, or I simply was not on the right wave for that music.

And then came the piece by Stravinsky which just blew me away. It started very grave and sorrowful, and I thought: this sounds like the Holy Friday. But then somehow it turned into hope, and then into joy which sounded to me like Pascha. It moved me to tears. It's called "Berceuse and Finale" and I found a good recording here, but of course it's not the same as listening to this live in a concert hall.

Closer to the end came a piece by Tchaikovsky, and the beginning was a fantastic moment: it was a beautiful instrumental version of "Thy Resurrection, o Christ, our Savior..." And what better day for this than this Sunday before the Lent starts? But I can't say I enjoyed what came after the opening: it was doubtlessly great music, but after living through Stravinsky's transition I just experienced it sounded too light for me, disconnected from the meaning of the beginning.

Well, let's begin our journey to the Holy Paskha, and hope we come a little closer to glorifying Him with pure hearts.