Serene beyond compare -- calming-- refreshing -- transcendent -- balm to the soul.
An extraordinary achievement.
Whitacre, of course, is charismatic -- mesmeric -- unusually gifted in his ability to attract disparate people as individuals and then draw them together united in a common purpose greater than themselves.
One falls easily under Whitacre's spell. You feel as though you'd follow him anywhere without hesitation, if he called upon you.
Astonishing that a person who seems so simple, unaffected, down-to-earth and congenial could be in such extraordinarily close touch with what-I-have-to-call The Unifiying Spirit of the Cosmos!
The most amazing thing about this is the way it transcends the complex technology on which it is so heavily dependent, and creates a warmly human, very touching work of art.
In the wrong hands a gift like Eric Whitacre's could be extremely dangerous. Lenin had it. Hitler had it, and so have a host of other despots and ruthless exploiters.
Whitacre, however, seems blest with a benevolent sense of purpose much stronger than egoism run amok. His ego, strong though it surely must be, seems subservient to Something greater than himself.
I listened to both videos carefully. The first one twice in succession, and felt myself slipping comfortably away to a Better Place.
It may be subconscious on Whitacre's part, but I perceive a deep connection with the music -- and the spirit -- of Samuel Barber. "Sleep" is highly evocative of Barber's Adagio for Strings without in any way being an imitation.
A lovely gift with which to round off Thanksgiving weekend.
Truly a wonderful thing!
ReplyDeleteTouches upon the sublime.
Serene beyond compare -- calming-- refreshing -- transcendent -- balm to the soul.
An extraordinary achievement.
Whitacre, of course, is charismatic -- mesmeric -- unusually gifted in his ability to attract disparate people as individuals and then draw them together united in a common purpose greater than themselves.
One falls easily under Whitacre's spell. You feel as though you'd follow him anywhere without hesitation, if he called upon you.
Astonishing that a person who seems so simple, unaffected, down-to-earth and congenial could be in such extraordinarily close touch with what-I-have-to-call The Unifiying Spirit of the Cosmos!
The most amazing thing about this is the way it transcends the complex technology on which it is so heavily dependent, and creates a warmly human, very touching work of art.
In the wrong hands a gift like Eric Whitacre's could be extremely dangerous. Lenin had it. Hitler had it, and so have a host of other despots and ruthless exploiters.
Whitacre, however, seems blest with a benevolent sense of purpose much stronger than egoism run amok. His ego, strong though it surely must be, seems subservient to Something greater than himself.
I listened to both videos carefully. The first one twice in succession, and felt myself slipping comfortably away to a Better Place.
It may be subconscious on Whitacre's part, but I perceive a deep connection with the music -- and the spirit -- of Samuel Barber. "Sleep" is highly evocative of Barber's Adagio for Strings without in any way being an imitation.
A lovely gift with which to round off Thanksgiving weekend.
Thank you very much, Ms. Shaw.
~ FreeThinke