Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born this day



I immersed myself in Mozart's music in my first year of sobriety. With his music, and reading everything our library offered on Zen, my soul began the healing process. I honor his birthday each January 27 with reverence and gratitude.






Salieri gets a look at some original compositions of Mozart, shown to him by Mozart's wife. And he is simply astounded. A brilliant scene from a Best Picture Winner.
(
Scene description by LazyLightning66, who posted this - one of my favorite movie scenes - at YouTube.)


Mozart at Greenbelt
for Niki and Sarah

We lie upon the grass on God's good earth
and listen to the Requiem's intense,
long, love-laden keening, calling forth
echoes of Eden, blessing every sense
with brimming blisses, every death with birth,
until all passion passes into praise.

I bless the winding paths that brought us here,
I bless this day, distinct amidst our days,
I bless the light, the music-laden air,
I bless the interweaving of our ways,
the lifting of the burdens that we bear,
I bless the broken body that we share

Sanctus the heart, Sanctus the spirit cries,
Sanctus the flesh in every touch replies

© Malcolm Guite

`

8 comments:

Don't Feed The Pixies said...

Someone gave me a book of quotes for Christmas this year - i can't remember who it was that said it, but the quote is "The only important thing you need to remember about awards is that Mozart never won one"

I'm just grateful you didn't leave a link to "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco!

Seriously though - WAM has to be one of the most talented humans that ever lived: writing classical music by the age of 5 or so i believe!

dmarks said...

Damn F. Murray Abraham for killing Mozart.!!!

Falco? Somewhere I have photo I took of a giant poster advertising the Falco musical in Munich.

robin ann mcintosh said...

wow, I have never really listened to his music, except in music class in grade school & college. thanks so much for the exposure!

Unknown said...

I will go home and put on the "Requiem" in his honor and memory.
It still gives me chills every time I listen to it.
Happy birthday Amadeus!

Lydia said...

@DFTP- Thanks for adding the great quote. I'll never get over the fact that he was buried in an unmarked grave.

@DMarks- Hey, if you post that Falco poster at your blog be sure to give a shout out to Pixie Man so he won't miss it. :)

@Little Bird- Your comment makes his birthday happy indeed. (My favorite source for classical music is ArkivMusic.)

@Buddha- That's a wonderful way to commemorate his birthday. The classical music station in Portland featured his music throughout the day; it's been such a treat.

francessa said...

Thanks for the healing powers of Mozart! (and Zen)

The scene in the film is great! Have you seen the Milos Forman film?

I remember a quote by the philosopher Sir Isaiah Berlin: "When the angels play for God they play Bach: to each other, they play Mozart".

Erin Alberty said...

Amadeus is my favorite movie EVER. I find something new to love about it every time I watch. My favorite part is where they break down the Confutatis on his deathbed.

I love Mozart's music. My ears follow the notes up and down involuntarily. He's the best!

Lydia said...

@Francessa- I LOVE that quote you wrote in your comments! Thanks so much for placing it here. O, yes, I've seen the film a few times. It made as big an impression on me as about any movie. Even the short scene I posted makes me cry and sends me to a place only Mozart can take me....

@Erin- It sure is one of my favorites, with maybe three other movies sharing the #1 spot. The scene you mention as your favorite, O, what a wonder it is. I looked at that scene at You Tube and decided not to post that one because, for people who haven't seen the movie, it would be more difficult to understand out of context.

He is the best! It's thrilling to know someone who loves him as much as I do.

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