Gabriel's Oboe

Today I came across this beautiful and melancholic composition, "Gabriel's Oboe," from the movie The Mission. Whenever I listen to it I get a lump in my throat, goose-bumps, and it's all I can do to hold back tears. Those who remember the 1986 movie, Jeremy Irons is the Spanish Jesuit priest who wins the trust of the Guarani community by playing his oboe, and establishes a Christian mission among them. 

Creative Challenge 247: Playtime

Creative Challenge 247: Playtime

Sorry folks for going a bit serious here. What comes to mind is a play and a playwright, Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People.

   In this play, Dr. Stockmann makes the discovery that the town Baths were poisonous and polluted by the tanneries from a neighbouring town. The public Baths were the major economic base of the town, as well as “the” tourist attraction.

   When Dr. Stockmann shares his discovery with the editor, assistant-editor and printer of the town newspaper, all three respond in what seems to be a very liberal-minded way. Mr. Havstad, Mr. Billing, and Mr. Aslaksen all appear to be in favour of publishing the truth about the Baths. It would appear that all three men accept the doctor’s discovery and stand behind him all the way.

   However, when the town’s Mayor, Peter Stockmann, the doctor’s brother, talks to Hovstad, Billing, and Aslaksen, they quickly change their opinions. The Mayor browbeats all three men into submission, threatening that their newspaper would die out and the town would be destroyed if they printed the truth about the Baths. All three men quickly conclude that they cannot print the doctor’s discovery. Their own selfish interests were more important than the truth.

   Dr. Stockmann’s insightful response to these three liberal media men was to reach the conclusion that expediency ultimately turns morality and justice upside down, ultimately making life unbearable.

   Read more contributors to this Creative Challenge here. 

Creative Challenge 246: Have you ever noticed?

Creative Challenge 246 –Have you ever noticed?

Have you ever noticed that when you travel the same route to work every day for many years, one day you see something interesting that you’ve never noticed before, yet was there all along?

Have you ever noticed that a faithful friend always shows up or phones or sends you an e-mail at the right time?

Have you ever noticed that when you stop to count all of your blessings, no matter how poor you may be materially, you are rich spiritually?

Have you ever noticed how a baby’s smile or laugh can bring the gift of joy to a room full of people?

Have you ever noticed that even the longest nights are too short when you and those you love are together engaged in meaningful conversation? 

You can contribute and/or read other posts here. 

Creative Challenge 245 - Pause

Creative Challenge 245

This is my first time at the challenge, so here goes. One of my favourite compositions of late is “The Beatitudes” by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. I find that it causes me to pause, realise, and give thanks for my blessings in life. I had a difficult time choosing which choral performance to include in this post, and ended up with, in my humble opinion, one of the best choirs of Christendom, King’s College Choir of Cambridge University. The art work is a out of context, as it’s Dali’s Last Supper—whereas it should have been Jesus with his disciples and the crowd as he delivered the Beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount. Hope Pärt’s music causes you to pause as you give it a listen. 

On photography

               

             Today everything exists to end in a photograph. -Susan Sontag

Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter. -Ansel Adams

Time eventually positions most photographs, even the most amateurish, at the level of art. -Susan Sontag

It's often about the simple things, isn't it? Painting and photography are first about seeing, they say. Writing is about observing. Technique is secondary. Sometimes the simple is the most difficult. -Linda Olsson