Thursday, March 18, 2010

New Video - J.C. Bach "Ach daß ich Wassers gnug hätte" (Lamento) with Chatham Baroque

This is one of my favorite pieces in the baroque repertory. Written by Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703), this lament beautifully captures the German sense of intensely internalized personal piety. "Oh, that I had enough tears in my head to bewail my sins..." That sort of thing :-).
With Chatham Baroque, an amazing small ensemble based in Pittsburgh, PA. Recorded February 21st, 2010.



Translation:
Oh, that I had water enough in my head
And that my eyes were springs of tears,
So that I could bewail my sin night and day.

My sin overwhelms me.
Like a weighty burden,
it has become too much more me,
So I weep, and mine eyes flow with tears.
My sighing is great, and my heart is sad,
for the Lord has filled me with grief
In the day of his wrath.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A poem for the unexpected Spring day that makes me wonder if Winter happened at all

Life is just the total sum of all the time we've spent
We pay our rent and eat our food and now and then help someone move
The day to day flies quick away and leaves a doubt that time is real
For though we all can see what changes here right now is all I feel.

~Ian Howell c. 1996