Saturday, June 18, 2016

// how can it be? //




For Kathryn's birthday, we were able to go to an open mic night at a cafe near where we live. We had a few songs prepared and did them(you can see clips on Instagram if you follow either of us there) then later on were able to each do another song.  And, since I had a track on our iPod, I chose this one.

'How Can it Be?' is just one of those songs, you know? The first time I heard it was kind of a fluke- I never listen to the radio, and if I do it's NPR for morning classical or Saturday opera. But for whatever reason I was waiting in the car and just turned to K-Love(I think) and heard this husky powerhouse voice belting this song. This was a while back so younger, music snobbier me was inclined not to like it- but it had something. The words just sort of pushed at me, and I jotted them down to look it up later. Since that day, I've come to absolutely love this song, and Lauren's voice for that matter. The words are so powerful, so personal and so true. However, in the original key I can't sing it. Recently I came across this high karaoke track and I was so thrilled!

One of my (and my sisters) dreams is to be able to perform and record CCM songs in popera style. There are so many out there that have such incredible messages, and recorded in a different style they could potentially reach even more people. Plus this is just how I was made to sing. Getting to perform this live and sort of off the bat was exhilarating, I have to say. I don't know what God has planned for me with a music career, if anything, but I was so blessed to be able to sing this amazing song, and I hope you enjoy it too!! Sorry about the poor audio quality- iPod camera, karaoke track and background noise can only be fixed so much :) Feel free to download if you should happen to want to.

So, what do you think of the popera/CCM idea? Do you know any CCM (or other songs) that you think could be covered classically? I'd love to take a listen, I love finding new music! Please let me know in the comments!!

(p.s. If they were Christians(praying- does anyone else pray for their favorite singers etc?? curious) Il Volo could cover this song and literally blow up the planet, just saying.)

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

// hebrew poetry //

 I will sing to the sky
send my voice on the four winds

I will take flight
on wings of gold, wheel in the sun

And  I will come down to earth again 
return to rest and fly once more

I'm taking a hermeneutics class online now, and we were learning about Hebrew poetry. They use parallelism(corresponding ideas) in different forms- this is the form called synonymous parallelism (similar thoughts expressed together).

Why should my head hang down?
I am blessed with the warmth of the sun
I am surrounded by a world full of flowers
and the smile of God has looked upon me by grace.
Thus will I hold my head high
like a sunflower, looking to the light

This is synthetic parallelism, where an original thought is built on to a climax.

In a clash of many colors without form, there is chaos
but where there is simplicity and expression, there is beauty.

Sort of weird poem, but this is known as antithetic parallelism, where one idea is contrasted with another. It's often used in Proverbs.

One last element, used in scriptural poetry and prose, is chiasm.

1.You are more wild than a thunderstorm
    2.More bright than a flash of lightning
        3.and yet quiet as the hush before dawn
        3.and yet I fear the quiet, as I fear a crouching tiger
     2.At least the brightness is visible
1.and the wildness beautiful though furious

Chiastic poetry  is a little harder to explain. Its name comes from the greek letter chi, which looks like an X. If the formatting is right, the poem should have a margin that resembles half of an X. This form uses a number of points/ideas, that build to a middle section. This middle section(in my example, the idea of quietude) is the main point of the piece. Then the ideas are repeated in reverse(as shown by the numbers). More than three ideas can be used, in the same form.

Anyways, hope this is a little interesting! I'm really learning about it, and am excited about using these structures in my own writing!!  Would you use them? Have you used them? Is there anything that needs clarity in my article? Let me know in the comments!