Next week's concert

I know I should be blogging about Alex's first day of school and I will, but I am so excited about my concert next week. I just got home from Symphony and I am so proud of this group. We are doing "The Armed Man" in the Basilica in downtown Milwaukee. I would try to describe this piece of music, but there just aren't enough words. It is unbelievably hard. This is the 4th time we've done it. First we did it for a May concert and then we did it for the 5th anniversary of September 11. We've then done it each year on the 10th or 11th of September. It is the most amazing work of music I have ever, yes ever played. This is a link to a recording on You Tube.
It has 13 movements and starts in French with the "L'homme Arme" (The armed Man)

It includes pieces of a mass. It also has the Muslim Call to Prayer. It builds from the Kyrie to a movement called Charge. Which sounds about like you'd expect from the name. Then it moves on to Angry Flames quoting a man who was 24 and witnessed the bombing of Hiroshima. The next movement is taken from the Mahabharata.

After some more parts of the mass it moves to the final movement. "Better is Peace"

Better is peace than always war
Ring out the Thousand years of old
Ring out the thousand years of peace.

I wish every one I knew could see this piece. It is so very powerful and moving. The end moves me to tears every single time I hear it. I also wish all of the politicians in Washington could see this concert.

And now the final words of "The Armed Man" :"God shall wipe away all tears and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shal there be any more pain."

I wish that for all of you my friends and family.