“Great books and art have stood the test of time and, over time, communicate truth, goodness, and beauty in a substantial way. Most include ideas that have influenced and shaped history and the development of Western civilization, and have added meaningfully to the Great Conversation. In this way, they are important pieces of cultural heritage.
The great books deal with age-old questions that all of human experience shares in common, such as ‘time’ and ‘justice.’ Through great books, students learn to engage with arguments and assumptions from times very different from their own. And, they develop deeply rooted moral imaginations and perspectives on life, especially through great children’s literature.
When dealing with these classic books, educators must guard against two dangers. The first is considering our subjective interpretations of the book too much and the author’s actual point too little. The second danger is placing ourselves above the book and dissecting it, like a scientist dissects a cat, without learning to enjoy or appreciate the book. We strive to read the books as they were intended to be read: as texts written by authors who have something important to say, and as writing that was meant to be enjoyed.”
― Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS)
JAMES 4:13-15
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
ART APPRECIATION
This painting depicts the miracle of Jesus calming the storm recorded in Mark 4. This painting, completed in 1633, was displayed in a Boston art museum until it was stolen along with twelve other works of art in 1990. This is the biggest art theft in United States history and remains unsolved.1
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) was born in the Netherlands and liked to draw as a young boy. He studied as an apprentice where he learned to make paints and to stretch canvases. He began painting portraits, focusing on people’ clothing and gestures. He painted many portraits for wealthy people and was known for life-like reproductions. Rembrandt, like others in the Baroque age, worked with light and shadow to create dramatic scenes. Rembrandt obtained success and some wealth, but his later years were full of financial debt and sadness. In addition to the death of his wife, Saskia, only one of his four children with her lived to adulthood.2
MUSIC APPRECIATION
“Jeux d’eau” (“Water Games”) by Maurice Ravel
Composed in 1901 when Maurice Ravel was under the tutelage of Gabriel Fauré, Jeux d’eau (‘Fountains’ / ‘Water Games’) was dedicated to the composer’s tutor. The first premiere of the piece came at a private viewing for the Les Apaches. The public premiere came in 1902, with Ricardo Viñes playing the piano. Inspired by Franz Liszt’s Les jeux d’eau à la Villa d’Este, Ravel explained the genesis of his piece: “Jeux d’eau, appearing in 1901, is at the origin of the pianistic novelties which one would notice in my work. This piece, inspired by the noise of water and by the musical sounds which make one hear the sprays of water, the cascades, and the brooks, is based on two motives in the manner of the movement of a sonata – without, however, subjecting itself to the classical tonal plan.” 3
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was one of the most sophisticated musicians of the early 20th century. Showing great musical promise as a child, he began his piano studies at the Paris Conservatoire when he was just 14 years old. Ravel remained a Conservatoire student off and on for 14 years, adding composition classes with the renowned Gabriel Fauré.
Ravel enthusiastically sought out experiences with a wide range of music, attending performances, for example, at the 1889 Paris Exhibition, where he heard a Javanese gamelan, Russian music by Rimsky-Korsakov, and more. He also joined Les Apaches, a group of literary, musical, and artistic contemporaries which openly shared and discussed a range of cultural topics and trends.4
- “Tree of Life Window.” The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, 26 Aug. 2022, morsemuseum.org/collection-highlights/windows/window-tree-of-life-2/. ↩︎
- Lange, Krista, and Leigh Lowe. First Grade Enrichment: Classical Core Curriculum. Teacher Guide. Memoria Press, 2017. ↩︎
- “Maurice Ravel ‘Jeux d’eau’: Water Games.” Classicalexburns, 28 Mar. 2022, classicalexburns.com/2022/03/28/maurice-ravel-jeux-deau-water-games/. ↩︎
- “Who Was Maurice Ravel? A Brief Introduction.” Who Was Maurice Ravel? A Brief Introduction – Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, http://www.chambermusicsociety.org/news/who-was-maurice-ravel-a-brief-introduction/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024. ↩︎
Providence School of Tifton 