“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
― Epicurus
PSALM 34:1-14
1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
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
Inness was commissioned in 1855 by the president of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad to paint the site of the railroad’s first roundhouse in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The result was The Lackawanna Valley. Art historians have noticed the train and the field of tree stumps in the middle of the painting. They think that Inness was unhappy about the effect of industrialization on the landscapes that he loved. 1
George Inness (1825-1894) was a prolific American landscape artist, producing over 1,150 paintings, watercolors, and sketches. He was a part of a group of artists in the Hudson River School who strove to represent nature as faithfully as possible. Inness believed that there was a relationship between the natural and spiritual worlds. His philosophical and spiritual ideas inspired his work.
2
MUSIC APPRECIATION
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467: I. “Allegro maestoso” by Wolfgang Amadeus Motzart
Mozart was riding the crest of his popularity as a composer and pianist in Vienna when he premiered his Piano Concerto, Number 21 on March 9, 1785 at the Burg Theater, in one of his subscription concerts. That evening was a well-attended leading musical and social event, with a new concerto from the composer. The critic, Niemetschek, reported that his playing “captivated every listener and established Mozart as the greatest keyboard player of his day.” Leopold Mozart, who was visiting his son at this time, noted that the work was “astonishingly difficult.” This happy visit would be the last time that the father and son would see each other. At this time, Mozart was highly energized—he had completed K. 467 only one month after Piano Concerto Number 20 and within the upcoming 21 months would produce four more.
3
Wolfgang Amadeus Motzart (1756-1791) was one of the most influential, popular and prolific composers of the classical period. He composed over 600 works, including some of the most famous and loved pieces of symphonic, chamber, operatic, and choral music. Mozart was born in Salzburg to a musical family. From an early age, the young Mozart showed all the signs of a prodigious musical talent. By the age of 5 he could read and write music, and he would entertain people with his talents on the keyboard. By the age of 6 he was writing his first compositions. Mozart was generally considered to be a rare musical genius, though Mozart said that he was diligent in studying other great composers such as Haydn and Bach.4
- Lange, Krista, and Leigh Lowe. First Grade Enrichment: Classical Core Curriculum. Teacher Guide. Memoria Press, 2017. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- “Mozart: Symphony No 21.” Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, 1 Feb. 2021, http://www.indianapolissymphony.org/backstage/program-notes/mozart-symphony-no-21/. ↩︎
- Opera Philadelphia. “Composer – Mozart Biography.” Opera Philadelphia, http://www.operaphila.org/whats-on/on-stage-2016-2017/figaro/composer/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024. ↩︎
Providence School of Tifton 