Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves..

Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate known in English as 'Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves' is a chorus from the third act of Nabucco (short for Nabucodonosor, or Nebuchadnezzar in English), an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi 1813-1901 an Italian romantic composer. Nabucco follows the plight of the Jews as they are assaulted, conquered and subsequently exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar (Nabucco).

Known as Verdi's "Jewish" work of art, it recollects the story of these Jewish exiles from Babylon after the loss of the First Temple in Jerusalem. The opera with its powerful chorus established Verdi as a major composer in 19th century Italy. Here we see the chorus performed at New York's Metropolitan Opera House with James Levine conducting.

The lyrics translated in English from the original Italian:

Fly, thought, on wings of gold,
go settle upon the slopes and the hills
where the sweet airs of our
native soil smell soft and mild!
Greet the banks of the River Jordan
and Zion's tumbled towers.
Oh, my country, so lovely and lost!
Oh remembrance so dear yet unhappy!

Golden harp of the prophetic wise men,
why hang so silently from the willows?
Rekindle the memories in our hearts,
tell us about the times gone by!
Remembering the fate of Jerusalem
play us a sad lament
or else be inspired by the Lord
to fortify us to endure our suffering!

(PostScript) The video I posted here originally has been removed from YouTube due to some violation or other. I hope it's nothing to do with the fact that I embedded it here on this blog. Fortunately I was able to find a replica also on YouTube, but the sound quality is not as good. Anyway, I hope you still find it enjoyable..

Wow, it's one year already

On 27 February 2009, I set out on a journey. I sat in front of this computer and wrote this post. It was the first post on this blog titled "Greetings Everyone" and for those who do not wish to click on the link, I have reproduced the post here..

Hi, welcome. For years, I have dragged my feet about starting a blog of my own. This has been because I wasn't able to make up my mind what the theme of my blog should be. My interests are varied and my mind wanders all the time like a butterfly. I haven't found it easy to decide on what exactly I should be blogging about. But suddenly, today, I have had a brain wave. Surely, I do not have to blog about anything in particular. I can blog about me and my wandering mind. I can talk about the things that bother me, the things that annoy me, the things that make me smile, the things that make me squeal with uncontrollable laughter. Oh my, there is a world out there waiting to be written about. So yes, I have taken up the challenge. Here we go.

Now, one year later, having had the blog running for all of 365 days, I'm still exactly in the same place in my mind. Except, of course, that since I started the blog, I've met some amazing people in the blogosphere, people I would not have met if the circumstances were different. And you know what, I still have not run out of things to say. And I'm pinching myself, wondering if this is real, but hoping and praying that it is.

I've been somewhat incapacitated for much of the last two weeks. For the first time in about ten years I couldn't get online, and it was as if there was a hollow inside of me, as if something was missing from my life. It's great to be back, it's wonderful to be here, to be a part of a community spread across the world. It's fantastic to be alive in 2010! Thanks to every person who has participated in this journey with me, a journey that God willing has only just begun. Thanks too to those who have allowed me to be a part of their online experience.

Gosh, it appears that the rankings of this blog have slipped considerably over the last few weeks, but I can only look on this as a challenge. I must vigorously strive to regain the position that the blog once held. As you probably can tell, it's late Friday night/early Saturday morning, but there are no corks popping. It's just been a quiet, solemn sober evening, sitting in front of the computer with soft music in the background.

One cold winter's evening

6.15 pm, on arrival at home..

Kinshasa Symphony

Above is the trailer of the film "Kinshasa Symphony", which has been selected for Berlinale 2010, the 60th Berlin International Film Festival. The film celebrates its world premiere at "Berlinale Special" on 17 February 2010, 21.45h (rerun 18 February, 18.00h, Cubix 8).

"Kinshasa Symphony" shows how people living in one of the most chaotic cities in the world have managed to forge one of the most complex systems of human cooperation ever invented: a symphony orchestra. It is a film about the Congo, about the people of Kinshasa and about music.

The Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste has been in existence for fifteen years. Initially a few dozen music-loving amateurs shared the few instruments they had at their disposal. Rehearsals were organised in shifts, so that everyone could have a turn. Today there are over two hundred musicians on the platform when the "OSK" gives a concert.

Most of the musicians are still self-taught amateurs. Even for those fortunate enough to have trained for a profession and found a halfway regular job, everyday life in the metropolis of Kinshasa with its eight million citizens is a constant struggle for survival. For many the working day begins at six in the morning, frequently a great deal earlier for the ones who cannot afford to share a taxi and have to walk great distances to get to their workplaces. Despite this they attend the rehearsals that go on well into the night, practically everyday. A staggering example of discipline and enthusiasm.

In the meantime some of the orchestra's repair artists have a whole collection of self-devised and self-built tools that they need to mend instruments. Their methods are as unorthodox as they are effective. Other members of the orchestra make their concert attire themselves, procure the sheet music required and make sure that the children are fed and looked after during the long evening rehearsals.

Armand Diangenda is the founder and conductor of the OSK. He is the grandson of Simon Kimbangu, a martyr greatly revered in the Congo for opposing the Belgian colonists and establishing his own church, the Kimbanguists. Armand plays the cello and is also a composer. "Music often helps me to think straight and plan my life", he says. "And even though the rehearsals are often uphill work with little immediately appreciable progress, making music together is a compensation for lots of problems".

(Culled from: "Kinshasa Symphony, a documentary by Claus Wischmann and Martin Baer")

There is more of this orchestra here and here.

"We are ready to train your people.." Al Qaeda tells Nigerian Muslims

DUBAI (Reuters) - An al Qaeda group in North Africa has offered to give Nigerian Muslims training and weapons to fight Christians in the West African country, where more than 460 people were killed in sectarian clashes last month.

https://www.reuters.com/article/ozatp-nigeria-qaeda-muslims-20100201-idAFJOE6100EE20100201