Cool video! We live on 8 acres of thick forest, and we've had dozens of trees taken down here, including some massive oaks and hickories - but that's the biggest oak trunk I think I've ever seen. WOW! We also have a large 43,000 gallon swimming pool down below the house, literally surrounded by some really big trees. About 3 years ago, a big oak fall in a windstorm, hit another two trees, and one of them fall into the pool. That wasn't fun to clean up. We've taken down several of the largest trees in the last few years, and I don't miss all of the tree crud dropping into the pool all the time, plus it gets way more sun now. We still get a big leaf fall in autumn, and many drop into the pool on windy days - but it's nothing like the unmanageable MESS we used to get down there. I can fish the leaves out daily for a month as they fall now, before they sink to the bottom, which saves me a LOT of time opening the pool in the spring! I used to cover it, but the pool is really big and the well-aged cover started falling apart, so it became more trouble to cover it than it was worth.
Kathleen Battle is one of the greatest musicians of the past hundred years. Her singing is just godly. When you can see the lead violinist in the background smiling like a pig in shit, it's because he can hear *real* tonality from a singer - something which very seldom happens, and which violinests spend decades and decades refining. This is a unique talent.
Thanks. I just had to get some choir and handbells pictures in it because, like you. they have been a large part of my church experience. I also just had to use the picture of your girls, since it was so cute.
Very nice Rhymes and Reasons cover Wayne! Excellent vocal and instrumental play. I just posted my acoustic version of this song today, and saw your cover....well done! Steve
My first encounter with Kathleen Battle was with Mahler’s fourth were she sings the song Sehr Behaglich at the end. That rendition was much slower than written but made the song more beautiful. Contrasted to this performance which is like being shot out of a cannon. But like the Mahler, the speed made the listening much better for the overall effect
I have always thought of the “dulcissime” solo to be the apex of this massive choral work. It is a complete reversal of the raucous and bawdy Carmina up to that point. Everything comes to a sudden stop before this soaring an stunning five-word solo.
