[Magdalen] Having a spiritual experience via YouTube

[Scott Knitter]

I've known and liked several bits of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "A Sea
Symphony," but this afternoon was the first time I've sat and
watched/heard the whole thing, and I'm deeply moved, both by RVW's
music and Walt Whitman's poetry. RVW uses soloists and choir
throughout, which I love. They're integral members of the orchestra in
this piece. I have a CD of it but don't like the choir's yelly and
out-of-tune sound.

This YouTube of opening night at the Proms 2013 does it right: the
choral power comes from massive forces, not from yell-singing. And the
BBC Symphony is superb.

Hearing the whole piece has been practically life-changing. I really
want to sing in this sometime, in the choir of course but I'm going to
daydream about being the baritone soloist. Heck, I've done that in
RVW's "Five Mystical Songs." Actually performed the baritone solo, not
just daydreamed. :)

I'm overwhelmed by this performance and having a hard time getting
down to the reading I wanted to do. :)

The whole video:
https://youtu.be/Lp4G5vtdSWc

A big moment I love (among many big and small):
https://youtu.be/Lp4G5vtdSWc?t=39m32s

And the text at the end:

 O my brave soul!
 O farther farther sail!
 O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?
 O farther, farther, farther sail!

...Thanks be to God for this, and help me settle down and read. :)

-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA