Travels

I’ve been travelling quite a bit these past few weeks. On the very day that school was dismissed for the year (June 11) I caught a plane to Hawaii to see my folks for a little over two weeks. It was a nice break from the stress of the past year, although I often succumbed to the temptation of lethargy towards the end of my stay. It was also very nice to see my old parish again and sing with the choir.

Coming back on July 1st, I had little time to prepare for my next four-week trip in the eastern part of these United States. On the night of July 4th (St. John’s feast day) I caught a red-eye to Philadelphia, with a transfer to Syracuse, New York in order to go to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, where I am presently located. I’m spending two weeks here learning the ins and outs of church music. It’s a wonderful program: not only has my reading of Church Slavonic improved dramatically, I also feel three times as better a singer than I was just a week or so ago. If you sing in an Orthodox choir. I highly suggest this program!

Well, I have several more weeks to go until my travels end. I would write more, but I ought to attend to more pressing concerns. Until then!

Ah, and also to all of my Old Calendar friends: S’Prazdnikom!

 

Pentecost

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things, treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life, come and abide in us and cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls, O Good One.

 

Agni Parthene (O Pure Virgin)

Editor’s Note:

This is my favorite hymn. I borrowed the Greek text from Wikipedia and used the English translation by Bishop Basil of Wichita, to which I made very minor changes. I hope His Grace doesn’t mind! The hymn, if my ears do not deceive me, is sung by monks from Simonopetra Monastery in Mount Athos. There is also a Slavonic version sung by monks from Valaam Monastery that many prefer even to the original Greek. I personally think that the original is best.

From what I’ve read, St. Nectarios of Aegina often composed hymns to the Theotokos “to nourish his personal prayer and that of his disciples.” The Theotokos herself appeared to him, and revealed to St. Nectarios a hymn that was being sung by the angelic choirs. Thus this hymn, which I think indeed does show signs of divine authorship:

Αγνή Παρθένε
O Pure Virgin

Αγνή Παρθένε Δέσποινα, Άχραντε Θεοτόκε,
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.
Παρθένε Μήτηρ Άνασσα, Πανένδροσε τε πόκε,
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.

O pure and virgin Lady, O spotless Theotokos:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.
O Virgin Queen and Mother, O bedewed Fleece most sacred:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

Υψηλοτέρα Ουρανών, ακτίνων λαμπροτέρα
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.
Χαρά παρθενικών χορών, αγγέλων υπερτέρα,
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.

O height transcending heaven above, O beam of light most radiant:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.
O joy of chaste and virgin maids, surpassing all the angels:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

Εκλαμπροτέρα ουρανών φωτός καθαροτέρα,
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.
Των Ουρανίων στρατιών πασών αγιωτέρα
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε.

O brilliant light of heaven above, most clear and most radiant:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.
Commanding Chief of heavenly hosts, O holiest of holies:
Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

 

Foot-in-Mouth Disease

Is what I think I’ve come down with, having been thoroughly schooled by Steve in his comment on my last post:

A minor rewrite? peppier tune? Diamond wrote a NEW SONG which happens to use some key imagery and word choices from Newton’s original song. Your blog reveals a poor understanding of Amazing Grace, Pretty Amazing Grace, and perhaps grace itself.

Although writing from-the-cuff, as I am wont to do, has the advantage of being spontaneous and reflecting one’s genuine emotions at the time, it has the definite disadvantage of being not very well thought-out. Taking the time to study the lyrics, I have to admit that this indeed is a NEW SONG and in fact can even be construed to be less heretical than the original “Amazing Grace”: Diamond’s identification of “pretty amazing grace” with “who You are” can be given an Orthodox interpretation as being the identification of Grace as uncreated divine energy. (I’ll have to admit, it’s a stretch. This shows my thorough lack of understanding of Grace, except that it’s uncreated, deifying, and more necessary to me than water to a fish.)

Just reading the lyrics gives the impression that “Pretty Amazing Grace” is a pretty religious song. Yet at the same time, Diamond’s performance last night gave this song a very secular feel. And perhaps that could lead to a totally secular interpretation, as I asserted in my last post. Such is the peril of most pop music. (Of course some of you may say, “What about Christian pop?” to which I say “Of course, I’m against that too.”)

So, my apologies to Steve and to the Jewish Elvis: your song, although I’m hesitant to wholeheartedly like it, is definitely not the equivalent of Madonna crucifying herself.

 

In which we take cheap shots at pop music (1 of ?)

I haven’t identified myself as any sort of Protestant since high school. I can’t stand much of the happy-clappy worship that happens in evangelical churches today. But, I can’t help but retain an affection for “Amazing Grace”. Despite its perhaps questionable theological language, the simple message of divine grace coming and saving a wretch like me still has an impact on my heart.

In our house American Idol is watched. Not by my choice. American Idol is an amateur singing competition. Tonight the songs selected were by pop-folk songster Neil Diamond. Who won or lost is unimportant for this post. What is pertinent was the moment when Mr. Diamond himself came out and performed his version of “Amazing Grace”.

It’s amazing how a little rearranging of the words and the addition of new, peppier music can totally change a song. “Amazing Grace” was changed from an expression of Protestant piety into a “pretty amazing” celebration of…I’m not sure what. I guess the song could still be construed to be about repentance. It could also be construed to be about a girl named Grace. But isn’t that to be expected, when popular culture, the World if you will, appropriates something meant to be sacred and makes it something rather secular?

Of course, “Amazing Grace” has already been appropriated by the Zeitgeist so many times that it lost all of its original meaning. So perhaps this was a bad example. But I think that if “Amazing Grace” is dead, what Mr. Diamond did was desecrate the corpse.

By the way, this is not a commentary on any of Mr. Diamond’s other songs, and I apologize if I’ve offended any Neil Diamond fans in my readership.