Favorites

People ask all the time what my favorite "this" is or my favorite "that" is. You know, like favorite book, movie, music genre, etc. Well, I have officially (now, anyway) declared my favorite piece of music. It is "Variation on a Theme of Paganini, XVIII, Andante Cantabile" by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Every single time I hear this piece I am moved. Every time. I heard it on the Internet radio the other day played by Vladimir Horowitz and almost cried. Yeah, I know. I cry a lot anyway. But this piece is simply beautiful.

I have a CD that is all of Rachmaninoff's piano concerti and includes the Paganani Variations. The pianist on the CD is Stephen Hough and is performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. I play it frequently! I have also had the privilege of hearing this piece performed live by Nielsen and Young. I have met Stephen Nielsen and consider Ovid Young a friend. Their performance was breathtaking and forever sealed this piece in my heart.

I will admit to being an incurable romantic. Beautiful things move me. "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh is beautiful. Is is a painting that just speaks to me. I know that's hokey, but it's true.

I have also thought that regardless of the artist's spiritual condition during the creation process, I am at liberty as a Christian to assign spiritual significance to works of art. How many times have people talked about communing with nature as being spiritual? Well, I believe the same is true for the Fine Arts. I don't know the condition of Rachmaninoff's heart while he was composing. But hearing that Paganini variation is the closest thing to being in Heaven for me. The beauty transcends anything earthly for me and transports me to the Throne Room where I can worship our Lord even in a "secular" concert setting.

Wow. All that from one piece of music? Yes.

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