Music Hath Charm to Soothe . . . and All of That

Last week on National Public Radio, Leonard Slatkin suggested Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring as a item that would be helpful in providing a few moments of comfort and calm as Americans continue living through terror threats and Anthrax scares.

His programs in the past few weeks have included Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Samuel Barber's Adagio for stings, and Mahler's Second Symphony. He felt, however, that the Copeland work was universal in its appeal.

What a good choice. It has breadth and sweep with Copeland's characteristic use of modal harmony. It has "Amerikanisch" charm with "Simple Gifts" woven throughout the composition.

It also has neutrality to its emotional communication, which would fit well with the incredibly complex psyches of all of us as we wade through another wave of What Next?

Muslim-American, Christian, Jew-all could find something inspiring in this masterpiece of orchestral music.

I thought of Eric Satie's gymnop�dies; the slow movement to Rodrigo's guitar concerto, "Concierto de Aranjuez"; the slow movement to Beethoven's "Path�tique" sonata; Bach's Cello Sonata in D, . . . and the list could go on.

What about sacred music? What about some choral works that would be valuable in providing solace within the context of some type of worship experience?

This question occupied much of my quiet ranting in the past few weeks. I felt a particular resonance with the Jewish captives in Babylon when they lamented, "How can we sing the songs of Zion in a foreign land?"

So, I removed my harp form the willow tree and thought.

Here are some considerations: "Ave verum Corpus," Edward Elgar; "Caro mea" from the chant propers for Corpus Christi; "Alleluia," Randall Thompson; "Benedictus" from Beethoven's Missa Solemnis; "O Mensch, bewein deine Sunde Gross" from the organ works of J. S. Bach; "Pie Jesu," Andrew Lloyd Webber.

At GIA the response to the offer of a free copy of Liam Lawton's "The Clouds' Veil" has been overwhelming-over 1500 copies have been circulated. Of course, the Taiz� repertory has been working overtime.

There is something about the human voice in ensemble that excites a powerful emotional response. It may be as mystical as humanly generated sounds wave across space to other human receptors in repertory that transcends time.

Or it may be as simple as all our ears and hearts joined in a union made possible by shared anxieties and common terror.

What items have you used with high effect? What are your songs of comfort?

You can reach Fred Moleck via email at fmoleck@earthlink.net