A blessed Western Calendar Good Friday to my readers, courtesy of the Christ, with Peter Gabriel providing a fitting soundtrack.
Christianity
[Personal] Hristos Voskrese!
To our fellow Orthodox Christian believers, we wish you a blessed Paschal Feast and period. May there be peace in your homes, as well as a lot of music, culture and good food.
[Art] Sister Wendy Beckett, RIP
Whether it was discussing Caravaggio or nudes in paintings, Sister Wendy always did so with authority and a good laugh. She was a jovial presence in my younger days, when PBS really offered wonderful educational programming.
May the good Sister rest in the Bosom of Abraham now, and I, along with many others, thank her for proving that one could be devout and still have not only no fear, but a passionate love for art and culture.
PBS offers a short biography of her life here.
[Music] Eastern Orthodox Christmas Nativity Chant
And finally, a bit of actual Christmas music from the Greek Orthodox Church.
[Music] Bing Crosby – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1942)
Christmas in Beijing is currently 62 minutes away. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and celebrate with Bing Crosby. Expect a few chestnuts today.
[Music] Robert Goulet – Do You Hear What I Hear
As I prepare to spend Christmas alone in Beijing, it’s nice to be able to enjoy the dulcet sounds of the King of the Cameo, Robert Goulet.
[Music] ʻĀina – Lead Me To The Garden
Aloha Got Soul’s latest release is a reissue of a rare psychedelic Christian folk record by a Hawaiian project called ʻĀina, which, according to their Bandcamp album site, “means land or earth in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language.”
It’s definitely a product of the 1970s, full of hippy vibes, a naïve sense of idealism, and themes which would be recognizable to people who go to Pentecostal Churches. There was nothing bad about this release at all. It was a smooth, mellow and enjoyable listen.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 