Catechizing Culture through Ice Dancing?

I truly did not expect one of the most memorable moments of the 2010 Winter Olympics to come from Ice Dancing, yet the glory of the gold-medal winning performance is undeniable.

I had numerous reflections come out of my repeated watching of this performance, as I am not sure that I have seen a more truthful expression on the mass-media screen in many months. Here was an elegant meditation on love, on the beauty and truth and singularity of the male-female relationship, and of the epic journey of married life (which, incidentally, the music is legendarily claimed to have grown out of.) In a world where the very fabric of marriage is being absurdly challenged by relativistic thought and perversion passing for normality, such a stunning show of male-female complementarity only proves how viable the arts can be to catechize our confused culture.

The Catholic world should take note: truth must not only be proclaimed, but must be expressed. That is why God has given us the arts.

(Here is an older version of the same performance... hopefully the gold-medal winner will soon be available on youtube:)



My only disappointment is that -- after hours of banal music choices -- the announcers did not announce the title and composer of the piece with which Virtue-Moir skated to victory. The gutsy musical choice was that of the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony. I label it a "gutsy" choice because the music, slow moving as it is, demanded a thorough listening to be understood and conveyed. The ignorant listener might be bored by "slow" music, while Virtue-Moir expressed the intense energy embodied in Mahler's masterpiece.

Unfortunately the piece was edited to about half-length. Those curious in the entire meditation can listen to the following clip:



I also highly recommend the following DVD of Mahler's Fifth, with Daniel Barenboim leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra:

http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symphony-No-Barenboim-Chicago/dp/B00004UEE5/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1267295641&sr=1-2

Bravo to Virtue-Moir -- once again, we see how beatiful, tasteful, and edifying mass media could be. There is no reason that all of television should not have such depth.

The Catholic Maestro

Here is a beautiful article from the NY Times, about the very Catholic conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/arts/music/21honeck.html?ref=arts

A New Blog, a New Beginning

It was last year during the Lenten season when I decided to give up blogging, seeking to reevaluate my writing style as well as my use of the digital medium.

Since then I have pursued other writing opportunities, all while keeping this blog in the back of my mind. Recently I decided to reestablish my blog under a new name. I have ported my favorite writings of old to this new format, hoping for a fresh start and a new creative outlet.

As the title implies, this blog will focus on aspects of public faith and culture, as well as what it means to hold and continually develop a Catholic aesthetic. I dedicate this blog to Our Lady of Czestochowa, who has ever guided my steps and remained in my field of vision.

Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis.