A couple of Austrian Girls sing a famous song from "Sound of Music"

MUSIC / MUSICALS / SOUND OF MUSIC

2024-12-16 Monday

The song "Edelweiss" was written by two Jewish guys in New York City for the musical "Sound of Music."  They knew the flower was important to Austrian culture, but the song itself was an American creation, not Austrian.   Hence, it's not sung in Austria.

So it was very surprising to see two very talented Austrian girls singing a beautiful duet of Edelweiss!    They do a huge number of great American songs on their channel.   


- Pseudo Boethius 

"Summertime" - the Great Jazz Standard

MUSIC / JAZZ / ANDREA MOTIS

2024-12-16 Monday

Well, it's nearly winter time here in the midwestern United States, but that doesn't mean I can't listen to one of the great jazz standards of all time: "Summertime" by George Gershwin.   And the best rendition of that particular song is by Andrea Motis in collaboration with Joan Chamorro Quintet.  

Here is Andrea playing LIVE at the Jamboree Club in Barcelona, Spain back in 2013, and making this song all her own.  

Absolutely incredible! 


- Pseudo Boethius 



Four Versions of "Carol of the Bells"

MUSIC / CHRISTMAS

2024-12-15 Sunday

Saw this on YouTube, and had to share it will all you wonderful people. 

This is a music video came out just a few days ago, and has been making quite the buzz.   

It’s “Carol of the Bells” by bass singer Geoff Castellucci.  It’s a version of this song you’ve never heard before.   Why all the buzz around it?  Well, just listen for yourselves, preferably on a good stereo system with a subwoofer….


For those who prefer something more traditional, you can listen to the original UKRANIAN version of the song, which has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas!  But it’s a beautiful song none-the-less:


And then there’s the BEST version of this song on the internet right now: an a’cappella version by the group PENTATONIX.   This is an absolutely amazing performance:


On a personal note, of all the versions of Carol of the Bells I've heard in my life, this one by George Winston from his well loved "December" album is the one I've listened to most often.   I remember buying this album when it came out (on vinyl!) and loving it immediately.  It's still surprisingly popular some 42 years later.  


- Pseudo Boethius 

Father Dan Reehil - Exorcist Priest on Spiritual Warfare and Preparing for The Triumph

2024-03-30 Saturday

CHRISTIANITY / SPIRITUAL WARFARE / FATHER DAN REHILL

Father Dan Reehil sits down with Mark McLean and they have a very honest, and straight forward conversation about spiritual warfare and the end-times.   

As Fr. Reehil correctly points out, the end-times does not mean the end of the world itself, but it certainly means the end of the world as we know it, and that's a good thing.  

As for the church and Christians, the coming end-times will mean intense persecution of Christians, even unto death.  The Catholic church does not believe in a "pre-tribulation rapture", rather they teach that the events in the book of Daniel and Revelation will be used to purify the church as is.   More importantly, they firmly believe that after the events of the antichrist, and his defeat, the world will be a far, far better place than it is now.   

This is a conversation that is well worth listening to.   

- Pseudo Boethius