BYU-Idaho's choirs and orchestra collaborate every few years to produce what they call a "Sacred Music Service." They have a whole program written out—with scripture and narration and original score—and then they go on a little tour with it. This year our own little Emily was in the orchestra and part of their tour included Temple Square and so Karen got four tickets and invited me and Sarah and Katharine to go see it with her.
We left all men and children behind (except, as Sarah pointed out, the baby in my womb, which broke two rules since it is a man-child) and struck out on the town to have a wonderful night out.
Like a grade-school fight, we met Emily by the flagpole in front of the Tabernacle at 5:00 sharp only we didn't beat her up and instead we walked together to Olive Garden, where we enjoyed a lovely meal without having to referee any fights or clean up any huge spills or cut up anyone's spaghetti or run anyone to the potty. It was the most relaxing meal I've had in a long time! But drinking three glasses of raspberry lemonade was probably a mistake (admittedly it was a yummy mistake—it's just that pregnancy + 3 tall glasses of fluid + a two-hour concert = not smart).
It was fun to see Emily—I haven't seen her since October—and it was certainly fun to hear her play.
We sat on the sides of the Tabernacle because the middle section was all reserved for donors to the BYU-Idaho School of Music and were quite surprised when Grandpa Frank and Grandma Sharon showed up. Both Karen and Emily had told them about the concert but had never heard for sure whether they were coming or not.
This year's oratorio was called Bring Forth My Zion and was composed by K. Newell Dayley. I enjoyed most of it. At first I started marking the pieces that I liked so that I could mention them but I liked more and more as the program wore on until I mostly ended up marking everything.
The first piece that struck me was O Ye Fair Ones. The lyrics were taken from Mormon 6:16–20 and it's basically Mormon and Moroni mourning the downfall of a once righteous people. It was very touching.
Then we entered "The Restoration" and I liked most of that except that there was one part where the audience was supposed to join in singing but it was original words and music and we kind of made a horrible job of it. What else were we to do but to fumble through it? The other parts the audience sang was the chorus to I Know That My Redeemer Lives (which is a hymn sung quite regularly in our congregations), as well as the chorus to Faith In Every Footstep (which, though not a hymn or a song we regularly sing, was written by Dayley for the sesquicentennial celebration of the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley (in 1847)—we all learned the song when it was published in 1997 so it's been around for years and we've all sung it lots and heard it even more). But all that aside I think it's fair to say that I liked the rest of the program equally well and pointing out my favourite parts would be futile.
We got to meet up with Emily outside after the concert to say goodbye—this time we met at the bell tower behind the Tabernacle. While we were talking the bell tolled and we all jumped. We should have been expecting it to ring, I suppose, since we knew it was close to the hour but it gave us a good shock all the same.
We stopped for smoothies on the way home, which was a nice, cold treat.
Andrew faired remarkably well with the girls. They were both bathed and asleep by the time I texted him (shortly after 9:00). They had homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner (a meal that I don't like but everyone else does) and then made popcorn and watched StarWars (a movie that I don't like but everyone else does). Even though I came home only to do the dishes, it was nice to not have to wrangle my little ones into their jammies. Instead I simply got to peek in on their sweet, sleeping faces (which are always so angelic).
I was a little surprised to find that Miriam was sleeping completely nude—her pyjamas and underthings had been tossed carelessly over the side of her bed—so I got her up to go potty and get her dressed again. Silly kid.
Rachel was sound asleep—fully clothed (so I didn't have to disturb her).
It was a fun day but now I'm exhausted (and it's daylight savings, darn it all, so it's technically an hour later than it is). We had a lot of laughs while we were out...maybe if I can remember anything in more detail tomorrow perhaps I'll write some more. Right now I'm tired, as I mentioned, so mostly my brain feels a little fuzzy—I'm off to bed!
 |
| Me, Sarah, Emily, Karen, and Katharine |
Like a grade-school fight, we met Emily by the flagpole in front of the Tabernacle at 5:00 sharp only we didn't beat her up and instead we walked together to Olive Garden, where we enjoyed a lovely meal without having to referee any fights or clean up any huge spills or cut up anyone's spaghetti or run anyone to the potty. It was the most relaxing meal I've had in a long time! But drinking three glasses of raspberry lemonade was probably a mistake (admittedly it was a yummy mistake—it's just that pregnancy + 3 tall glasses of fluid + a two-hour concert = not smart).
It was fun to see Emily—I haven't seen her since October—and it was certainly fun to hear her play.
We sat on the sides of the Tabernacle because the middle section was all reserved for donors to the BYU-Idaho School of Music and were quite surprised when Grandpa Frank and Grandma Sharon showed up. Both Karen and Emily had told them about the concert but had never heard for sure whether they were coming or not.
This year's oratorio was called Bring Forth My Zion and was composed by K. Newell Dayley. I enjoyed most of it. At first I started marking the pieces that I liked so that I could mention them but I liked more and more as the program wore on until I mostly ended up marking everything.
The first piece that struck me was O Ye Fair Ones. The lyrics were taken from Mormon 6:16–20 and it's basically Mormon and Moroni mourning the downfall of a once righteous people. It was very touching.
Then we entered "The Restoration" and I liked most of that except that there was one part where the audience was supposed to join in singing but it was original words and music and we kind of made a horrible job of it. What else were we to do but to fumble through it? The other parts the audience sang was the chorus to I Know That My Redeemer Lives (which is a hymn sung quite regularly in our congregations), as well as the chorus to Faith In Every Footstep (which, though not a hymn or a song we regularly sing, was written by Dayley for the sesquicentennial celebration of the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley (in 1847)—we all learned the song when it was published in 1997 so it's been around for years and we've all sung it lots and heard it even more). But all that aside I think it's fair to say that I liked the rest of the program equally well and pointing out my favourite parts would be futile.
We got to meet up with Emily outside after the concert to say goodbye—this time we met at the bell tower behind the Tabernacle. While we were talking the bell tolled and we all jumped. We should have been expecting it to ring, I suppose, since we knew it was close to the hour but it gave us a good shock all the same.
We stopped for smoothies on the way home, which was a nice, cold treat.
Andrew faired remarkably well with the girls. They were both bathed and asleep by the time I texted him (shortly after 9:00). They had homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner (a meal that I don't like but everyone else does) and then made popcorn and watched StarWars (a movie that I don't like but everyone else does). Even though I came home only to do the dishes, it was nice to not have to wrangle my little ones into their jammies. Instead I simply got to peek in on their sweet, sleeping faces (which are always so angelic).
I was a little surprised to find that Miriam was sleeping completely nude—her pyjamas and underthings had been tossed carelessly over the side of her bed—so I got her up to go potty and get her dressed again. Silly kid.
Rachel was sound asleep—fully clothed (so I didn't have to disturb her).
It was a fun day but now I'm exhausted (and it's daylight savings, darn it all, so it's technically an hour later than it is). We had a lot of laughs while we were out...maybe if I can remember anything in more detail tomorrow perhaps I'll write some more. Right now I'm tired, as I mentioned, so mostly my brain feels a little fuzzy—I'm off to bed!
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