As for the concept of great melodies, they are very subjective to the individuals who are listening to them at certain times in their lives and very much in relation to what else might be going on around them.  When you were 17 you might have thought that a particular song resonated with you in a way that no other song ever could.  And then when you were 25, so much has now changed in your life including your ability to see and understand more of what the world has to offer, that the music that you best relate to may have taken a dramatic turn, too. Music and art will always be subjective and beholden to the eye and ear of the beholder.

But there are certain songs, melodies and combinations of words and music that stay with us for a lifetime.  More often than not, we do not even discover much of what is out there until we have lived long enough to have invested the necessary time to discover what I would like to refer to as the spiritual beauty of music.

When music has it’s most significant impact, it’s seems to be able to lift us up and transform and transport us into another dimension.  It can quiet our soul or bring us to great ecstasy all with passion and inspiration that allows us to feel a magical connection to the world through this often non-verbal, always non-tangible vibration in the air.

We all have different play lists that make up the soundtracks of our lives.  For my own eclectic tastes this could range from Bach to Basie to Bird to the Beatles.  But for today, it’s Puccini, and certainly a melody that will live forever: “Nessun Dorma”.

If you’re not familiar with the Puccini aria Nessun Dorma you owe it to yourself to experience it right now.

Towards the bottom of this blog you will find a link to the public video on Youtube for Luciano Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Zubin Mehta.  This is from a live concert performance.  The aria was originally composed by Puccini for his opera Turandot, which would turn out to be his last work.  But the song has entered the concert world as a solo aria for great tenors all through the last century.  And this melody always raises the little hairs on my arms and makes me realize why music has been such a significant part of my life.  And equally important — why it’s important to share it with others.

New York January 14,1980 Lincoln Center with Zubin Mehta
http://youtu.be/TOfC9LfR3PI

So while there is no such thing as “the greatest melody ever written” there are, from time to time, a very special combination of those 12 musical pitches in western music that when placed in the hands of a gifted composer and rendered by a great artist, can make us feel alive.  They allow us to see, hear and experience the world through the inspiration given to an individual and meant to be shared by many.  The relationship between an audience and an artist is a very intimate relationship, even when the moment is shared by thousands at the same time in the same place. Music is at it’s very best when shared with others.

Make sure you click on the link above.  I promise you that it will be 3 of the best minutes you will spend today…

Rich Daniels

We live in what is arguably the greatest nation on earth that has ever been developed in the history of mankind.  So much of what we value most, we owe to what has come before us.  Our Founding Fathers and our citizens have taken the best elements from the history of civilization and bound them together to create one nation, under God, “conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”.  How much better can it get?

And despite all of the partisan bickering that goes on during an election year in this country, it always seems important for us to remember that there is much more that unites us than divides us.  We truly need to be thankful for all the many blessings that have been given to us as Americans…

It also seems to me that the concept of giving is a moral imperative.  As members of the human family it’s necessary for us to access that part of our DNA that continually allows us to show compassion and understanding for those around us while doing what we can to make better the lives of our neighbors.

And, of course, that also leads us to gratitude.

Gratitude for our families and our friends.  Gratitude for the morning sunrise and the days end.  Gratitude for the birds in the sky and the beasts in field.  Gratitude for the path we are on for the unknown road that lies ahead of us.  Gratitude for the freedom we enjoy as Americans…

And in keeping the flame alive of what our founders referred to as the “American experiment” it’s important for us to remember that our freedom isn’t really free.  It has come at the highest cost to those millions of men and women who have come before us and have defended our rights to live in this republic with their own lives.

The men and women of our armed forces have been safeguarding our liberties since the day that we proclaimed our independence some 235 years ago in Philadelphia…and for that, we are truly thankful…

Living an “attitude of gratitude” can only make us more appreciative of all that we have been given.

So during this Thanksgiving week in America, my personal goal will be to strive to be ever thankful for all of you, and to take that extra step in order to show my appreciation for being given the opportunity to live in this great country.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Sunday December 18, 2011
“CHRISTMAS WITH THE CARDINAL”
Holy Family Catholic Church
Celebrate Christmas with Francis Cardinal George
1080 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608
2:00pm to 3:30pm

Sunday December 4, 2011
University of St. Mary of The Lake / Mundelein Seminary
“SOUNDS OF THE SEASON”
In the chapel of the Immaculate Conception
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein, IL   60060
2:00pm to 4:00pm

This amazing song has entered our language in a way that few others ever have.  More so, it has the ability to stir emotions in us so deep that tears and chills are not out of the question when rendered so beautifully…

A few years ago we had the opportunity to work with former NYC Police Officer Daniel Rodriguez.  You may recall that officer Rodriguez was first brought to national attention when he started singing “God Bless America” immediately after 9/11 at baseball games and memorial events.  As one writer wrote, “Daniel Rodríguez put his arms around America and dried its tears with his voice.”  Turns out that Mr. Rodriguez was as humble and talented in person as the voice and image we saw on television…

Music can have that affect on us.

Truly it would take a supreme cynic to believe that the Supreme Being has reigned down upon us whatever woes we might be experiencing in our lives.  But I choose to believe in a God who allows us to find our own way in life and has bestowed upon us many blessings, including music.  And when we look very closely at America, even with our trials and challenges, how could the glass be anything less than half full?  Actually, how could we not view it as absolutely overflowing?

And while most of us hold these truths to be self-evident that all of us were created equal, we know that the concept of equality and fairness are not always a part of how we live our daily lives.  But since faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not yet seen, I remain very optimistic about America.

God has blessed America.  We say it. We sing it.  And for most us of, we truly believe it.

Rich Daniels

Who amongst us has not been truly moved by a musical performance? From standing at a sports stadium filled with tens of thousands of people listening to the National Anthem or joining in and singing “God Bless America”, to being at a concert hall with a favorite musical artist where you feel that he or she is singing directly to you.  Music can transform and bring us to places that we might otherwise get to be.  And many of those places are very deep inside of us.

There really is nothing quite like a live musical performance.  At it’s very best, live music is an interaction between a musical artist and the audience, each having a role to play in order to make the experience the best for all involved.  Sadly, we seem to be losing the opportunities for live music more and more in our society.  We fail to often times realize the inordinately high value that music can play when presented at a high-level. Live music needs to be a part of our culture and it most certainly needs to be a part of the educational curriculum in our schools.   For many of us, education remains the silver bullet that will lift our country out of ignorance, crime, violence and intolerance.  Only through education can we possibly hope to have laws both created and followed by a people who have the ability to know and understand civility.  Music needs to play a role in that process. Live music needs to be presented to our children and adults so that they too can feel the magic and inspiration that great music can stir in their hearts, minds and souls.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”  Plato