The Music of Music City

I haven't done a verse of "The Music of Music City" in awhile. That is, I haven't posted specifically with what makes Nashville "Music City" in mind. I could have done that with either of my two recent postings that were set in the Station Inn. Why I didn't think of it I don't know. . . .

But regarding what I experienced here yesterday I simply cannot avoid it! TWO -- not one but TWO -- doses of the music of Nashville!

Sunday morning I made my way thru the snow that had fallen to about four inches on Nashville. Snow that, by the way, had cancelled a free-admission Saturday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Bummer! But Pastor Jay had sent out e-mail that Eastwood Christian Church (Disciples) would be having church -- even if it were just his wife Dawn playing piano and he preaching to the pew cushions. LOL

The Hartleys and yours truly were not the only ones to show up, praise God! The folks we needed most to sing the anthem for Worship were there, too. Scott Hallgren played piano, Associate Pastor Michael Lehman electric bass guitar and Jonell Mosser sang the solo portion of Ken Medema's inspired and inspiring "Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying". I had sung this in the choir back at Alamo Heights Christian in San Antonio and knew at once when choir director Julie Duemler presented it to us at ECC, that the solo portion was perfect for Jonell and Jonell for it! The mere rehearsing of it last Wednesday had pumped me up to sing the choral part and be blessed by the whole piece. Had we had to cancel, believe me dear reader, it would have bee much more crushing than the Hall of Fame being closed on Saturday. Seriously, much worse a casualty of the snowstorm.

All in all, we had over 50 in attendance, not counting choir (I think). And we even had a couple women to sing alto who hadn't practiced and hadn't been part of anthem singing in awhile. But I know we all did fine! I know without a doubt that the Spirit moved in us -- and particularly Jonell -- as we sang!

The second note, or chord , or measure, whatever, of Sunday's verse (or episode) of "The Music of Music City" was attending a concert of "The Creation", composed by Joseph Haydn. The ECC choir had actually sung Movement #13 "The Heavens Are Telling. . ." a couple Sundays ago as the anthem, and Dawn had announced to us in choir that this concert was going to happen. Somehow I missed that the Nashville Symphony (or a good portion of it) would be involved until she appeared in the parsonage, ready to drive me there, dressed in a long black gown (like women orchestra members wear) and carrying her bassoon (in its case). Well, that made going to First Presbyterian Church south of Nashville in suburban Oak Hill all the better!

The audience barely outnumbered the symphony and choir combined. I suppose the low attendance couldn't be helped, since secondary and neighborhood streets and even some of the major thorofares were still coated snow packed down into ice. But "The Creation" was a masterful example of classical music from one of the great composers of that genre, and symphony and First Presbyterian's choir did it well. I'm glad I was able to go! Thank you, Dawn!

So, morning and evening yesterday, Sunday, were memorable experiences of the Music that makes Nashville "Music City"! One a spirited, jazzy church choir anthem, the other a classical concert in a church. Neither of them country music. But I trust that I made it clear to you long ago that country music is far from all there is to why this city is "Music City"!