Off the Scale #56 - Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns (Roud #6294)

Hello everyone!

Happy New Year, almost!

This week's piece is one that will be heard a lot around the globe as people tend traditionally to ring in the new year by linking crossed arms and singing along to this particular folk song.

From long, long ago until now, let's celebrate the beginning of a new year...

Festive Update No. III

Hi everyone!

Merry Christmas!

This is the penultimate post of the year so I just wanted to let you know that I am wishing you well this season as we pass through the end of one year and approach the beginning of the next.

My design ideas will be gradually implemented over the coming weeks so please be patient as I will be trying new things.

Peace out!

===TLP===

Off the Scale #55 - Somewhere in My Memory by John Williams

Hello everyone!

Well, Christmas time is here so, as I have done in the past, I'm going to take an episode of this series to bring to you a festive favourite of mine. Last year, I believe, it was Alexander Armstrong that I went for singing "In the Bleak Midwinter".

This time I've gone for the theme of a quintessential Christmas film and an unofficial continuation of my Movie Celebration themes. I am, of course, talking about Home Alone...

2018 Review - In Words & Pictures

Hello everyone!

Well, this is it, after a year away from reviewing my highlights be they in media or otherwise, I am pleased to confirm that today it's back!

As always, I will be looking at my favourite film of the year, videogame of the year, along with a random TV highlight and a significant highlight that I've been impacted by. They won't necessarily, in the case of films or games, have been made this year but I have to give them a shout out nevertheless because they've made an impact upon me.

Are you ready to get started? Then let's go...

Off the Scale #54 - Movie Celebration V: "He's a Pirate" from Pirates of the Caribbean by Hans Zimmer

Hello everyone!

Given that next week's episode will be celebrating Christmas, this will bring an end to my celebration of some of the world's finest movie themes. I may revisit this series in the new year, but for now I want you to get your eye patches out, get your peg legs on and dance with me...

Festive Update No. II

Hello everyone!

So, Christmas draws ever nearer now, so I hope you are all getting in the festive mood whether you celebrate it or not.

Last time, I wrote about some of the ideas I was having for the future of this blog and whilst most of them are still up for consideration, what isn't is the fact that I will be continuing my Movie Celebration for "Off the Scale" going into 2019. I have barely scratched the surface of my favourite movie themes so I aim to continue that for another few weeks at least.

Expect one more update before Christmas descends and also my review of the year as a whole before the content will dial back and "Off the Scale" will see out the coming few days of this year.

Peace!

===TLP===

Off the Scale #53 - Movie Celebration IV: John Dunbar Theme from Dances with Wolves by John Barry

Hello everyone!

We are edging ever closer to Christmas, but I'm going to stick with my movie celebrations right up until the last minute, so buckle up for this one.

I've chosen Dances with Wolves, a film depicting the horror with which soldiers treated Native Americans during a period of history that disturbs many people.

In particular I'm focusing on the John Dunbar theme...

Festive Update No. I

Hi everyone!

We've officially entered the Advent season this weekend past, so it's time to start thinking about your Christmas shopping, if you haven't done it already and get the tinsel and baubles out for your Christmas tree.

I wanted to take some time out of my schedule to let you know of some exciting changes coming in 2019...

Off the Scale #52 - Movie Celebration III: 633 Squadron by Ron Goodwin

Hello everyone!

For my third celebration of all things movie themes, I have chosen a quintessential war film that deserves to be preserved in the annals of movie history simply for how it attempts to capture some of the brave missions depicted in former R.A.F. officer Frederick E. Smith's book.

Of course, I am talking about Ron Goodwin's 633 Squadron...

Off the Scale #51 - Movie Celebration II: The Breaking of the Fellowship by Howard Shore

Hello everyone!

This week, we're going to be looking at one of my all time favourite film trilogies; The Lord of the Rings and pay particular attention to its score.

In particular, I want to focus on the moment at the end of the Fellowship of the Ring film and bring you a piece of music known as "The Breaking of the Fellowship"...

LS034 - Trials Perceived is Truth Believed

Hey everyone!

I hope you are all having a good Wednesday, or Thursday, or whatever day that you are reading this on. I know I am.

I have been doing some journalling today and I wanted to share with you some thoughts I've had based upon something I wrote in my journal; how we perceive what happens to us is an indication of what we are believing...

Off the Scale #50 - Movie Celebration I: Star Wars The Last Jedi theme by John Wiliams

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the fiftieth edition of my series celebrating all things classical music.

Did you think I'd get this far? I know I didn't.

Today, I'm going to be starting off a series celebrating some of the best movie music, starting with Star Wars, one of the most recognisable franchises around...

Off the Scale #49 Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber

Hello everyone!

This is the final edition before episode 50 so I wanted to find a good piece of music before kicking off a series celebrating what many people will know as what contributes to a great film; its score.

Back to today and I've chosen Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings...

Off the Scale #48 - Antonin Dvořák's "New World" Symphony (otherwise known as Symphony No. 9)

Hello everyone!

We're getting closer now, to number fifty and I've got a rather special celebration coming up that will begin in a fortnight's time so be sure to stay tuned to this blog for that.

Today, to avoid getting too far ahead of ourselves, I'm bringing up the "New World" Symphony from Antonin Dvořák. This is a piece that is as epic as it is emotive in my opinion so it's high time I share it with you...

LS033 - Cero Miedo (or the Art of Living Without Fear)

Hello everyone!

Today, I'm going to be tackling a subject that many of us struggle with but very few of us might actually admit to struggling like this; fear.

Maybe just my mention of that word has sent shivers up your spine because we usually put "fear" and "change" in the same boat and I'm here to show you that this is not necessarily a bad thing to encounter in your daily living...

Off the Scale #47 - "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Hello everyone!

We are closing in upon the 50th edition of "Off the Scale" so I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to that one, that's for sure.

This week, however, we are taking a closer look at an epic piece of music that I cannot believe I have not included in my series so far...

LS032 - Thinking is Believing

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the first devotional in quite some time. It's not been intentional as there has been a lot of personal stuff going on at the moment that I just don't want to blog about.

I'm not keeping you out of the loop for your best interests, but for my own best interests because I have come to realise that, in my life, I am clearly becoming too open a book for some people to deal with. I'll never apologise for that because it's who I am and it's what I do.

It's why I blog; what you see, is what you get.

Today, I want to look at some of the lessons I have learnt from keeping a rigorous check upon thought life...

Off the Scale #46 - The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar

Hello everyone!

This week's edition comes off the back of something I've literally just heard this morning, though by the time this post goes live, a week will already have passed.

Franz Lehár is somebody I know not a jot about, so I suppose this will be something I want to be further educated upon in the weeks ahead as I'm always looking to expand my classical repertoire...

Your Continued Patience

Thanks everyone!

First of all I just want to thank you for your patience during this transitional period of mine. For the forseeable future, however, this is going to be the new normal rate of posting.

Try as I might, I have been unable to consistently get content together for my blog. Rest assured, though, that my upcoming project is still in the pipelines so keep posted for that one.

It's not ideal as my intention is to return to more lifestyle-oriented posts, just like I used to do, to let you know how I'm coping with everything as well as the lessons I'm learning along the way.

This is just the way it is for now.

Thank you for understanding.

Peace!

===TLP===

Off the Scale #45 - Hamish Macunn's "Land of the Mountain and the Flood"

Hello everyone!

We are closing in on episode 50 of my weekly episodic series on all things classical music. I have nothing particularly special planned for that yet, but things can change.

This week, I'm taking a Scottish turn, as is my ancestry, and am celebrating this piece I have been hearing on and off for about a year now...

Off the Scale #44 - Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring

Hi everyone!

This week, I'm going to be celebrating Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, a piece I only really connected with this year despite hearing part of the melody from an old childhood song.

Everything's connected...

Off the Scale #43 - Va Pensiero (taken from "Nabucco") by Giuseppe Verdi

Hello everyone!

It's my birthday today!

This week's piece is one I heard a couple of weeks back and was instantly taken back to the moment in time when I first heard well known tenor Russell Watson perform it some years earlier. Simply hypnotic.

It's funny how music can do that to you so I just wanted to share it with you all today...

Coming Soon

Hey everyone!

I am just letting all my faithful readers know that I've got an exciting new project coming soon, right here on The Write Dimension!

I won't reveal much more than this today except to say that it will broaden the scope of what topics I cover. It should be an exciting time for readers because I'm always looking for ways to increase the content on here and what I have planned is the perfect way to make the most of what I write.

Keep posted to this blog, don't adjust your monitors and I'll let you know when it's due to launch.

Stay safe!

===TLP===

LS031 - Clearing Up Pathways

Hi everyone!

It feels like an absolute age since I last posted consistently and, after the day I've had, I am hoping that it triggers some more content to be created for this blog.

First of all, I just wanted to thank you all for your patience whilst I've worked through my personal stuff that was never going to make it down upon here. I had to journal my way through this season and, now that my review is coming up tomorrow, I am looking forward to whatever the future may bring.

I want to share a few thoughts with you today on what it means for me, as someone who regularly struggles with anxiety and depression, to find positive life in the smallest of things...

A Further Update

Hi everyone!

This is just a quick post to let you know that I have my quarterly review coming up on Wednesday so after that, with all good fortunes, I hope to try and return to a little more frequent blogging.

I cannot promise anything, though, because I need to focus on myself for a little while longer to ensure that the ship of my life remains steady as changes are coming rapid at the moment for me.

Stay safe and I will write as and when I can!

Peace!

===TLP===

Off the Scale #42 - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Pyotr Ilyvich Tchaikovsky

Hi everyone!

Seeing as it's Strictly season again, I thought I'd celebrate dance in my own way; ballet. For this one, my natural selection comes from Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

It won't be long now before Christmas, so let's get a really early start in...

LS030 - From Lip Service to Heart Service

Hello everyone!

I hope that you have been enjoying my "Off the Scale" series so far and we are moving ever onwards through our thirties with a view to continue until at least 100!

Today, however, and because it's been such a long time, I just wanted to post a really heartfelt post on some of the stuff that caused me to leave !Audacious Church...

Off the Scale #41 - Romance (from the Gadfly) by Dmitri Shostakovich

Hi everyone!

This is edition 41 of Off the Scale and today I'm going to be featuring a piece that I've heard Dutch violinist André Rieu play often in his concerts. I am of course talking about Dmitri Shostakovich's Romance from the Gadfly...

A Quick Update

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update to let you know that things are still quite manic for me at the moment so I am not currently able to make time to blog as much as I would like. Know that you are all still in my prayers and I will continue to keep hoping for you even when your situations feel hopeless.

I will do my best to return to some blogging as soon as I can, but just bear with me for just a little while longer, okay?

As always, remember: -

There is always another way than to give up on your life and your dreams today!

Peace!

===TLP===

Off the Scale #40 - Dance of the Knights (taken from "Montagues and Capulets") by Sergei Prokofiev

Hello everyone!

This one is amongst my collection of personal favourites of mine, from at TV show I used to watch but haven't for the last couple of series so much.

Most of you will know this as the theme from the TV show The Apprentice, but its actual name is "Dance of the Knights". I love the rhythm of this piece and cannot help but get out the invisible conductor's wand when it comes on the radio...

Off the Scale #39 - Clarinet Concerto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Hello everyone!

Now I'm back on track personally, I want to keep bringing you the best in classical music according to taste of mine that is sure to capture some of your hearts as much as it did mine when I first heard these pieces.

This week we're looking at, I mean, listening to Mozart...

Off the Scale #38 - Cantata No. 208 (otherwise known as "Sheep May Safely Graze") by J.S. Bach.

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your patience during the brief absence of this series, I'm going through some stuff at the moment that's taking my focus off my blog.

Anyway, that's for a lifestyle post, today I am returning to Johann Sebastian Bach for a brief episode whilst I celebrate what has become one of the most cherished relaxing pieces for me over the last couple of years; Sheep May Safely Graze...

Off the Scale Returns Next Week

Hi everyone!

I just want to let you know that this week's edition of "Off the Scale" is postponed until next week. I haven't been able to make time to create this week's edition so I will endeavour to rectify that for the following week.

Thank you for your patience.

===TLP===

Off the Scale #37 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 6 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to "Off the Scale" a series where I aim to unveil and celebrate the most inspiring and uplifting classical music pieces of the last several centuries with a view to connect some of you up with it. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do because it's going to be around, hopefully, for a good long while yet.

Today is the final week of my J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto" celebration so it's time for concerto number 6...

Off the Scale #36 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 5 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to "Off the Scale" a series where I aim to unveil and celebrate the most inspiring and uplifting classical music pieces of the last several centuries with a view to connect some of you up with it. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do because it's going to be around, hopefully, for a good long while yet.

Today is week five of my J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto" celebration and it's time for the penultimate one in the series; concerto number 5...

LS029 - The Road Ahead

Hello everyone!

My last devotional post really got me thinking about a lot of issues I've walked through since leaving !Audacious and most of them were, as I've said already, related to the damage being at a place like that was actually doing to me.

I don't belong there anymore so it's time for me to continue to fix my eyes on the road ahead towards the destiny for which Christ is calling me onwards...

Off the Scale #35 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 4 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to "Off the Scale" a series where I aim to unveil and celebrate the most inspiring and uplifting classical music pieces of the last several centuries with a view to connect some of you up with it. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do because it's going to be around, hopefully, for a good long while yet.

Today is week four of my J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto" celebration and it is the turn of concerto number 4...

LS028 - Leaving the Past Behind

I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.

Philippians 3:12-14 (GNB) emphasis mine

Greetings!

Today, I want to take a slightly left-field approach compared to recent posts as I have some stuff I want to get off my chest and I don't really have anybody to talk to about it so let's see what happens, shall we?

I recently admitted to having flaws (I know, I know, shock horror right?!), one in particular is my stinging nettle and that is sometimes, I fail to control my tongue in the manner that I would like. I am realising, over time, that though I will never be responsible for how somebody takes what I say to them, I will still be responsible for how I say it in the first place.

This has caused me problems and led me to a point where I realised the truth that some people in my life were beginning to be a negative influence upon me...

Off the Scale #34 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 3 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to "Off the Scale" a series where I aim to unveil and celebrate the most inspiring and uplifting classical music pieces of the last several centuries with a view to connect some of you up with it. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do because it's going to be around, hopefully, for a good long while yet.

Today is week three of my J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto" celebration and it is the turn of concerto number 3...

LS027a - The Way Everlasting II - To Raise a Higher Standard

Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139:23-24 (GNB)

Hello everyone!

Last time I looked at what it meant to live in the everlasting way and came to the conclusion that I'm sure we can all agree on; that we cannot run our lives ourselves because we don't live our lives mistake-free.

This time, I want to bring my emphasis back onto the verses I've chosen for this series of posts, Psalm 139:23-24...

LS027a - The Way Everlasting I - Commandments Ten, Man Zero

Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139:23-24 (GNB)

Hello everyone,

Today I'm going to be looking at what it means, to me, to follow in the way everlasting, or God's way.

I am hoping that, over recent weeks, I have helped answer some questions that you may have had about Christianity as I seek to bring light to subjects that are often misunderstood and as a result can give you the wrong impression about why faith is such an important part of my journey.

First up, I'm going to take a look at what it means to walk in the way everlasting...

Off the Scale #33 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 2 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to "Off the Scale" a series where I aim to unveil and celebrate the most inspiring and uplifting classical music pieces of the last several centuries with a view to connect some of you up with it. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do because it's going to be around, hopefully, for a good long while yet.

Today is week two of my J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto" celebration and it is the turn of concerto number 2...

LS026b - The God of Mary or the God of Martha?

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)

Hello everyone,

Last time I raised the question over what sort of life we are called to live if we say we believe in Christ. I looked at the example of Mary and Martha and put forth the idea that, sometimes, we can get obsessed with details when God just simply wants us to live a life of simplified, child-like trust in Him. I hope I have challenged your perspective as that is all I am trying to do, whether you are a Christian or not. I am simply trying to raise some questions that hopefully inspire you to seek Jesus as the answer.

This time, it's the turn of those Mary-types of people. You know, the ones who are content to trust in a higher authority and rest and relax knowing that everything, no matter how chaotic, is still under control.

Off the Scale #32 - Brandenburg Concerto Number 1 by J.S. Bach

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the latest instalment of my "Off the Scale" classical series where I celebrate all things classical music. From composers, to music that has inspired me over the last ten plus years, I aim to do my part for classical music to ensure that it is never a dying breed.

Today, I'm starting off a series on J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto and, given that the entire piece is well over an hour long, I'm going to break it apart and celebrate it in its entirety...

LS026a - The God of Mary or the God of Martha?

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I last did an article so I thought I would start by asking you what you think of when I say the word "Christianity" to you.

Do you think of rules? Regulations? Pews?

What if I told you that there was another way to live? God's way that leads to freedom and to life eternal...

Off the Scale #31 - George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue

Hey everyone!

The "Off the Scale" machine rolls ever onward today as we look at a piece that, at the time, confused the scene as it was an attempt to fuse the rhythms of piano and jazz band together to form what became known as "Rhapsody in Blue".

I picked this up from a Leonard Bernstein CD I purchased earlier this year and, as promised back in episode 2, I've finally got around to dedicating an episode to this enthusiastic and enervating jazz/classical fusion piece.

Enjoy...

Off the Scale #30 - Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 (otherwise known as the "Moonlight Sonata")

Hello everyone!

As promised all the way back in episode 2, I now bring to you Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Just like the last one, Rhapsody in Blue, I didn't mean to leave it so long to celebrate this, it's just sort of happened as I've been trawling through my archives for classical music to celebrate.

Enjoy...

Off the Scale #29 - Highland Cathedral by Michael Korb

Hello everyone!

Today, on bringing my series shining the light on my favourite classical violinist, André Rieu to a close, I thought I'd focus upon one particular member of his Johann Strauss Orchestra; Manoe Konings.

I first heard "Highland Cathedral" from André's latest CD "Amore" that I got for Christmas last year and was instantly captivated, in part, I think, because I have quite a strong Scottish heritage which, apart from the fiery temperament, means there's always something particularly moving about the bagpipes I find.

It's as though (if you can pardon me whilst I make quite a detour for a moment!) it appeals through my blood to me from my ancestors. I feel, if I'm honest, it's as though it's some kind of ancestral gift passed down through previous generations; to fully feel and appreciate the music of my heritage as though it courses through my very bloodstream.

Have a listen for yourself and you can make your own mind up...

LS025 - Let The Focus be on God's Glory, Not My Own

Hi everyone!

First off, thanks for your patience whilst I took the time away from my blog, I needed that break more than I would probably care to admit. Yes, it was longer than I anticipated to be away from blogging, but that's just the way it goes sometimes; you realise that you need more space than you thought you needed at the time.

Anyway, I'm back now so whilst the quantity might drop over the next few weeks, aside from my weekly series celebrating classical music, I want to aim for the quality to remain the same as it was before I took my break...

Off the Scale #28 - Mama by André Rieu

Hey everyone!

How are you liking this series I've been doing celebrating the performances of André Rieu? I hope that you have enjoyed them so far because we are not quite finished yet.

This time, I thought I would celebrate one of his own compositions, a piece simply titled "Mama"...

Off the Scale #27 - Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

Hey everyone!

This week I'm aiming for something a little different as I'm linking you to a song I've liked ever since I heard a Jeff Buckley cover some years ago and was instantly hooked. The man who wrote this, Leonard Cohen, is someone that a lot of you may have heard of (or not depending on where you are reading this from). For me, when André Rieu covered this track last year as a tribute to Cohen, it was like re-discovering the comfort of an old coat I used to enjoy wearing all over again.

If you will pardon that laboured metaphor, I am sure that you will agree that, whilst classical music will survive without the incessant need to connect with a younger audience, covers like these cannot do the genre any harm at all...

Off the Scale #26 - Rosen aus dem Süden by Johann Strauss II

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the next edition of my classical music series and today I will be starting a series celebrating Dutch violinist and composer; André Rieu.

This particular piece of music I first heard back in 2012, I think, and this is what drew me to Rieu's style of conducting.

Off the Scale #25 - Asturias by Isaac Albéniz

Hello everyone!

Here we are, the quarter century milestone celebrating all things classical music, did you ever see that coming?! I didn't!

When I started this series back in February, I never expected to get here so fast, yet here we are so a big thank you for your support!

This week, we're keeping in with last week's theme of classical guitar music and it's the turn of Isaac Albéniz and his piece knowns simply as "Asturias"...

Off the Scale #24 - Recuerdos De La Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega

Hello everyone!

Thank you for sticking with my classical music series "Off the Scale", it means a lot to me to consider that I am helping to grow people's interest in classical music every single day. Simply by doing my bit for the genre.

Today we are going to look at one of my favourite pieces of classical guitar music; Francisco Tárrega's "Memories of Alhambra", otherwise known as Recuerdos De La Alhambra...

Off the Scale #23 - Parce Mihi Domine by Cristóbal de Morales

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the twenty third edition of "Off the Scale" and I have a very special one for you as I've only really been able to name this one this year; taken straight from his Officium Defunctorum, may I present to you Cristóbal de Morales' Parce Mihi Domine.

I have heard this one a few times on Classic FM's Smooth Classics programme and, until recently, haven't been able to name it until now. The smooth jazz lines featured in this peace are perfect for bringing out an emotional state that can at times be either reflective or melancholic, proving that music can cause you to be a great feeler of your emotions...

Off the Scale #22 - Karl Jenkins' Sanctus (taken from "The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace")

Hello everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the sunny weather (well, I hope it's still sunny by the time this one goes live as I'm writing it a week in advance) because, as always, I am.

Today's edition of "Off the Scale" comes courtesy of Karl Jenkins' Sanctus taken from "The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace". I recently discovered this one on Classic FM's Smooth Classics programme during my nightly unwind. I was gripped instantly and wanted to share it with you in the hopes that you, too, can be suitably inspired...

Off the Scale #21 - Eric Satie's Gymnopédie No. 1

Hello everyone!

Let us gain ever more momentum for this series celebrating classical music by listening to a piece of music that I only really discovered this last year or so; I'm talking, of course, about Eric Satie's Gymnopédie number 1.

This particular piece I find (like I like to use a lot when talking about classical music) both evocative and captivating and it's one I think seems to feature a lot on Classic FM's Smooth Classics programme...

Off the Scale #20 - 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Hello everyone!

In celebration of the recent Classic FM Hall of Fame, I present to you the winner; The Year 1812, festival overture in E♭ major, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture.

Even now, I still cannot believe that this particular piece forced the former champion (and feature of one of my earlier "Off the Scale" editions) Ralph Vaughn Williams' evocative piece "The Lark Ascending".

The biggest surprise on the night, in my opinion, was that it forced that piece to number three below Sergei Rachmaninov (another feature in this series) and his Piano Concerto number 2, when the two had been battling it out for several years' worth of supremacy.

Off the Scale #19 - The Soldiers' Chorus from Faust by Charles Gounod

Hello everyone!

Celebrating captivating classical music is one of the main staples of my blog, as well as talking about my life as a devout Christian, so today, I want to look at an opera by Charles Gounod.

This piece of music I only discovered over the last three months or so and, like The Witches' Chorus mentioned two weeks ago, was instantly captivated by the performance as it reminds me that voices can capture emotion just like musical instruments.

Let's take a closer look...

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: TLP Takes a Break

Hello everyone!

I'm just going to come out and say that I need to take a break from blogging for a while. It has become apparent that putting so much effort into my content since my return at the end of 2017 is burning me out.

I like to give my all to this content as I'm hoping that you, my dear readers, can tell by now and I just feel that, if I continue with the pace of submissions I have been attaining, I won't last very long. My mental health is of the utmost concern right now so I have to take a step back for a while.

Fear not, though, because I want to let you all know right now that I am still fully committed to my "Off the Scale" series every Monday.

Thank you for your patience during my absence and I will return.

===TLP===

Off the Scale #18 - Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbel

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the eighteenth edition of "Off the Scale", my celebration of all things classical music, where today I'm going to be looking a popular piece that's often played as part of Classic FM's Smooth Classics programme.

Listening to it you can definitely begin to understand why as it's so soothing as to be one of the most ideal pieces of music for mediation's sake.

I'm a big believer in celebrating all things classical so let's do this...

LS024c - From Death to Life III: The Victory of Sacrifice

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Romans 8:34 (KJV)

Happy Resurrection Sunday everyone!

I hope you have enjoyed this three-part post on Easter weekend and how sacrifice is always for a good cause when done for the right reasons because I have enjoyed writing it. It has been a helpful reminder to me that the sacrifices I have made along the way since leaving the last church I was at are going to pave the way for an even greater future for me.

LS024b - From Death to Life II: The Silence of Sacrifice

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (KJV)

Hello everyone!

So, we've passed the point where Christ was crucified all those years ago, and we are now in-between His death and eventual resurrection.

Of course, knowing how the story ends, gives us hope that though we're stuck in our struggle today, there is hope for our future. Imagine how it must have been for those who loved Jesus and followed Him during His ministry. Their Saviour was dead and hope seemed to die with Him.

LS024a - From Death to Life I: The Nature of Sacrifice

Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Matthew 27:50 (KJV)

Hello everyone!

Well, Easter is finally upon us and I wanted to take a look at the resurrection story to hopefully shine some more light on the reason for the hope that I have in Jesus.

This time I am going to be looking at the first of three days that changed history and therefore established God's fulfilment of the law as present and correct and paved the way for the new covenant through His Son; Jesus Christ.

Through this issue, I am going to look at sacrifice and what giving up actually looks like in the unbiased Kingdom. Secondly I will be looking at what we are to be doing during those times when it looks as if nothing is happening for us. Finally, there will be a post celebrating the finished work of Christ thus augmenting what I've previously raised on the subject.

Off the Scale #17 - The Witches' Chorus by Giuseppe Verdi

Hello everyone!

I discovered this particular choral piece earlier this year and, again, like with the last entry in this celebration of all things classical music, managed to find it on a 5 CD set.

Let's take a look at it...

Off the Scale #16 - Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copeland

Hello everyone!

Today, I'm picking quite a different choice from my collection as I only really discovered this one this year. I mean, it's likely that I heard it before then but could never have told you who it was by, just that I liked the whole arrangement.

Let's have a look...

LS023b - Your Reasonable Service II - For the Honour of God

Hello everybody!

I hope you enjoyed the first part of this two part series on service and how it's not as nasty as it's often perceived sometimes.

Onto part two...

LS023a - Your Reasonable Service I - For Others' Sake

Hello everyone!

I hope you have been enjoying the increased activity on my blog because I have been enjoying contributing to this blog a lot more. From looking at the finished work of Christ over two posts, to looking at our righteous state in Christ, I have been enjoying the uplift of content quality, as much as you, my dear readers have.

Today, I'm going to look at what service means to me so let's see what happens...

LS022 - I'm Free to Live (Or From the Voice of a Blogger)

Hello everyone!

I wanted to take advantage of this moment whilst I'm feeling the best I have done in a very long time so wanted to capture the moment before it dissipates.

As many of you know now, I'm on medication at the moment for anxiety and depression and, it has been riding me something rotten over these winter months. To push through, I have been trying to keep my focus ahead and on what Christ is leading me to instead of getting bogged down in negativity that often comes hand-in-hand with depression.

I'm hoping to take you all on a journey with me as I continue with by years long battle with the issues I've had. In short, they led me to a point last year where I felt forced to not only acknowledge that I have a problem, also to admit that it was time to start doing something about it...