Fernando Ortega – Just As I Am

An evening pause: A Christian’s prayer, set to beautiful music and performed live 2011. I post a lot of hard rock celebrating sex, drugs, and rock & roll, because the music and performance is great. I post this for the same reason. I wonder how many of my non-Christian readers will be open to listening and enjoying it.

Hat tip James Street.

John Gabriel & Nelson Riddle – El Dorado

An evening pause: I think this song quite fitting to end the summer season. Sung by George Alexander, it plays over the opening credits to the classic 1966 John Wayne film of the same name, directed by Howard Hawks. The magnificent paintings that form the backdrop to the credits were painted by Olaf Wieghorst.

My daddy once told me what a man ought to be.
There’s much more to life than the things we can see.
And the godliest mortal you ever will know
Is the one with the dream of El Dorado.

So ride, boldly ride, to the end of the rainbow.
Ride, boldly ride, till you find El Dorado.

5th Dimension – Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In

An evening pause: Performed live on television in 1969 by the group’s original members, Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ronald Townson. This music, from the Broadway musical Hair, reflects the naive and somewhat arrogant attitude of that baby boom generation. It is also a very beautiful song, sung beautiful.

Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.

J.S. Bach – Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052

An evening pause: Like the past two evening pauses this week, this also centers on a piano solo, and also takes us to an entire different musical genre. It is a bit long for a pause, but I can’t resist continuing the piano theme. You might recognize the third movement.

The soloist is 18-year-old Ignas Maknickas (who is clearly having fun), playing with Lithuania’s Ciurlionis School of Arts Symphony Orchestra.

Hat tip Todd Jones.

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