Our 42nd Anniversary Celebration
I Will Pour Out My Spirit in That Day
Beginning late in the 18th and early in 19th century there has been a seeming accelerated explosion of knowledge in the arts, sciences, and profound writings of such great men as Thomas Jefferson. And most of all by the powerful influence as the spiritual doctrinal world was dramatically changed with the birth of Joseph Smith in 1806. Mankind was awakened to the promptings of the Spirit of God in preparation for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth in its fullness.
An example from the arts…
Last Saturday, 14 October 2006 to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary, which was on the 10th of October, JoAnn and I attended a Masterwork concert of The Las Vegas Philharmonic. The performance included works by Giocchino Rossini, John Corigliano and Pablo de Sarasate. After an intermission the concert was crowned by a performance of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s famous Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op. 67. As we experienced this event, the thought poured over me that this was an awakening to the promptings of the spirit in Ludwig himself as prophesied of old in Joel 2:28-29 which reads, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
As we listened to the famous “Ta-Ta-Ta-Tahhhh” theme I thought of Beethoven’s friend Shiller who remarked how this seemed to him “like fate knocking at the door.” The realization occurred to me that this was premiered in 1808 when the Prophet of this dispensation, Joseph Smith, was an infant two years old, my spirit heard, “It seems like Beethoven is knocking is at the door of the last dispensation of time.” These thoughts pervaded my entire experience through the performance of the Symphony as the original theme almost imperceptively wove its way again into the second movement. Then again a faster version of the three quarter notes followed by a long, burst once again upon the consciousness in the third movement as the horns erupt with that rhythm alternating with a fugal section with the basses. Later, as the music of this movement seems to subside, the timpani picks up the same heartbeat of the original theme. As the third movement does not end, it rather segues into the triumphal fourth movement, in C major in a great chordal fanfare from the brass, enhanced by three trombones… unheard of in this manner before Beethoven introduced it here. As the final movement built to its victorious triumph, this amazing journey carried us to a realization that the music world has been changed forever with Beethoven’s fifth symphony and the world at large has been changed by yet one more fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy of old men dreaming dream and young men seeing visions as a result of the spirit of God being poured out upon mankind. I shall never hear Beethoven’s Fifth again without a renewal of these feelings. What a magnificent way to celebrate our forty-second wedding anniversary. C’était vraiment formidable.
Arnold A. Miller
October 18, 2006
Beginning late in the 18th and early in 19th century there has been a seeming accelerated explosion of knowledge in the arts, sciences, and profound writings of such great men as Thomas Jefferson. And most of all by the powerful influence as the spiritual doctrinal world was dramatically changed with the birth of Joseph Smith in 1806. Mankind was awakened to the promptings of the Spirit of God in preparation for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth in its fullness.
An example from the arts…
Last Saturday, 14 October 2006 to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary, which was on the 10th of October, JoAnn and I attended a Masterwork concert of The Las Vegas Philharmonic. The performance included works by Giocchino Rossini, John Corigliano and Pablo de Sarasate. After an intermission the concert was crowned by a performance of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s famous Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op. 67. As we experienced this event, the thought poured over me that this was an awakening to the promptings of the spirit in Ludwig himself as prophesied of old in Joel 2:28-29 which reads, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
As we listened to the famous “Ta-Ta-Ta-Tahhhh” theme I thought of Beethoven’s friend Shiller who remarked how this seemed to him “like fate knocking at the door.” The realization occurred to me that this was premiered in 1808 when the Prophet of this dispensation, Joseph Smith, was an infant two years old, my spirit heard, “It seems like Beethoven is knocking is at the door of the last dispensation of time.” These thoughts pervaded my entire experience through the performance of the Symphony as the original theme almost imperceptively wove its way again into the second movement. Then again a faster version of the three quarter notes followed by a long, burst once again upon the consciousness in the third movement as the horns erupt with that rhythm alternating with a fugal section with the basses. Later, as the music of this movement seems to subside, the timpani picks up the same heartbeat of the original theme. As the third movement does not end, it rather segues into the triumphal fourth movement, in C major in a great chordal fanfare from the brass, enhanced by three trombones… unheard of in this manner before Beethoven introduced it here. As the final movement built to its victorious triumph, this amazing journey carried us to a realization that the music world has been changed forever with Beethoven’s fifth symphony and the world at large has been changed by yet one more fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy of old men dreaming dream and young men seeing visions as a result of the spirit of God being poured out upon mankind. I shall never hear Beethoven’s Fifth again without a renewal of these feelings. What a magnificent way to celebrate our forty-second wedding anniversary. C’était vraiment formidable.
Arnold A. Miller
October 18, 2006
posted by Arn and Jody | 1:10 AM
2 Comments:
It is so wonderful the power music has to speak to our souls and teach us in a way no human words can. Thanks for sharing.
I hope your anniversary was grand. I am grateful for the example you both have set for our families.
I only have one question...why didn't you start a blog earlier??? You are an amazing author. I could hear the music as you described it so eloquently. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
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