I have 3 families:
1) The one I was born into and the one I married into.
2) My Stake and Ward Family.
3) My Baroque Ensemble family. I feel as close to you as any of my genetic relatives, perhaps closer.
It is a miracle I am here with you in Germany. Over the last year with my employment challenges, it was sketchy at times. Since it came at such cost, I am deeply appreciating everything and striving to find Spiritual connections in all the experiences here (part of the reason why I sometimes wander around in a daze reflecting, pondering and lose track of time). There is so much, that it may not be till I am home again that the impact of what I have learned will hit me.
There are a handful of books that have truly inspired me over the years. Obviously, the LDS scriptures are at the top of the list. There is a book called “Man's Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl. He was a professional Psychotherapist who survived both Auschwitz and Dachau. In his book, Frankl discusses the hope in the camps necessary for survival. Those victims that were able to find meaning in kind acts of service in the camp, not just focusing on themselves, survived the longest. He showed men and women in their extremity, learning to survive through ministering to each other. So, when I visited Buchenwald, I went specifically searching for this meaning and hope that Frankl demonstrates. I will tie that in soon.
Goethe has been the inspiration of more musical works than almost any other German author. Notwithstanding this he was not especially musical himself. Mendelssohn, however, was such a fascinating child that the old master was enchanted with him. Even at that early tender age of 12, the boy was an astonishingly fine correspondent, and in his letters he gives very engaging glimpses of the seventy-three year old man who took such interest in his new acquaintance. Following are some quotations from these boyish letters (REMEMBER THAT MENDELSSOHN WAS A JEWISH BOY AND GOETHE WAS NOT JEWISH, IMPORTANT FOR my thoughts today):
“He is very kind, but I do not think any of his portraits like him. He then went through his interesting collection of fossils arranged by his son, and said ‘Hmmm, Hmmm, I am quite satisfied’. After that I walked in the garden with him. He does not look like a man of seventy-three – rather of fifty. Every morning I have a kiss from the author of Faust and Werther, and every afternoon two kisses from the father and friend, Goethe. Think of that! In the afternoon I played to Goethe for about two hours, partly fugues of Bach and partly improvisations. Every afternoon Goethe opens his instrument with the words, ‘I have not heard you today – now make a little noise for me’. He generally sits down by my side, and when I am done (mostly extemporizing) I ask for a kiss or take one. You cannot fancy how good and kind he is to me, no more can you form an idea of the treasures in mineral, busts, prints, statues and large original drawings, which he possesses. It does not strike me that his figure is imposing. He is not much taller than father; but his look, his language, his name – they are imposing. The amount of sound in his voice is wonderful; he can shout like ten thousand warriors. His hair is not yet white, his step firm, his way of speaking mild”.
Mendelssohn visited Goethe again in 1822 in company with his father and his sister Fanny. At this time Goethe said to the boy, “I am Saul and you are my David; when I am sad and dreary come to me and cheer me with your music”. He asked him to play a fugue by Bach, but the little fellow could only remember the melody of the subject. Nothing daunted he sat down and improvised a fugue from the same subject, much to the delight of Goethe.
In 1825 the Mendelssohn children paid another visit to the aged poet, who received them with great delight. The influence of Goethe upon Mendelssohn was most beneficial. His words of advice were eagerly sought and earnestly followed. It was then that Mendelssohn played his B minor pianoforte quartet, which delighted Goethe so much that Mendelssohn dedicated it to him. Goethe in return wrote the somewhat platitudinous verses which he dedicated to Mendelssohn. These run in a more or less trite translation:
“If Talent reigns with Wisdom great
Virtue is never out of date;
He who can give us pleasure true
Need never fear what time can do;
And will you, Talent, your approval give?
Then give it us who make her newly live.”
I have been overwhelmed as Mendelssohn was by Goethe with the goodness of this gentle country we know as Germany in its current state. Connie, her family, Michael, the Church members. For example, the cute way they line up before the concert and clap in unison at the end. In addition, there are all the people I have met and befriended along the way. I know for sure this is true because, by now, anybody in their right mind, like Connie, would have killed me by now. But, because she loves me in her beautiful German way, she has not. But, there is still time for that as we all said on the bus today! I have new Facebook and Instagram contacts of younger people working in the hotels. They are my tiny group of German friends and we can influence each other positively. I was their first "American Friend" on Facebook or Instagram. I am looking forward to further contact.
As I mentioned previously, there were signs of hope in Buchenwald that Frankl in his book encouraged me to search out. I went in also looking for small stone memorials. When watching Schindler's List, I noticed at the end of the movie the Jews on a Pilgrimage to Concentration Camps, would leave a small stone or rock at the memorial sites. Researching the significance of the stones I discovered several symbolic deep meanings: Shepherds traditionally in ancient Israel counted their sheep via stones, the number in the pocket meaning that all the sheep had a specific stone. (I appreciated during the count yesterday at the castle that I was not left behind and several young strapping missionaries were sent for me as the symbolic lost sheep). In addition, Abraham built altars from stone, the stone walls of the temple at Jerusalem still stand, in spite of persecution, the Jewish people, their memory and their souls still stand. I went looking for signs of meaning, hope and these stones in Buchenwald. And I found them!
As I entered and walked the entrance path where Jews
were force marched surrounded by soldiers and dogs on both sides, I heard the music of Bach, Aus Der Tiefen in my mind. And then the section of hope (¾ time section clearly sang out to me) as I found 2 specific areas of Hope: the Goethe Oak and the Buchenwald Children rescue. The Goethe Oak was one of the only remaining trees left standing in the camp. Horrible things happened on that Oak Tree but it quickly became a symbol of hope for the prisoners. It was said Goethe walked among the trees in the area to gain inspiration for his work. One cannot help but wonder, given what we know about the grandson to grandfather relationship of Mendelssohn and Goethe, the Jews would look upon that example and hope for the return of a gentler and kinder Germany. The Germany we have also experienced on this Tour. A Legend quickly developed around the tree that one day, it would be destroyed and then they would be free. An incendiary bomb hit the tree the night before the Allies rescued the camp. I took pictures of the remaining stump of the Goethe Oak, currently in the camp, literally covered in stones placed there by loving Jews from all over the world.
When my Stake President asked me to find an arrangement for men to sing in Stake Priesthood meeting of Teach Me to Walk in the Light, I searched in vain. So, I decided I would have to make one myself. I prayed and received sufficient inspiration. Dave Sargent, clearly a Bach like composer of our time, talked to me about it after reviewing it the other night on the bus. As a barely useful choir boy in his presence, I apologized for the arrangement and said there are no Polychords, He said "Well of course you know I am a polychordaholic, but the best arrangements are often the simplest at times and he looked forward to hearing it. Dave is Goethe like in his kindness to me in spite of him being a Bach like figure with his genius. I explained to Dave the inspiration behind the verses which he said was very good because often people do not think that much through it when making arrangements.
This is a summary of that explanation:
1st verse- A child (high tenor part) pleading to be taught in the gospel coupled with a man asking for the same thing representing humility as a priesthood holder.
2nd verse- In Unison we commit to our young, our wives and the brothers and sisters around us to watch out for them and learn the gospel with them as priesthood holders.
3rd verse- We lift where we stand following President Uchtdorf’s example. All sing different parts together, hopefully in "King Singeresque" harmony to minister and serve. I wrote it with my Brothers in the UBE choir in mind knowing their absolute wonderful ranges. I said to Ben I heard their voices in my head when composing it and he said I might want to talk to someone about that. Victor Frankl might be available but he passed away in 1997. I will have to look elsewhere.
As I walked Buchenwald the Holy Ghost whispered to me, “Brian, you are surrounded by spiritual Buchenwald children in need of rescue.” It brought hope to the camp inhabitants to rescue their children and you are tasked as a priesthood holder to rescue those around you. The musical arrangement you made symbolizes this but you need to physically work harder to save them. Satan in America and elsewhere, is destroying families by influencing people to commit evil and as a result spiritually orphaned children are all around you. You are tasked with presiding, providing and protecting them as outlined in the Proclamation on the Family. Like a kind and gentle grandfather as Goethe to Mendelsohn, like Dave and Martha Sargent to all of us, we must nurture our young especially when orphaned in dysfunctional life situations. Dave Sargent talked to me that night after I explained the structured meaning of my arrangement concerning a family he and Martha work with to minister to in their Ward. She is a single mother with several children and needs a lot of care.
There are so many spiritual lessons to learn here in Germany. Rushing from place to place, it is often difficult to take the time, ponder and learn from the Holy Ghost. This is the reason I have shared my experience. It is not better than anyone else's experience, it is just the sacred personal thing that I will take home with me. My hope is that it encourages all of us to reflect on what this Tour has meant to us each individually. Often, in the choir, we have differing opinions on how things should be done even down to how we each sound individually as we sing. We are all differing in talent and ability but none of us are less of a person because of the differences, we need to discipline ourselves to sing things correctly but we should not think of ourselves negatively when we make mistakes. We need to be careful what we say and do to each other. We need love one another as Tallis beautifully teaches us in one of our choir favorites, and embrace our differences along with our unity. I am sure you all know by my striving and actions to ease all of you on our journey in Germany together that I feel that way about you, my choir family.
Based on my experience here in Germany, I am dedicating the men's choir arrangement of Teach to Walk in the Light to the children of Buchenwald and all the spiritually lost children around us.
Let's learn from Goethe, Mendelssohn, Dave and Martha Sargent, Buchenwald, the kind people of Germany and the German Saints. And, let's recommit as we go home to reach out, minister and serve those around us especially the spiritual children of Buchenwald in the way the song Teach Me To Walk in the Light teaches us. I write and say this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.
Your Brother,
Brian Colton
Here is the Link to the Arrangement : Teach Me To Walk In the Light Priesthood Choir- German Verse
Here is the Link to the Arrangement : Teach Me To Walk In the Light Priesthood Choir- German Verse
