I didn't figure on watching the entire funeral Mass for Sen. Edward Kennedy, but I'm glad I got drawn in, for, in addition to all the fine oratory (especially by Ted Kennedy, Jr.) , there was music-making of great eloquence by three of the finest artists in today's classical world. The senator, a hearty music lover, would have loved every note of it.During the Offertory, Yo-Yo Ma played the Sarabande from Bach's Suite No. 6 for Unaccompanied Cello, a piece of elegant, comforting beauty, with a hint of sadness in the descending melodic motive that recurs. Intonation could not have been easy to maintain in the un-airconditioned church, but Ma came through, as always, with his deeply poetic phrasing.
The cellist returned at Communion to accompany Placido Domingo in the Cesar Franck hymn, "Panis Angelicus," a work of great warmth that was much loved in the days of pre-guitar Catholicism. It was intriguing to
hear just a tenor and a solo cello perform this music, and I found the result quite touching, a very personal performance. Domingo sang with considerable expressive power to the counterpoint of Ma's eloquent counterpoint.
read more
It was the funeral mass of Senator Edward Kennedy today and as we mentioned earlier, around 60 U.S. senators were believed to have attended. Even President Barack Obama was there to pay his respects to Kennedy, who was dubbed “The Lion of the Senate.”
And according to Associated Press, Edward Kennedy’s son, Ted Kennedy Jr. was there to salute his father. Ted Kennedy Jr., who reportedly lost a leg from cancer when he was 12, stood in front of hundreds of mourners to memoralize Sen. Edward Kennedy.
Classical singer Susan Grah
read more
