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As a violinist, I was interested to learn that Irish violinist Patricia Treacy performed at President Biden’s inaugural mass held at 7:30 AM on Inauguration Day at a Washington cathedral. For the occasion, Ms. Treacy performed on a Stradivari violin worth around $4 million.
This Stradivari wasn’t made by the famous 17th century Cremonese luthier Antonio Stradivari whose instruments have become the gold standard for violin makers ever since. Instead, the violin Ms. Treacy played was made by Antonio’s son, Omobono Stradivari.
Omobono likely was primarily assigned repair work in Antonio’s shop. Compared to Antonio, few surviving violins are attributed to Omobono, and those are considered “clumsy” compared to his father’s work. And there is speculation that Omobono’s business interests primarily laid outside violin making.
Facing Apocalypse: Climate, democracy, and other last chances
MARYKNOLL, N.Y. Over the centuries Saint John’s
Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation, has maintained its climactic position in the Christian canon. The final book of the Christian Bible, it has fascinated readers, artists, and scholars with its terrifying imagery and portents of earth’s final days.
Today, threatened with our own distinctively “apocalyptic” moment, Catherine Keller, George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology at Drew University, Madison, NJ, offers a reading of John’s text through the lens of impending climate havoc, with all its systemic social intersections.
While the synchronicity of the ancient imagery with the ecological breakdown of our own time might give one pause, as Keller notes, the meaning of “apocalypse” is not “the end,” but “unveiling.”
In the Christian Bible, the Story of the Nativity mentions the Three Kings. And in the Holy Book of the Blues there is another troika of monikered monarchs: the Kings named B.B., Albert, and Freddie. Contemporary blues singer/guitarist Chris Cain was fortunate enough to meet, open for, and/or befriend all three of them.
And while he was closest personally to Albert King, whose singing and playing style most resembles his own, it was B.B. King who made the pronouncement to a Minnesota DJ: “Chris Cain? Now that boy can
play the guitar!” A wider audience than ever will be to hear what Cain can do after nearly 35 years in the business on
Moment of Silence bill moves through Florida Legislature
Published: April 11, 2021 4:14 PM EDT
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Florida’s Legislature is on the verge of requiring public schools across the state to set aside one to two minutes of silence every morning, adding to the mix of school announcements, the Pledge of Allegiance and roll calls.
The House passed HB 529 last month on a 94-24 vote, and a similar bill is making its way through the Senate. In the House, the 24 opponents included 23 Democrats plus Republican Rep. Linda Chaney of St. Petersburg.
Under the proposal, which would cover all K-12 public school classrooms, teachers can not recommend what students do with that time but should encourage parents to have that conversation with their children.