Spiritual Moments With The Great Composers

'It is refreshing to see Christians glorifying God in culture, excellently. Patrick Kavanaugh has done just that. Rather than divide the 'sacred' from the 'secular, ' Kavanaugh has exquisitely preserved their unity by emphasizing the ultimate purpose of music-- expressing majestic praise to our exalted Creator'. ---Charles Colson

This is a compelling and inspiring look at spiritual beliefs that influenced some of the world's greatest composers, now revised and expanded with eight additional composers.

A unique guide to enhance and enrich your enjoyment of classical music, this book is for music lovers who want to better understand the works of the masters.

Discover How to Flourish as an Artist in the Church. Over 150,000 Copies Sold. God is interested in your art and your heart. The Heart of the Artist, now in an updated second edition, deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces, including: Servanthood versus stardom Excellence versus perfectionism Handling criticism Jealousy and envy Managing your emotions The spiritual disciplines of the artist And much more Each chapter includes provocative questions for group discussion and personal action steps for individual application. Somewhere between pride and self-abasement lies true humility--just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as a musician, a technical media artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. The Heart of the Artist will give you a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You'll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.

Over 100,000 sold!• Great for individuals and teams• Includes provocative discussion questions“I wish I had your gift!”How do you handle those words as a creative artist? Somewhere between pride and self-abasement lies true humility—just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as an actor, a musician, a visual artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. God is interested in your art and your heart.The Heart of the Artist deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces: • Servant hood Versus Stardom• Excellence Versus Perfectionism• The Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist• The Artist in Community . . . and moreThe Heart of the Artist will give you a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You’ll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.“Breathtakingly personal, practical, and poignant.”—Timothy Tie, New York, New York“I am better for having applied these principles. . . . A must-read for church staff, creative types, growing Christians, human beings.”—Rev. Ginny Allen, Jackson, Mississippi“Rory Noland pinpoints issues that often arise in the life of the artist, and gives good, biblical solutions. A must-have for Christian artists in any field.”—Tom Hinkle, Tulsa, OklahomaRory Noland is director of Heart of the Artist Ministries (www.heartoftheartist.org), an organization dedicated to turning teams of church artists into communities of grace. A composer songwriter, author, and speaker, Rory is a graduate of the Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University and served for twenty years as music director at Willow Creek Community Church.

Graduates are reminded of God's special plan for their future by authors Philip Yancey, Oswald Chambers, Charles Stanley, and many more.

'A glorious plum-pudding of a book, to be consulted, with pleasure and profit, over and over again' Sir Jeremy Isaacs Michael Steen's 'Great Composers' was originally published in 2003. A lifetime's work and almost 1000 pages long, it has since become 'the' reference point and key read on the biographical backgrounds to classical music's biggest names. Authoritative and hugely detailed - but nonetheless a joy to read - this new edition will expand its readership further and capitalise on a newfound popular interest in classical music. Steen's book helps you explore the story of Bach, the respectable burgher much of whose vast output was composed amidst petty turf disputes in Lutheran Leipzig; or the ugly, argumentative Beethoven in French-occupied Vienna, obsessed by his laundry; or Mozart, the over-exploited infant prodigy whose untimely death was shrouded in rumour. Read about Verdi, who composed against the background of the Italian Risorgimento; or about the family life of the Wagners; and, Brahms, who rose from the slums of Hamburg to become a devotee of beer and coffee in fin-de-siecle Vienna, a cultural capital bent on destroying Mahler ... and much, much more.

... woke me up in the waiting room and told me Denise wanted to see me. My baby was awake! She had come back to us and was on her way to recovery. The next day I learned that Denise did go to the peaceful place. As she weakly spoke of her mystical journey, she seemed transformed and she spoke with beautiful wisdom. I was in complete awe of the saintly words flowing from her mouth. Denise had seen what she refers to as "A golden light outlined with a deep blue." I asked her, "Is there a reason we are here?" She answered, "Yes Mommy. We are here to experience life. It comes with both pain and happiness." Denise revealed to me that she tried to go into the tunnel of light, but they wouldn't let her in. She said they kept saying, "Go to your Mommy." Later she told me, "If it's not your time, it's not your time and they send you back." Denise says that the loving, golden light of God is everywhere. "People just can't see it. I can... if I close my eyes I can see the light anytime I want. Now I know the big picture." As she spoke of her near death experience I thought, "What an honor it is to be your mother!" Life is an adventure that we choose at the soulful level. It is our contract with God. All of us have a divine purpose and all of us are equally important. Life is about rediscovering who we are. We are all students and we are all teachers. My children have been my greatest teachers. My journey in this lifetime has been experienced as a musician/composer. My purpose is to assist in awakening the spirit with music. I perform my compositions from a place I refer to as the Source of Love. Denise told me later that she could hear my piano recordings from "the other side." Denise said that hearing the music, gave her a path back to life and she could hear it playing as she regained consciousness. This incident with my daughter occurred after Butterfly Moments was written. It was from the lessons that I am about to share with you that I was able to witness the whole event, of almost losing my precious daughter, with my spiritual eyes. I replaced my fear with God. I replaced my fear with Love. Each one of us has a divine purpose. We are never alone. I repeat... we are never alone! A small, delicate, orange and black butterfly taught me this lesson on a beautiful September morning, while I was having an inquisitive conversation with God. This was a major turning point in my awareness of the divine that dwells within all of us. I began to recognize that Butterfly Moments happen every day. I hope that in writing what I have come to know, you will better recognize these quiet, beautiful moments that occur every day in your life. It took some courage to share some of my stories but it is worth it if I can pass some of what I have learned in a way that it might make a difference. My story was written to share with you with Love.