Theater of the Imagination
Join award winning composer Peter Link as he presents his life's work in 'Theater of the Imagination.'
Theater of the Imagination
Series 1, Episode 9 Part 1: Sacred Sunday Morning Volume 2
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Sacred Sunday Morning Volume 2 – Parts 1&2 is an exploration of stories and concepts from the Bible. With Guest Artist, Julia Wade, both Link and Wade discuss and investigate through song and conversation some of their favorite Bible stories and themes. The amazing work and voice of Julia Wade gets a beautiful presentation here as she performs and delves into her process of preparation to record. We also hear from Mindy Jostyn and The Jenny Burton Experience.
Scattershot Symphony is presented by Watchfire Music. Learn more about this episode at their website watchfiremusic.com
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Scattershot Symphony #9
Sacred Sunday Morning - Volume 2
Parts 1 & 2
Welcome to:
Scattershot Symphony
The Music of Peter Link
(That’s me.)
People ask me, “Why “Symphony? You’re not a classical composer.” Well, Wikipedia defines “Symphony” as: an extended musical composition most often written by composers for orchestra – often presented in several movements.
And so, I bring you the music of a lifetime of composition – often presented in several movements. That’s the nature of these podcasts – a scattershot look at a lifetime of music …
So, strap on them headphones.
We’re 90% music with just a smattering of commentary.
And for god sakes,
(Crowd)
Turn it up!
This week being the ninth episode of this podcast, I prefer to let the music do the talkin’. However, if you need to know more about me, please visit Wikipedia.com – Peter Link.
This episode is entitled “Sacred Sunday Morning - Volume 2”
Parts 1 & 2
Moments from the Bible — An Exploration
With Guest Artist, Julia Wade
Part 1
Phlutterphase Hang Music Cue
This episode is also a continuation of Episode #5, Sacred Sunday Morning, Volume 1. It differs in that Volume one looked at the many different ways people spend their Sunday mornings and the various sacred approaches that people take, whereas in Volume 2 we will explore a number of specific stories and concepts from the Bible through songs written mostly by yours truly.
And what good is a composer without an orchestra or a singer to perform their music? On this level I am blessed! Not only do I work with a terrific vocalist, herself blessed with a superb instrument, but I also live with her ... for she is my wife. Not only is she my wife, but she is also the president of our music company, Watchfire Music. She’s with us today as our guest artist to help me spin the tales relating to many of the sacred songs from the Bible that she has recorded during an inspirational music career that has spanned 20 years and 15 albums.
I could go on and on ... and I will, but following the theme of this podcast, I will try to scatter my applause and standing ovations throughout this Volume Two presented in two parts. And so, without further adieu, please welcome, Watchfire Music’s best selling artist, and my constant companion, Julia Wade.
(Thunderous Applause)
Julia
Thank you, Mr. Link ... for inviting me to join you here in this studio that I know so well. This will likely be a somewhat different experience than our usual most intimate producer/artist sessions ... Won’t it?
Mr. Link
Well, I certainly hope so, Ms Wade.
Ms Wade
How fascinating to do a session with you and never sing a note.
Mr. Link
Yes, how novel ...
Ms Wade
Well, I do love to talk!
Mr. Link
Yes, I know. So today I’m going to ply you with questions that I hope will elicit from you answers that not only illuminate many of these stories from the Bible, but also shed light on your process of recording.
Ms Wade
Fire away ... I’m ready to rock.
Peter
OK, let’s start with the concept of creation. As a composer, I do not consider myself the creator. I leave that job to The Creator of all things spiritual. Rather, I am the messenger. Through the language of music, I get to deliver the creator’s content, it’s Truths, it’s inspiration, to people around the world. And especially, working with Biblical content that was created centuries ago, I am simply the messenger bringing it once again into the light. You, Julia, and I both get to play our small parts in bringing that light to the world.
Julia
Yup!
Peter
So Jules, where do you see yourself in this process of creation? Are you a creator? Are you a messenger? Are you ... What?
Julia
Well, I see myself as an interpreter and a storyteller -- even when a song is loaded with dense metaphysical ideas. My job is to relate those ideas -- position them in such a way that the song feels like a simple story unfolding to the listening ear. So in the case of this song, “Creation,”
I definitely dove into who I was in that moment, and who I was talking to, and why I was telling the story. These are all choices I make to allow the listener to relate it to their own life. In that sense, I am a messenger too!
Peter
From Julia’s album, Solos. Creation.
Creation
Text by Mary Baker Eddy
Music by Peter Link
There is but one creator
And one creation.
Infinite Mind is the creator,
And creation is the infinite image or idea
Emanating from this Mind.
There is but one creator
And one creation.
Creation is ever appearing,
And must ever continue to appear
From the nature of its inexhaustible source.
This creation consists of
The unfolding of spiritual ideas
And their identities,
Which are embraced in the infinite Mind
And forever reflected.
When we learn the way in Christian Science
And recognize man's spiritual being,
We shall behold and understand God's creation, —
All the glories of earth
And heaven
Earth and heaven and man.
There is but one creator
And one creation.
And one creation.
[Words used courtesy of The Mary Baker Eddy Collection]
Peter
Here’s a song from an album we did with a super talented 12-year old Broadway veteran named Noah Marlow. The album, entitled Miracle Of Faith, told the story of Jesus and the Five Loaves and Two Fishes, from three different points of view, using three of the central characters in the story — the boy who first steps forth and offers his basket of food, the disciple who tries to stop him from bothering the master, Jesus, and a witness to the miracle, the sometimes called “thirteenth disciple”, Mary Magdalene, who watched it all go down. I got to play the doubter, the disciple, Thomas, and Julia played, of course, Mary Magdalene. Julia, tell us a little of your exploration and findings of this much misunderstood Bible Character, Ms Magdalene.
Julia
I’ve been fascinated with Mary Magdalene for many years. I’ve read scholarly books and historical novels about this woman -- she feels so important to Jesus’ career and ministry -- and yet she was largely left out of much of the Bible translations except to insinuate that she was a fallen woman, a prostitute … but she wasn’t. There’s nothing in the Bible that says she was. And then, we find her at the cross. She was one of the first to discover that Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb. Like you said, Peter, Bible scholars agree that she might have been a 13th disciple. But one thing seems sure: she was a witness to the many miracles which Jesus performed, and she lived to tell about them.
And so, Yours Truly — The Evidence Of Things Unseen
The Evidence of Things Unseen
Lyrics by Dora Redman and Peter Link
Music by Peter Link
And so he spoke
"They need not depart.
Give ye them food to eat."
Give them food for thought,
The food of light,
The light of sustenance
Don't send them away in their time of need
Feed the flock
But his disciples were not in the mind of Jesus
They struggled to raise their faith
And though miracles had abounded throughout the days
They were stuck in the world's worn out ways
They knew not God's law of infinite abundance
And I watched as they muttered amongst themselves hmm
"Feed them with what? There's nothing to eat"
No apples, no almonds, no meat
Then a boy stepped forth
With a basket of bread and two fishes
Well you know the rest
The five thousand were fed
And we all saw the power of his wishes
And the evidence of things unseen
Oh yes the evidence of things unseen
You ask, "What is that evidence?"
It's the substance of faith
And no seeming dreams that lie in between
There, by his prayer
Pulled out of thin air
In a miracle of such routine
(As I witnessed so often, again and again)
Was the evidence of things unseen
Yes, the evidence of things unseen
Yes a boy stepped forth
With the spirit of "Nothing can stop me"
A boy, just a boy
And five thousand were fed
And we all felt the power and the glory
Of the evidence of things unseen
Oh yes the evidence of things unseen
And right there, by his prayer
Pulled out of thin air
In a miracle of such routine
(As I witnessed so often, again and again)
Was the evidence of things unseen
The man
The miracle
The son of God
Hallelu!!!
And all this from two fishes
And five loaves of bread
Peter
Julia, as President of a music company these past 15 years, you’ve faced the total collapse and crash of the music business, a world-wide political upheaval and now a pandemic, yet Watchfire Music continues to grow and expand. How’d you do that? What gets you through it all?
Julia
You keep on working. You keep on creating. I am an artist first. So, when you commit to being an artist, you are signing up for a very unconventional life of creativity, which is wonderful ... But you are also signing up for a largely unconventional source of income. At Watchfire Music, we were already prepared to handle the problems you mentioned by simply continuing to do our work, -- keeping our ears to the ground, and staying nimble.
So this idea that income or supply is spiritual is very powerful And the Bible is full of this wisdom that you and I, Peter, have lived by. I get to say it so much better in this next song from Matthew, Consider The Lilies.
Consider the Lilies
Music by Peter Link
Lyrics from Matthew 6
Take no thought for your life
What ye shall eat
Or what ye shall drink
Nor yet for your body
What ye shall put on
Is not your life more than the meat
And the body than raiment?
Are ye not much better than they?
Behold the fowls of the air
For they sow not
And nor do they reap
Or harvest for others
Yet God feedeth his own
Are ye not much better than they?
Consider the lilies of the field
How they grow
Oh how they grow
Consider the lilies of the field
They toil not
Neither do they spin
And yet I say unto you
That even Solomon in all his glory
Was not arrayed like one of these
And therefore take no thought
In wond'ring who will clothe
And who will feed us
And who will end this thirst within
No take no thought
For your heavenly Father knoweth
That ye have need of all these things
But now seek ye first
The hand of God
His righteousness
And all will be added
Take no thought for the morrow
The morrow shall take thought
For the things of itself
Consider the lilies how they grow
How they grow
Oh how they grow
How they grow
How they grow
Peter
I’ve always loved the Bible story of Jesus in the boat with his frightened disciples weathering and controlling the storm. To have the mental might and insights into physics and the so-called laws of nature that Jesus had, was always a wonder to me even as a child. To control the winds, to walk on the water, to move through time and space as he did always amazed me. And to do all these things, not to mention the physical healings that he performed, all through a deep mental focus, was not an unexplainable miracle, but rather a teaching by example of the power of thought. He was the great exemplar. That always meant to me that he was here to teach us that we could do the same.
I do believe that we can control matter with our minds. I can’t always do it, but I do know that it is possible. Otherwise, what was the point of Jesus’ being here? If he were on the planet today, I think I could actually give it all up and go follow him. That would be cool.
Ah, the possibility! And to think, it all started with a bunch of guys
out on the sea ... in a boat!
Julia Wade — Peace Be Still
Peace Be Still
Music by Peter Link
Lyrics Adapted from Mark 4
Additional Lyrics by Peter Link
And when they had sent away the multitude,
They took the Master into a ship.
And there were also with him other little ships.
But then there arose a great storm
And the waves beat down
And the wind rose up
And the sea filled the ship
Till the waters reigned
And the Master asleep on a pillow lay
While all of those around him lost hope
So they began to waken him and say to him
Oh Master why do you not care
That we perish out here
In a raging storm
And the waters rise
And the ship goes down
Aaah
And he arose
And rebuked the wind
And said unto the sea
Peace be still
Peace be still
And the wind ceased
And there was a great calm
And he said unto them
Why are ye so fearful?
How is it that ye have no faith?
And so they esteemed him exceedingly,
And said to one another "Oh my
What manner of man is this who works such miracles
That even the wind and the sea obey him?"
For he arose
And rebuked the wind
And said unto the sea
Peace be still
Peace be still
Julia
This next song is by a beloved artist, Mindy Jostyn. I first met Mindy when we were both performing at a little / conservative college in the midwest. She was already well known for her work with a number of famous artists including Billy Joel and Carly Simon.
As an artist, Mindy was now a rugged individualist. By the time she came back to her alma mater to do a special performance, there was a hint of the prodigal daughter returning that allowed her to stand on the stage, and in her now offbeat way say to this audience,
“OK People! The Mindy you knew back then is different now. It’s been a long time since I was last here. A lot has happened. A lot. I got married. And then, I had a baby ...Wow ... that was different.”
Mindy had come a long way to stand on the stage that night. This next song of hers traces this prodigal story from the Bible in a most personal and unique way.
Prodigal Child by Mindy Jostyn with John James
Prodigal Child
Music by Mindy Jostyn
Lyrics by Mindy Jostyn and Jacob Brackman
I am a weary wanderer, I've traveled far and wide
In search of satisfactions I could not find inside
But everywhere I travel, I'm searching in the rain
And every city floods me with emptiness and pain
I left my homeland long ago with pockets full of gold
I squandered my inheritance, I slept out in the cold
Till in my darkest hour, I cried out in despair
Oh, lead me back to my childhood home
Back to my father's care
And if he will not have me, I'll go down on bended knee
And ask my generous father if a servant I could be
Though once I was his cherished one
I fear that in my shame
I am no longer privileged to bear our family name
My father sees me coming from far across the field
He runs to hold me in his arms before I reach his hill
I beg for his forgiveness, I don't deserve his grace
He cries, "I've found you, child of mine"
As tears stream down his face
I am a weary wanderer come home at last to stay
My restless soul has found its peace
My heart has found its way
I failed to win the world, but I've gained a greater prize
To know I am a worthy child in my gentle father's eyes
Peter
OK, let’s talk for a bit about your process of preparation to record a song in the studio. And let’s use the example of a song you’ve sung for years now, a central piece in your repertoire, Isaiah 40. This is certainly one of the most quoted sections of the Bible. How do you even begin to approach the power and majesty of these lyrics? As an interpreter, how do you go about preparing to perform such monumental material?
Julia
Well, you gotta couple more hours? ...
To give you the “short” answer, I go back to what I said in the beginning of this interview -- it’s true, I am an interpreter. But more than that, I identify as an actor. I can play a part that might be larger than myself. I can play a Queen. I can even play a great Prophet.
It’s my job to find my character, find out who I am singing to, figure out what I am doing -- am I begging or proclaiming, defending or attacking? And I figure out why I am doing all of this -- and how does it make me feel? And what’s my objective?
So in preparation, I ask myself The Five Questions that you, my producer and director taught me to use as an actor many years ago. I’ve incorporated these questions that help me discover the essence of the song. And the answers all come from the lyrics and the music -- so not only am I an interpreter and an actor, but I am also a collaborator: I am responding to the lyricist, the composer. Whew! It is ALWAYS a grand exploration! So, the opening lines of this song plant me firmly in the mind and soul of the great prophet Isaiah.
Peter
Julia Wade — Isaiah 40
Isaiah 40
Music and Additional Lyrics by Peter Link
Have ye not known
Have ye not heard
Has it not been told you from the beginning
Have ye not understood the word
That the everlasting God
The creator of the ends of the earth
The Lord
Fainteth not
Neither is weary
And so it is from the foundations of the earth
He giveth power to the faint
To them that have no might within them
He giveth strength to the weak
Even the youths shall faint and be weary
And the young men shall utterly fall
But they that wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall lift their dauntless faces to the sky
They shall carry on with great expectations
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
They shall run and not be weary
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
Have ye not known
Have ye not heard
Has it not been told you from the beginning
Have ye not understood the word
That the everlasting God
The creator of the ends of the earth
Is the Lord
There is no searching of his understanding (x6)
There is no searching
No searching
There is no searching
No searching
There is no searching
No searching
Have ye not known
Have ye not heard
Has it not been told you from the beginning
Peter
This completes Part 1 of Sacred Sunday Morning Volume 2. Please tune into Part 2 as we continue to explore moments from the Bible.
End of Part 1