In the afterglow of the final Christmas Fest performance, I find myself both relieved and disappointed that it's over. Relieved, because we spent a month-and-a-half working on music for it, but disappointed because it had brought us together both physically and spiritually. Now we return to secular academic atria of thought. I've been madly working to finish up my composition as part of a joint project with a dance choreographer, and I await commencing my comp project for Music Theory, and an essay test in French in the upcoming days. After thinking exclusively in a choir mind-set (ie going over music and text, drinking water, etc), it will be fun to switch gears and head back on the worldly trail.
Tomorrow I believe is Norway's official Christmas Day. During my first year here last year, I seriously thought Christmas Fest was at the beginning of December simply because it was the latest we could have it before 1st semester finals was due to start. Even though I knew it was a school based on Norwegian and Lutheran traditions, it never occured to me to come up with 4 after putting 2 and 2 together. After all, I am only half Norwegian and not at all Lutheran like the prototypical St. Olaf student. So while my true Christmas is still 21 days away, I have been able to feel the joy and spirituality of the season, and most of all, I can now start mentally putting the original text of Mendelssohn's There Shall A Star back into my head. Hallelujah!
There shall a Star from Jacob come forth,
And a scepter from Israel rise up,
And dash in pieces princes and nations.
As bright the star of morning gleams,
So Jesus sheddeth glorious beams,
Of light and consolation,
Thy word, O Lord,
Radiance darting, Truth imparting, gives salvation,
Thine be praise and adoration.
--Numbers 24:17; Psalm 2:9; Phillip Nicolai
...and that's how it should be. :-)