The Faces of Awe — Music (Shards)

The Faces of Awe — Music (Shards)

Music swirls around me.

Amnesty International Tour: U2 (June 1986)
Familiar names:
Joan Baez,
Neville Brothers,
Jackson Brown,
Peter Gabriel,
Sting.
Unfamiliar: U2.
Open their set with “Pride (In the name of Love).”
“One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One come he to justify
One man to overthrow.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.”
Searing guitar solo
Electrifies the arena.

Aida: Deborah Voigt (October 1999)
Victim of love and treachery
Radames is sent to
the tomb of Vulcan.
In the depths of despair
Radames is joined by his love
Aida.
“I have chosen to die with you.”
The massive tomb door closes,
Aida sings,
“O Earth, farewell – farewell, vale of tears,
dream of joy which vanished into sorrow.
Heaven opens to us, our wandering souls
fly fast towards the light of eternal day.”
The tuxedoed audience
cries.

Sunny Rollins: San Francisco Opera House (May 2005)
Born in 1930
Sonny sleepwalks
through his first set.
Then,
playing “In a Sentimental Mood”
He wakes up.
At the end of his solo
Everyone in the Opera House
Is on their feet.

Pulsing
In universal waves
Music unites us
If we are open.

Photo: A crop of a photo showing John Hurt giving a recording for the Library of Congress, 1964. Joseph C. Hickerson seen in background. Public Domain.