Tomorrow begins year LVIII, Anno Satanas. We live in a time of social upheaval. Global economies are in spasms, kept in drastic flux by an ongoing aggressive war which has again raised the specter of possible military nuclear detonations. This chaos has provided an open season for authoritarian power grabs. While Christianity had played the role of a domesticated belief system—their most widespread denominations were not actively involved in crushing the pluralism of contemporary times—we can clearly see that the Dominionists amongst them have been working diligently to seize political power towards the end of legislating their beliefs as law—other […]
Beethoven
8 posts
From our garden here at The Black House—pictured is the thriving smoke tree planted in tribute to Magister Joe Netherworld—we offer Solstice greetings to all in harmony with the Earth’s seasonal changes! In the Northern Hemisphere we embrace the longest day of the year as sultry Summer begins. Those in the Southern Hemisphere mark the longest night as Winter begins its gelid dominion. Wherever on this wondrous planet you might be, it is always a delight to celebrate the glories of nature and the abundant pleasures that life offers! Here’s to a splendid new season filled with indulgences galore! Beethoven‘s […]
For Satanists, our carnal religion celebrates every day as Earth Day. We cherish and protect our wondrous home world, with all of its beauties and terrors, and invite you to do the same. If possible, go out of doors and partake of the splendors of Nature—of which you are a vibrant participant! Some musical suggestions to enhance this day: Beethoven’s “Pastorale” Symphony No. 6 presents this brilliant composer’s reactions to Nature—and the first movement’s repetitive use of motivic material is perhaps a precursor to minimalism! Icelandic composer Jon Leifs conjured the sound of a local volcanic eruption in Hekla, which […]
Tomorrow begins year LVI, Anno Satanas. This past year has been one of distress, a “sturm und drang” roller-coaster ride abetted by a global pandemic that caused numerous deaths and the collapse of many enterprises, reminding us of the fragility of the societies we’ve crafted. Many take social constructs for bedrock, but certain events prove them to be but gossamer configurations, torn asunder with a swiftness that alarms the naive, confirming the fundamental cynicism of those of us who carefully observe our history. There is a leaden inertia to the social order. Humans strive for instant gratification, resisting preparations for […]
On this 249th anniversary of the birth of one of our greatest composers, you might want to take a listen to his revolutionary 9th Symphony, which has challenged, haunted and inspired many composers who followed. This performance by Anima Eterna Brugge and the Collgium Vocale Gent, directed by Korneel Bernolet, is with an ensemble that is somewhat like what listeners of Beethoven’s time might have heard—sadly, Ludvig was completely deaf when he wrote and then later conducted this work’s premiere, so these glorious sounds only lived in his mind’s ears. But you, dear listener, can feast upon this mighty music. […]
Vox Satanae – Episode 383 This week we hear works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Sigismond Thalberg, Richard Strauss, and Henryk Górecki with performances by Alfred Brendel, The Vienna Philharmonic, Sir Simon Rattle, Francesco Nicolosi, Alexander Kerr, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden, Dawn Upshaw, The London Sinfonietta, and David Zinman. Download Episode 383
Vox Satanae – Episode #359 This week we hear works by Robert Johnson II, Matthew Locke, Antonio Vivaldi, Ludwig van Beethoven, John Knowles Paine, Jean Sibelius, Gösta Nystroem, Frank Martin, and Kurt Weill with performances by Paul Agnew, Christopher Wilson, The English Concert, Harry Bicket, William Bennett, The English Chamber Orchestra, George Malcolm, Paul Lewis, The Ulster Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta, The Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Jussi Jalas, The Swedish Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov, The Netherlands Chamber Choir, Tõnu Kaljuste, Kurt Streit, Anne Sofie von Otter, Darren Jeffery, Neal Davies, Christine Rice, Peter Hoare, Sir Willard White, The […]
Vox Satanae – Episode 212 – The Scherzo – 145 Minutes – Week of 27 October 2014 This is a very special episode curated by our own Magus Peter H. Gilmore. An aural odyssey from joyous celebrations of vital existence to spectral dances of madness. In this journey highlighting the development of the symphonic scherzo, we feature works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonín Dvořák, Sergei Prokofiev, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Jean Sibelius, Aram Khachaturian, Sir Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Aaron Copland, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Bernard Herrmann, Don Gillis, Anton Bruckner, Dmitri Shostakovich, Gustav Mahler, and John Corigliano.