(some Beethoven) and A Spiritual Communion by St Alphonsus de Maria Ligouri

Hear ye, Hear ye! My dear readers,

After a long tiring day (again!) of working and yet working at our seemingly unable-to-finish-pile-of-work, my husband and I went for a concert, just to get our minds off work for a while. The programme of the concert consisted of 1 "small" piece and 2 "big" pieces. Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 1 was the first "big" piece and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 (otherwise also known as the 'Eroica' Symphony) came next.

Here are some excerpts from the concert and of course(!!!!!!!) the dear "Beethoven-is-the-best" fan in me was anxiously waiting for Beethoven's symphony no. 3 to be played!!! 

I could immediately hear the difference between the music Rachmaninov created and the music Beethoven enchanted! Not that Rachmaninov is not a great composer, he is on the list of great composers, but the point I want to make is that Beethoven's music warmed up the concert hall and even though the orchestra did not enter into the piece as well as they could have, the piece was brilliant and enchanting from start to finish. 

“Then let us all do what is right, strive with all our might toward the unattainable, develop as fully as we can the gifts God has given us, and never stop learning” 
― Ludwig van Beethoven

Here is the 1st Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 - Allegro con brio played by the Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

Next up, is the 2nd Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 played by the Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. This ranks as my *most favourite* of all Beethoven Symphonies! =)

A Spiritual Communion (a formula as said by St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri):

My most precious Jesus, 
I firmly believe that though art truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.
I love Thee above all things 
and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. 
Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, 
come at least spiritually into my heart. (Pause)

As though Thou wert already there, 
I embrace Thee, 
and unite myself wholly to Thee;
Permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee.

May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ keep my soul unto Everlasting Life.

Amen.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, I love You; Save Souls!

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor Tuum. (ter)