The late, great conservative philosopher, Sir Roger Scruton, delivers the keynote address at the Institute of Public Affairs' 2014 Foundations of Western Civilization Symposium. He discusses the topics of freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the pursuit of truth. —Editor This essay in our series of “Timeless Essays” was first published here in August [...]
Bruce Springsteen has called "We Are Alive," the final song on his 2012 album, "Wrecking Ball," a "ghost story." That it is, but it is also a song of high spirits and hope, one that deals with the Christian themes of resurrection and the communion of saints. There's a cross up yonder up on Calvary [...]
Beethoven wrote "Adelaide," a song for solo voice and piano, between 1794 and 1796, when he was in his mid-twenties. The text of the song is a poem in German by Friedrich von Matthisson, to whom Beethoven dedicated the work and to whom he wrote after its completion: "My most ardent wish will be fulfilled [...]
"Hunter of Invisible Game" is a short, post-apocalyptic film directed by Bruce Springsteen and Thom Zimny that was released on July 9, 2014. The film is also the music video for the eponymous song, which appears on Mr. Springsteen's eighteenth studio album, High Hopes. —Editor I hauled myself up out of the ditch And built [...]
We owe it to ourselves to get to know Harold Shapero, who showed that strikingly inventive things still could be done with the perennial tools of tonal music. His works crackle with intelligence and sing with rare melodic beauty. They are both timeless and of their time. For despite its classic foundations, Shapero’s music [...]
From Modest Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death to Oliver Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, here are ten great classical pieces about death and the end of this world. They may or may not provide you comfort. 1. Songs and Dances of Death, by Modest Mussorgsky A song cycle for voice (usually bass [...]
This song was written in 1864 in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant, who was appointed commander of all the Union armies in March of that year. Words by Charles Haynes and music by J.E. Haynes. Published by Root and Cady of Chicago. —Editor Lyrics All hail to Ulysses, the patriot’s friend, The hero of [...]
Apollo and Dionysus coexist throughout Beethoven’s work. Much musical commentary seems to imply that only a titanic wrestle with Fate or an emotional cataclysm qualifies as profound. Laying aside for a moment Beethoven the Myth and listening attentively to his works, we are reminded of the depth of emotion that resides in solidity and perfection [...]
We Americans like to think of ourselves as anti-monarchical; most of us on the Right are self-styled small-r republicans, while Leftists think of themselves as small-d democrats. In addition, we all, Right and Left, fancy that what unites Americans is devotion to a set of ideas to which we all adhere, and which are best [...]
“Though the caliber of people who have served as chief executive has declined erratically but persistently from the day George Washington left office, the presidency has been responsible for less harm and more good, in the nation and in the world, than perhaps any other secular institution in history." —Forrest McDonald, The American Presidency: An [...]
Claude Debussy’s “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” ranks right up there alongside his “Clair de Lune,” “Beau Soir,” and “Afternoon of a Faun” on my “favorite short classical pieces” list. In spite of their brevity, all of them immediately transport you, taking you to a vivid, sensual, evocative place that, once you’ve returned to [...]
As this year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven, I’ve been inspired to muse upon his oeuvre and to ask myself which of his many works could be considered the best. It is, however, necessary to say upfront that there are two kinds of “best.” There is the objective “best” and the [...]
Wherever we are—in restaurants or in the Metro or wherever—we are overhearing music coming at us from all angles, and we are learning how to ignore it. We live in a society where, if we do not learn to ignore it, we cannot also learn to listen to it. This puts an enormous strain [...]
President Donald J. Trump today became the first President of the United States to address in person the March for Life. Please read below the official White House transcript of the remarks, which was provided to The Imaginative Conservative. Below the transcript is also a video of the president's speech. Office of the Press Secretary [...]