Our girls sang with their classes for the kids’ program at church on Christmas eve. It was especially fun since our good friends, Madeline and Annalise, were in the same group as Micah and Ellie. Annalise was really into it (she’s two to the left of Micah, in the dark jumper with a white ribbon around the waist); Micah was bored; Madeline and Ellie… well, just watch.
Did you know that Johann Sebastian Bach had a serious coffee habit? The current issue of Christian History & Biography magazine has an article about him that speaks of his caffeine addiction. As I think about it, it totally makes sense. Caffeine and counterpoint… of course! And those inventions and fugues sure can benefit from a little extra kick!
Bach actually wrote a piece called “Coffee Cantata.” Yes, for real! The story is about a girl who loves her coffee so much that her father fears she won’t be able to find a husband. But the girl doesn’t care–she just wants her cup o’ joe! My favorite line:
If I can’t drink my bowl of coffee three times daily,
then in my torment I will shrivel up like a piece of roast goat.
Now there’s a girl who’s serious about her coffee! The story does have a happy ending, though. Lieschen promises her father that she’ll give up coffee so that she can find a husband, then has a clause written into her marriage contract permitting her to make coffee whenever she wants. Way to go, Lieschen!
To see the full lyrics, visit www.afactor.net/kitchen/coffee/kaffeeKantate.html. In the meantime, remember:
A cat won’t stop from catching mice,
and maidens remain faithful to their coffee.
The mother holds her coffee dear, the grandmother drank it also,
who can thus rebuke the daughters!
I think I’ll go practice piano now. After I finish my coffee!