LANA Conference ~ June 27-July 2 ~ Hawthorne Valley, NY
The Musical Forging Process and the Development of Michaelic Impulses
with Manfred Bleffert

Thirty-one Lyre Association members took part in this special conference on June 27-July 2 in Hawthorne Valley, NY. All of us were together for the programs on the opening evening and closing afternoon; and we were united first thing each morning to hear the tone of the day and to experience Manfred Bleffert's presentation about that tone, late in the afternoon for more work with Manfred, and in the evening to play in the large lyre ensemble. However, for the rest of the time—most of the morning and part of the afternoon—we were divided into two groups with different activities. Seventeen participants (along with four students from the Alkion Center) worked in the forge with Manfred, each making four pairs of iron rods sounding the Tao tones. During those times, the remaining fourteen participants did eurythmy and listening work with Ulrike Bleffert, played the lyre in small groups, and explored music through various instrumental and vocal work, mostly improvising.

Below are articles by Brigitta Witteveen and Elyce Perico describing their experiences in the forge work and non-forge work, respectively. There is also an article by Robin Elliott about the public concert at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hudson on July 3, following the conference. Quite a few of us stayed to take part in this concert, which was, in a sense, the culmination of the conference.

To summarize or characterize our experiences with our principal presenter, Manfred Bleffert, is a task I have found nearly impossible. Much of what I learned was from experiencing his presence and example. "The Musical Forging Process and the Development of Michaelic Impulses" was the conference theme, and some participants suggested that the latter part of the theme had not been directly addressed in the conference. However, when I reflected on the man who had been the heart of the conference, remembering the quiet, centered manner in which Manfred stood before us, the way he always seemed to be "listening," his courage and integrity in following his own path among his celebrated musical colleagues, his profound connection to the iron and other metals from which he forged his instruments, his openness to combining lyres with his instruments for the first time, the artwork he shared with us and in which he explored the depths and relationships of the festivals, the hierarchies, and the Christ—when I contemplated all this, I realized that we had experienced a living example of the cultivation of Michaelic impulses.

In the content of his talks, Manfred brought us some quite new ideas. Many participants had spent years, even decades, working deeply with the mirrored scales built on the planetary scales and with developing their listening capacities. Manfred revealed to us new perspectives on these tones and new touchstones for listening. Surely, this points to our work for the future.

A highlight of the conference was Christof-Andreas Lindenberg's presentation one evening, when he developed aspects of Manfred's presentations in a most remarkable way.

A new and welcome addition to this conference was the presence of a lyre builder, Alan Thewless, who lives in Pennsylvania. Not only is Alan building kinderharps and lyres of his own design, but he is trying to obtain the rights to make lyres based on designs of the late German builder, Heinz M. Derscheid. In addition, we can now order strings for most lyres from Alan.

It is noteworthy that participants came from a larger area than at any recent national conference: eight states and two Canadian provinces were represented. Moreover, two participants were from the West Coast, five from the Midwest, and one from the South.

In keeping with our three-year conference rhythm, the 2010 conference was intended to focus on the broader principles of the Movement for Musical Renewal. The LANA Board is already working toward the summer conference in 2011, which will center on the lyre. We hope to be able to share information about the dates, location and guest presenter for this lyre intensive quite soon. It is expected that in 2012 there will be another international lyre conference, most likely in Germany.

Tuning the Rods, Tuning Ourselves

When I first heard about the annual lyre conference, I signed up for the metal instrument-making course. I had experienced the instruments in The Christian Community in Boston. Christiane Boogert used them during the service and festivals. At times I helped her.

I was very happy to meet Manfred Bleffert, the artist, and to make an instrument for myself. Having no idea what to expect and no background in metal working, I was open to anything. I was eager and ready to work in the forge.

In the first class, we were introduced to the materials: a long round metal bar, a hammer, and an anvil. During Mr. Bleffert's introduction, he talked about working together, the balance of the hammer, and listening.

We began by working in small groups. One person held the uncut iron rod at one end and turned it slowly. At the other end, several students took turns hammering on the metal as it was rotated. By yielding to gravity and allowing the hammer to do its natural work, we found ourselves to be in a neutral place. Thus, the equilibrium of raising and lowering the hammer was established, rather than forcing the movements through our will and ego. In my experience, this actually made the hearing of the "noise" from the hammering possible.

After we each had an opportunity to try all aspects of that initial work, the large bars were cut into smaller sections. That way, the group had already worked on the individual iron rods. Then we worked by ourselves on our own instrument, each participant taking up the task of turning and hammering his or her own iron rod.

Because of the sounds created while we worked, it seemed easier to go into my own rhythm. Yet, it felt good to be aware of the whole, and this became less tiring.

Every day Mr. Bleffert talked to us in the morning and afternoon sessions. These short introductions were profound, revealing the connection between what we were doing and the spiritual counterpart in ourselves. He likened the tone bar to ourselves and spoke of how, through life, we are each continually purified, just as the hammering does for the bar.

He talked about what was happening physically within the iron rod as we hammered. We had to work with measurements for the lengths of the bar. A hole was made with a drill where the string would be placed. This way we could hold and play it without inadvertently dampening the resonance.

Then came the part where we had to listen and tune our iron rods. When the tone was too low, we needed to hammer more. If it was too high, we had to file it. "Hammer it down, file it up."
In his final lecture, Mr.Bleffert was asked, "When will we be done with tuning?" He answered, "You are never done with tuning."

And so, I thought, it is with ourselves.

Thus, at home I keep on with the work of tuning. And I have inspired the 4th grade teacher to make iron rods with her class. We are looking for a piece of train rail. Those long metal bars would be excellent for several students to work on together!

A Sounding from the Future

With his gentle, expressive presence and an ability to create a listening space that invited participation, Manfred Bleffert opened the door to artistic musical explorations that were enriching to experience. Each evening gently closed with an improvisation moving from the tone of the present day to the next. Each morning began with the tone of the day leading us further into the cultivation of a relationship with sound, which, as Manfred phrased it, was to ultimately realize the intention of music itself ". . . to help, to harmonize, and to heal."

I was grateful for this chance to play lyre, sing, explore and learn within such a large group. As a full group, we contemplated comprehensive pictures of tone’s connection within the cosmos, from the anthroposophical viewpoint of Rudolf Steiner, that Manfred brought in the morning; and then our smaller group shared the joy of moving those same pictures through eurythmy with Ulrike Bleffert! Channa generously played the lyre for our movement, and Norma’s rich voice beautifully recited poetry. Moving with Ulrike was a gift, as she radiated a depth of sensitivity and warmth that guided us lovingly—even through the new terrain of the "Bartok" scale! (A scale introduced by Manfred; it may take a while for my ears to "awaken" to this sound!) One evening, Christof-Andreas Lindenberg presented a way of hearing and working with the tones and scales that complemented what Manfred had been bringing. Another experience that was new for me was to rehearse a variety of pieces as part of a full lyre orchestra. I have played music in many different situations, yet this was a refreshing challenge and fun!

An experience like this lives on, and I reflect often on these fertile gifts that continue to ripen in the soul. One day, in a quiet voice filled with reverence, Manfred said something that deeply touched my heart: "Every child is a being of spirit and art. Every human being is a gift."

Let us continue to work together in the world as we strive to "listen into the future," allowing the music that lives between us "to help, to harmonize and (ultimately) to heal."

An evening concert on Saturday, July 3, followed the very fine conference in which Manfred Bleffert taught eighteen novices how to make metal instruments. He led participants to form a path of understanding to the element of Iron and the Michaelic Impulse as we worked in the forge. Along with Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, Manfred offered deeply moving lectures on music in the light of anthroposophy. During the conference, lyrists listened and played together, and Ulrike Bleffert offered eurythmy sessions on the TAO tones. Then a most amazing musical offering was presented to all who could stay an extra day. Many people from the community also attended.

The setting was St. Mary's Catholic Church in nearby Hudson. The spiritual life was awake in the atmosphere of the church, and this made it easier to breathe into and make music there. Many conference participants extended their stay in order to take part in this concert. Music of Channa Seidenberg, J. S. Bach, Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, and Lothar Reubke was performed by the lyre orchestra. Diane Barnes offered a vocal selection during the last part of the concert, and Ulrike Bleffert joined her husband on several pieces with metal instruments.

The musical content of Manfred's contributions was based on the festival time of the year—St. John's Tide. The way in which he wove the thought content with the musical content was masterful. Beginning with iron rods sounding from behind the pews and moving gradually forward, the sounds called out to those in attendance, "Awake! Something new is sounding!" Indeed, the first piece was based on "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness."

The improvisation with lyres and various metal instruments directed by Manfred was truly a musical conversation between St. John and the Christ. "I baptize with water, but He will baptize with the fire of the Holy Spirit." Upon listening carefully with our inner hearts opening, we were lifted into a new space and connected to the spiritual realities unfolding around us.

The next section was based on the seven I AMs of the Christ interspersed with sections from Revelation. Using organ, glockenspiel, and gongs, he wove the words so skillfully with the music that you almost didn't realize what was happening: I Am the Bread of Life... I Am the Light of the World...The Woman Clothed with the Sun.

Then a most beautiful pure soprano voice, sounding from the back organ loft, offered to us "Adoro Te: Sacramental Hymn" by Jürgen Schriefer. These sounds were so ethereal that one felt able to enter into new spaces in the inner spiritual realm.

I Am the Door... I Am the good Shepherd... I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Light... The moon beneath her feet… The Love, the Lightness, and the Light of the Beginnings—these were played with gongs and glockenspiel. The evening closed with I Am the Resurrection and the Life...I Am the True Vine...Crowned by Twelve Stars, all played on the organ.

As the last organ tones faded away, we felt as if we had been taken into the depths of the apocalypse. The power of the music moved people from a very cellular level to the heights of Being. We were indeed blessed by this experience.