Reply #35: Music director Johnnie Carl, terrific talent, manic-depressive history

[johnfunk]

Johnnie Carl was an enormously talented working musician. Carl arranged and conducted music for concerts and recordings by the likes of Celine Dion and John Tesh. He had a reputation as a complete musician's musician -- a fast study, a flair for understanding the nuts and bolts of inventive orchestration.

He also had a history of manic-depressive disorder, and in recent days it had become severe. At his age, it is sometimes the result of an underlying metabolic condition. Schuller talked about it in one wire service report: "A disease killed him -- just like a cancer, can come back when no one expects it."

It's also worth noting that the Crystal Cathedral has had and retains far and away a reputation for the best and most innovative music program of any church in the televangelism biz. This is largely due to Carl -- but other major musicians have also been affiliated with the Crystal Cathedral, for example legendary organist Virgil Fox (a name that is instantly familiar to serious classical music lovers).

I've been troubled by Schuller's ties to Moon, but in recent years I have the distinct impression that he has backed away from the Korean megalo-messiah-wannabe.