I’m blogging a little later than usual on this my last Monday off for a while. I slept in a bit and then got up leisurely, sipped coffee and did my morning reading.
I want to be sure and say something about the compliments I received yesterday. I bitch and moan so much in this space about how many of the the local musicians don’t seem to notice that I’m doing music much less respect my work.
Yesterday before church a Jazz aficionado who is a parishioner chatted me up briefly. He concluded by telling me that he thought I played Jazz well. Then during the peace (where the members of the church generally go around and greet each other), one of the several trained choir directors who are parishioners and his wife both made a point to come up to me and shake my hand. They both thanked me for my work with the choir at Grace. I was pleasantly surprised.
I was sitting in the choir area yesterday during church and thinking that when I examine the many people in the church one by one I can see that they appreciate my work there. I think my occasional sourness comes from my own extremely critical assessment of my abilities and execution combined with a few specific instances of weirdness that stick in my craw. I hope to let these silly little things go as much as possible this year.
Having said this, yesterday’s service did seem to go particularly well. I did a lot of vocaleses in the pregame. Every choir member was also present at the party the night before at my church. Their voices were tired from singing and staying up and partying. This requires some TLC in the warm-ups. Judging from the sounds in the service the warm-ups helped.
Even though the music was of modest quality yesterday, nothing earth shattering, it was all pretty well executed and musical. In addition it was one of those Sundays when everything hung together in a coherent way. The prelude and postlude were based on the opening and closing hymn. The anthem was well sung and related to the day. The hymns all were good solid choices.
I came home and treadmilled to one of Bach’s Epiphany cantatas, specifically Cantata BWV 65 “Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen.”
I quite like this cantata and it made good treadmilling music.
I’ll end with a poem by Lucille Clifton from this morning’s reading session. I relate to it.
the light that came to lucille clifton
came in a shift of knowing
when even her fondest sureties
faded away. it was the summer
she understood that she had not understood
and was not mistress even
of her own off eye, then
the man escaped throwing away his tie and
the children grew legs and started walking and
she could see the peril of an
unexamined life.
she closed her eyes, afraid to look for her
authenticity
but the light insists on itself in the world;
a voice from the nondead past started talking,
she closed her ears and it spelled out in her hand
“you might as well answer the door, my child,
the truth is furiously knocking.”
***********************************************************************
After Years in Solitary, an Austere Life as Uruguay’s President – NYTimes.com
Some world leaders live in palaces. Some enjoy perks like having a discreet butler, a fleet of yachts or a wine cellar with vinta
ge Champagnes. Then there is José Mujica, the former guerrilla who is Uruguay’s president. He lives in a run-down house on Montevideo’s outskirts with no servants at all. His security detail: two plainclothes officers parked on a dirt road.
**************************************************************************
Jared Diamond: what the tribes of New Guinea have to teach us | Science | The Observer
Diamond is an amazing man. If you haven’t read him, I recommend doing so.
***************************************************************************
Barack Obama and the ’empathy deficit’ | Science | The Observer
Always interesting how the rest of the world sees Obama.
**************************************************************************
Pro Patria Fans’ Racism Prompts A.C. Milan Walkout, and Outrage – NYTimes.com
Soccer game called due to racism. Amazing.
**************************************************************************
China Says Reporter for The Times Was Not Expelled – NYTimes.com
Following public discussion of visas in country where two members of my family are now living.
**************************************************************************
Escaping Slavery – NYTimes.com
“Today there are more African-American adults under correctional control — in prison or jail, on probation or parole — than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War began.”
***************************************************************************
Central Africa’s Wildlife Rangers Face Deadly Risks – NYTimes.com
Poachers use military expertise to slaughter the people protecting animals.
***************************************************************************