Very proud that my daughter’s partner, Jeremy Daum, co-authored an article in the South China Morning Post this week. Here’s a link to it on the web site he maintains for the US Asia Law Institute at NYU. It is called “Secret Agenda” on the subscription only South China Morning Post web site and “Behind Closed Doors” on the US Asia Law Institute web site.

Yesterday  I spent most of the day with my friend, Jordan.

Very exhilarating actually. We chatted for about an hour, then got down to some playing. We played through several pieces for saxophone and piano including works by Glazounov and Paul Creston. Great fun, actually.

We decided to continuing working on a Bach sonata and a couple movements from the Deckruk sonata. The latter is a lovely piece. I think Jordan is planning to perform it at school next year.  I will schedule these at church once we get them ready.

After this session, we had lunch at Margaritas.

After this I went over to check on my Mom. I was discouraged to find her still in bed at 3 PM in the afternoon. This is the worst she has been. I did not scold her, but strongly encouraged to get up and get dressed go to the evening meal. I will check on her again today.  I guess if she’s still in bed, I will call her shrink and take steps to hospitalize her. This was definitely the low point of yesterday for me.

Then I went over to church and practiced organ.  Spent some time with Sunday’s prelude and postlude and then the first movement of the first Hindemith sonata.

When I returned home I began working on a project I have had in mind for while. I have decided to examine closely the folk song melodies that I have found meaningful over the years and begin to transcribe them for possible use in some compositions.

I started with John Jacob Niles collection. I have had this book since my teens.  I have a pencil copy of an arrangement I did of “The Lonely Glens of Yarrow” also probably in my teens or early twenties. I selected four stanzas of the original Niles folk song and made up my own melody. Interesting that I was so drawn to this stuff even then.

After Eileen got home we walked down to the pub for a lovely evening meal together. I admit it was a 3 martini evening for steve.  Sort of a roller coaster of a day actually.

Exhilarating talking and playing with another musician. Discouraging to see my Mom continue to decline. Satisfying work on the organ and composition prep. Then a lovely evening meal outdoors with my wife.