My boss emailed me and asked if I would play Sundays in September. I meet with her this afternoon. I am planning on saying no to this. They are in the last stages of interviewing. Jen thinks they’ll have a candidate very soon but expects the person will need some lead time before they begin.
I am feeling more and more free from this job each day. There is no way I want to keep playing weekends. However, I did promise Jen not to leave her high and dry. So I will probably play if they can’t find subs. I think that subs are available.
I have been thinking about my own preference in music styles and realize that I don’t really know anyone who shares my taste. This is fine. But it’s a sort of odd place for a musician to be in.
For example this morning, I listened to a lovely recording by Christopher Parkening.
This is a great album .I have been listening to on my music app, PrimePhonic. It’s not on Youtube as far as i can see but here’s the second movement to the first Vivaldi Concerto.
Whenever I hear this, I usually think of a man named Gary Smith. He was a DJ when we were in high school. One day I was listening to this and he got very excited. “That’s the one. That’s the piece I have been looking for.”
Besides Vivaldi there is another cool piece.
It says this piece is by Peter Warlock on the app. But one of the commenters on YouTube says that it’s by other composers.
““Capriol Suite” by Peter Warlock (Philip Heseltine) is in fact only an arrangement of music written by Thoinot Arbeau, issued in his tractate “Orchesographie” (1596). Second part is a famous “Pavane” (“Belle qui tiens ma vie”), often performed and recorded by early music ensembles and choirs. ;)”
Thank you, Collegium Vocale! Whoever wrote it, I like it. And typing this up, I realize that I own Orchesographie by Arbeau. Worth a look.
I listened to this while I cleaned up the kitchen, make coffee and morning tea for Eileen, and did my morning stretches.
Then I needed some more up tempo stuff for exercising.
Time for Hall and Oates.
As I think about leaving church music I am aware that I will not miss the snobby approach to music that so many Anglicans go for.
I was trying to explain this to Eileen. If people who go for the more typical Anglican church music style heard me play it wouldn’t just be about the choices of music. They way I play would probably offend them. Too much rhythm.
I remember at my audition for Notre Dame. During one of the pieces I shifted my body in sympathy with the rhythmical nature of the music I was playing. There was an audible gasp of disapproval from the group of professors in the room. it was a miracle I got the teaching assistant scholarship. They must have been desperate. Hah.
Despite this, I am very happy with where I am musically at this age. It’s also lucky that most of my interests can be pursued solitarily.