Eileen (via Steve)– my condolences on the death of your cousin, Harry. My prayer is that your memories confort your loss. Kindy regards, Michelle in NH

Mr condolences to the Hatch family. Thanks to Harry for his service to our country. Thanks to you Steve, for giving us this story.

Thanks for reading, Ray.

I saw this you tube video of David McCullough Jr. giving a commencement address at Wellesley High School in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Though that you might be interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5p5nufi7EY

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I really like the Rhosymede piece. It was sort of a staple at the Cathedral when I sang in the men and boys choir. Fred Brunson had a recording of it that he would sometimes play when I visited. I can still hear him humming along with it. Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. Oh for a musician who recognizes it, let alone can play it.

I confess that I like most everything Vaughan Williams wrote. He himself condoned transcriptions of pieces to different medium. I like to think that I’m not violating the spirit of his work by putting it into a different setting. I had fun doing it. I must be on a sort of romantic kick, learning the Saint-Saens pieces, listening to lots of stuff like that we well.

I checked out Rhosymedre on spotify and found an orchestral setting of it. FWIW…

I noticed that there was an orchestral score for it on IMSLP

http://imslp.org/wiki/2_Hymn-Tune_Preludes_(Vaughan_Williams,_Ralph)
scored fore flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, strings

Apparently it’s not public domain because the link didn’t work to the music

Happy Father’s Day to a Man who deserves it.

Thank you, Ray. A belated Happy Father’s Day to you as well.

[…] Although some of his expectations were not borne out (he wondered about the successive syncopations and whether a group of singers would automatically simplify them into on the beat after one or two) he did catch one problematic section which I have agonized over and finally allowed to pass since it’s now learned by the congregation.  I’ve mentioned this before here. (link to June 8, 2012 post: Jupe continues to compose himself). […]

When I think back to my music leanings, I believe that you had much to do with my classical leanings in music. I listen regularly to Bach and have a fairly good set of his music. I have added to Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. I became enamored with Mozart while taking several music courses in my undergraduate days. I had a professor who was a devotee of Mozart. Anyway, just meandering, your comments just made me recall. I do wish I would spend more time playing music, just never seem to get to it.

Nice to know someone’s listening to this music, heh. Christopher Small says that anyone who has contact with music is part of it. I like that.

Have fun and enjoy.

It seems to be that security, i.e. cameras by the government,means a loss in liberty. I do not travel on airlines anymore, but when I have I have loathed the process. I am very much opposed to this, not because of the “good intentions” of those who are doing their job, but because of the potential for government interference of liberty from people who are not interested in your liberty. This is exactly what happened in Germany Pre WWII.

Like so much I think we probably see this differently. For one thing the tech has been there for several decades to completely monitor our lives. Hard for me to think it’s not being used. And I think we are in a much different time than preWWII Germany. New stuff. But anyway, my favorite paranoid movie (with a killer soundtrack) is “The End of Violence” which deals with these ideas in pretty cool way. link to trailer FWIW. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LIgQNPeNf0

Interesting story about Grace Episcopal Church in East. I have linked to it here;
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/07/sudanese_congregation_splits_w.html
It also has a companion article. Church politics can be tumultuous! Interesting story about the operation of the church.

Sigh. I have seen this kind of thing over and over…. Thanks for the link.

Actually, I think that the notion of a virgin birth has very little to do with the Isaiah passage. Caesar Augustus was said to have been born of a virgin. The stories surrounding Jesus’ birth are intended to show a dichotomy between the reign of God and the reign of Caesar. This contrast is found throughout the scriptures. At least that’s what I’ve read and think. (Cf. JD Crossan)