I have some qualms about this. There are probably copyright issues at stake. More importantly I started wondering if perhaps this string quartet sells its arrangements. This would bother me because while I will violate copyright laws when they seem stupid to me (Did you know it’s illegal to photocopy a page of music for a page turn?) I do try to avoid violating copyright when something is available for purchase. Generally.

But since I accepted the gig in the early summer and the wedding is fast approaching, now is not the time to renegotiate. So I’m avoiding checking to see if the music is available. But if I get asked again, I will definitely check before agreeing.

It’s difficult to get every little nuance in the inner voices. The music is so simple but sometimes I can’t pick exactly what an inner voice is playing. I do have the melody and the bass pretty accurately. But it’s enough for the purposes of this group.

I also had a ballet class to play for and a piano lesson to give yesterday. It turned into a full day.

Today is another one. The goal (as my boss succinctly put it Sunday) is to survive. On Wednesdays this will mean pacing myself since I end the day in an evening of rehearsals. I have to prepare some material  for my Kids’ Choir. But other than that, a ballet class, and a staff meeting at church, all I have to do is score study, rehearsal strategizing and practice organ.

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Annals of Post-Truth Politics: Good for Norah O’Donnell – James Fallows – The Atlantic

I keep noticing commentators pointing out the lack of veracity in public discussion. I guess it makes sense that a public that has long descended into considering politics and government a form of entertainment would abandon a notion of truth in speaking.

This by the way is a bit of a partisan article and I haven’t finished reading it.

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Detainee Dies at Guantánamo Prison – NYTimes.com

More evidence that the crazy socialist in the White house and his administration is not as liberal as people think. Why are we still detaining these people in Cuba?

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The Shallow End of the Campaign – NYTimes.com

Saw some of this information on TV last night as well. It does seem like Romney and Ryan are a bit uneasy about their policy stands and would just as soon people not quite know them.

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Renewed Tensions in Iraq – NYTimes.com

I bookmarked this because I get confused about the factions in Iraq and other countries in the area.

Shiite – majority in Iraq

Sunni – majority in Turkey

Assad in Syria – Shiite

Maliki prime minister of Iraq is too close to Iran, Assad’s ally for Turkey’s comfort

Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the Syrian Rebels

Iran backs Assad.

Sheesh.

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The Bush White House Was Deaf to 9/11 Warnings – NYTimes.com

Nothing beats hind sight, but there are some interesting revelations from behind the scenes memos.

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Nuclear Mullahs – NYTimes.com

Bill Keller has thought about the unthinkable in this article with some clarity. What happens when Iran goes nuclear?

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What Keeps the Chinese Up at Night – NYTimes.com

The author of this article used the custom of posting on “wish trees” your concerns to find out what’s on the minds of some ordinary Chinese.

He updated the custom and got permission to use billboards instead of trees.

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‘Little America,’ by Rajiv Chandrasekaran – NYTimes.com

A book review of a book about what’s broken in American foreign policy.

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‘Privacy,’ by Garret Keizer – NYTimes.com

I have recently noticed that sometimes the book review in the Sunday Book Review of the NYTimes are pretty coherent essays on ideas as well as book reviews. This one seems like that to me.

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Playing Now – Hail to Us Chiefs – NYTimes.com

Maureen Dowd skewers the President. John Steward made the same point more gently in his show from last Friday night (which Eileen watched together last night)

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Written about eleven years ago, Parr deplores the low standing of the pipe organ in the world of music.

He urges his audience (presumable organists) to take measures to connect to listeners better through some sensible recommendations like inviting people to watch the organist play and to invite them to sit on the bench and try it themselves.

This past Sunday I made sure that my two 3rd graders knew that I played music with my feet. I told them that it allowed me to raise a hand to conduct. I invited them to come over during the prelude or postlude and watch (I don’t think either did but at least they were invited). I have been mulling the idea of doing a little introduction to the organ as part of the Wednesday night deal. Hard to do with such a small organ but I do have flutes, principals and one reed.

Parr also describes how organ music (which he insists many music lovers dislike) can sound like a wall of music. He points out that twenty minutes of a Prelude and Fugue by Bach can acquire a sameness to listeners that does not draw them in.

He invites organists to try to put themselves in the place of their listeners and schedule other music that might be attractive in addition to some of the more austere repertoire.

He recommended the composers: Edwin Lemare,

Alfred Hollins

and Percy Whitlock

as “treats” for the listeners.

I recognize Whitlock but had to check out the first two on Spotify (to help me pick their popular tunes). Then I pulled up their scores on IMSLP (the International Music Score Library Project).

I admit that I found the music treacly in its 19th century sweetness. Yuck. I didn’t see or hear anything I would like to learn and perform. But at the same time I take his point.

Yesterday I chose a transcription of a Sarabande by Vaughan Williams for my prelude a week from Sunday. I think it’s hard to not hear as pretty beautiful, certainly not treacly.

I try to choose music that attracts me as a listener. I’m a pretty opinionated dude, I know, but I still think that I will play music better if I am convinced of its worth and beauty. I kind of think this falls under Parr’s rubric of musical “treats.”

I also have experienced many people who tell me they don’t like the pipe organ. They usually say it nicer than that by expressing a preference for the piano. Or they say that they can tell I like the piano better because I play it well or something like that.

Parr also encourages organists to play musically again thinking of the listener. This I also try to do. It’s one of the reasons Sunday mornings are so draining for me. I try to put myself deep into any music I do from the organ stuff to the congregational stuff.