Today’s streamcast of church went much better than last week’s. I scheduled music by Anne Krentz Organ and Alice Jordan. We sang (or I played as people either sang along at home, read the words, or played with their phone) “Seek ye first” by Karen Lafferty. I almost wrote in my music note about the fact that all the music was by women today. But then i reconsidered. I wouldn’t have done so if all the music had been by men. Maybe it would be better to let stuff speak for itself. The piece by Anne Krentz Organ was based on a Kenyan song and was lots of fun. I sweated a little bit over a registration change but it seemed to go okay today.

I have misgivings about using copyrighted material in this streamcasts. But I gave up and played music this week that might I might possibly need permission to add to a streamcast. Lafferty’s piece is not covered by Rite Song even though it’s in the Hymnal 1982. I messaged her on Facebook asking how to get permission to use her words, but haven’t heard back. She’s probably pretty elderly by now.

Anyway, since I’ve given up on only using out of copyright organ music, I am learning a very cool piece by Carson Cooman,  Organ Symphony #3, Portals. I’m preparing two movements to pair soon in an upcoming streamcast: mov 3 “Humble yourself” and mov 5 “Sing Joyfully.” I keep finding myself attracted to Cooman’s writing. Also, I think he liberates me a bit as a composer for organ in the way he mixes up musical languages and usually does so successfully.

I am trying to keep my trumpet organ piece on the front burner. Saturday afternoon I worked several hours on the last movement. Haven’t started the second movement but I have some notes on the first.

I finished two books this afternoon. The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered Its Cold War Victory by Andrew Bacevich and Stoney The Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and The Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

They were worthwhile reads.

Speaking of reading, both of my daughters right now are reading or listening to books I recommended. Sarah is listening to Sodom and Gommroah, Volume 4 of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. Elizabeth’s finished reading the preface to Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist.

It makes an old man happy.

Well, that’s all I have time for today. Time to go read and practice. Martini at 5. My life is good.