Today is my 68th birthday. I’m very glad to have made it this far. Eileen and I met my brother, Mark, and my sister-in-law, Leigh, for lunch on Friday. We met at Portland restaurant which is about half way between our homes. It was great to see them. Plus they gave me a cool present: a signed copy of Salmon Rushdie’s new book, Cochette.
I had already read the first several chapters of the library’s copy. Mark saw Rushdie the night before at an appearance in Ann Arbor. He had Rushdie sign one for both himself and me. I am enjoying this book immensely.
Salman Rushdie on retelling Don Quixote in Quichotte – Guardian book podcast
Eileen ordered two new book shelves for me for my birthday. This is the most I’ve received for my birthday in a while. I usually don’t ask for much. Mark and Leigh usually give me something nice.
My main request was for one more year of life.
Church went fine today. I played two small pieces of Calvin Hampton’s: Consonance and A Mighty Fortress. He wrote the second Wayne Leupold’s Organ magazine that is published seasonally still. The music in it is not bad but I don’t think it usually rises to the level of Hampton’s writing.
I kind of murdered Consonance, but that happens sometimes.
I have ordered a bunch of organ music that I am hopeful will be charming and not much work to prepare.
The choir sang the first two verses of Hampton’s lovely “there’s a wideness.” This is a nice recording at about the tempo I like.
The congregation joined in on the third stanza.
I’m having an excellent birthday. Life is good.
Here’s a recording of Hampton’s hymn done by Anna Hernandez. Similar tempo to the one you’ve linked but a more pop rendition. I always kind of liked it. (Guilty pleasures…) Anna did it back when she was one of a duo called The Miserable Offenders.
https://soundcloud.com/anahermusic/theres-a-wideness-in-gods
Interesting rendition. Thanks for linking it in. I hear it the way these people do it. I would be interested to hear stories of how the one person showed to Hampton. I got the idea that some of the people who put together Hymnal 1982 saw Hampton as a sort of Broadway musical type language guy. I think he’s more pop and rock myself and not just the stuff in the hymnal. I have played some of his organ music and it is interesting, difficulty and totally rocks (the last phrase from Rhonda Edginton if I remember correctly).