I dreamed about Frank Zappa a couple of nights ago. I was introducing him to a young keyboard player. Zappa was so impressed with him that he wanted the young man to study with his current keyboard player. In my dream it wasn’t clear who that was.
This time of year finds me dealing with being immersed in religiosity. I had a boss (Roman Catholic Priest) who used to say around this time of year, “Too much church. Too much church.” This strikes me as still true for me even though my duties are much less strenuous now than they were then.
At choir rehearsal last night, I believe people were fatigued. Many of them are busy all day. One soprano didn’t show. Her husband informed me she wasn’t coming just before rehearsal. Another came in 45 minutes late. The second had told me she might be late due to work stuff. This left one soprano. An alto looked at our Good Friday anthem and didn’t recognize it. I wasn’t able to capture the beautiful sound we have been making, but dutifully drilled parts and talked about upcoming services.
Before lunch, Eileen and I will go say hi to Mom. It will be interesting to see if she likes her new chair. She didn’t get out of bed yesterday when we were there.
This afternoon I am meeting with my piano trio. I asked the cellist to come a bit later than usual so that we could just concentrate on the one piece she is playing with me for the Good Friday prelude. I am hoping the violinist is not too late. When she shows, we will go over the Vigil postlude and Vigil music. If we have time we will rehearse the Purcell arrangements I have done for us. By shortening this rehearsal, I’m trying to “husband my resources” as I often say these days.
I am expecting this evening’s liturgy to come off fine. I was able to distribute the Triduum booklet to the choir last night. There’s nothing that different in it from year’s past except that this evening’s meal that we usually share as a parish we will be sharing as a parish with our monthly distribution of food, Feeding America.
I walked back and forth to church yesterday. That’s a mile. After treadmilling on Tuesday I was physically exhausted. I was reminded that treadmilling helps me break a sweat. A leisurely walk to work does not. Obviously treadmilling is better exercise. But I’m putting it off until after Sunday. I’m not feeling too tired this morning.
After we go see Mom, I will need to prepare for the rehearsal this afternoon and the service this evening.
2017 Pulitzer Prize Winners & Finalists – The Pulitzer Prizes
I read over the Pulitzer Prize winners in a NYT article a few days ago. I eagerly checked out the composer, Du Yun, who won the Pulitzer for her opera, “Angel Bones.” I was disappointed. Probably set myself up with too high expectations.
I did think that the man who won for poetry, Tyehimba Jess, looked interesting. I am reading four books of poetry right now, but will soon check this dude out. He’s from Detroit and writes about music in his poems. Promising.
Erdogan’s Turkey – BBC News
I keep thinking about what it means to be informed while living in an insular extremely privileged country. Our fourth estate isn’t doing a great job these days. The adulation for the President after his attack on Syria was discouraging to say the least. A good short sixteen minute podcast on this came out yesterday from On The Media (link). Turkey is another anomaly news wise. My impression is that Erdogan has been gathering power and repressing intellectuals and journalists under the guise of furthering his reaction to events of 2016. I will keep an eye on Sunday’s outcome. The article above is laid out in a unique way with still photos in the background as you scroll through. In addition there are photos and a video embedded in the scroll through. It’s an interesting approach and reminds me of what the NYT did in the article on London I linked yesterday.
A Gathering of Orchestras in D.C. – The New Yorker
Even gatherings like this are political these days. I am curious about Caroline Shaw’s new violin concerto described in this article. It’s not on YouTube yet. Too soon for Spotify.