Chichester Psalms

I first heard Chichester Psalms at a SUNY Potsdam concert where they also performed something by Norman Dello Joio . I turned to my friend Micky and said "Why isn't this guy famous?" and she said "He IS." I got to sing it years later and I'm listening to it right now. 
http://www.milkenarchive.org/works/view/683#/videos/view/145

Milken Archive of Jewish Music - Works - Chichester Psalms

www.milkenarchive.orgWest Side Story meets the Book of Psalms in Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms for chorus and orchestra. Sample tracks, video, and historical notes. 

Lest we forget

Lest we forget.

I remember when I heard this live on WBAI before it had been recorded. Yeah, I'm old.

WOW!

Praise band practice tonight involved a new teenager and a man. (Not a bass but good enough!) What a wonderful sound we made! Not like anything we've done before so the congregation will be in for a Sunday surprise. I've often said that my favorite thing was singing duets. I have to revise that now. My favorite thing is singing quartets! This was better than I could have expected for a first time group. Our leader is very talented and worked really well with our newcomers. Same with our piano player. We are really blessed. I have fantasies of us going on the road :-)

When I got home I actually carried my guitar up the stairs. That's enthusiasm!

Back into music

Today I was involved with making church music.  I've been learning a lot ... being with a new denomination introduces me to a new hymnal and going to "contemporary" services exposes me to music I also don't know. I've been studying pretty hard, going to "praise band" practice, and taping music for my car trips.  Unfortunately our musicians, including me, will get burnt out if we don't get advance time for practice.  A musician operates on a couple of levels. There's the kinesthetic stuff where one does the mechanics. After that is taken care of, one can actually listen to the music and convey the spirit behind it. With groups, one has to get used to the others. For example, a song sound better when everyone pronounces the vowels in the same way (which is one reason singers look at each other). It's a lot like sports I think, only it's a new game with each new musical piece. 

Some pastors don't understand the kinesthetic preparation that's needed and they think a musician can just launch into the spirit stuff. It's embarrassing to make a mistake publicly and a musical mistake can be loud and awkward. A soloist can fudge, but a member of the group really sticks out.  If music selections were just a matter of appropriate words, we could just chant poetry instead of singing it.  The "groanings" of the Holy Spirit can teach us that words aren't the only form of worship. So perhaps a pastor could let go of his attachment to the importance of the words to the expense of having time to practice. Just saying. ;-)

While preparing for a song for this morning, I was told I'd be using a mike, but there's be no time to practice with the mike. I said "I've used a mike lots of times". Heh heh. It did not occur to me that I'd never used a mike while holding music. So for the first service, I found I could not see the music where I had to hold it. By the second service I'd figured out where to hold it.

Three of us sang a hymn a capella. I'm told it was the "Mennonite anthem", so I think it's appropriate that we sang a capella.  The congregation's pleasure was palpable. Connie and Jim and I do pretty well staying on pitch. What a pleasant blessing!

Two new people were interested in joining our tiny praise band (average 2.5 people).  I hope we'll get more lead time so we can work better as a bigger group.

Intentional living

Yesterday's message at church was on "intentional living" and was a tape from Kerry Shook from Fellowship of the Woodlands in Houston TX. It certainly presented a challenge, to the point that the congregation was a bit stunned. The challenging question was: 

What would I do today if I had only one month to live?

My first answer might be not to sleep so much. 

Yesterday I packed my hairless fiddle bow for shipping, made post cards to send to my favorite aunt, and wrote notation for Angel Band. 

I did watch Lawnorder Criminals in Tents for the last hour of the day, which is not good for my spiritual condition. I have been concerned about my spiritual condition because I've been waking up too often with resentments. Last night I did make sure I went to sleep with a prayer on my lips and did wake up feeling better.  No resentments today, but some fear over current difficulties and challenges.

Friend in an old fashioned setting

That's me in the middle ... at least it should be.

I played music with Connie today. Hopefully the first in a series of musical events. Tonight we were on my front porch with fireflies. Weather permitting, it's a great place to meet. And we can attract others as we did tonight. I sure hope we get another musician to sort of "thicken" our sound.

Connie and I prayed for each other to have success in our job searches. Connie's been interviewing. I really would like a job at a particular nearby middle school.

Today I found it easy to be grateful and enjoy God gifts, even in the midst of discomfort.

Wish I'd have said that

I wish I could repeat good ideas I've heard, but my summarizing skills seem to be lacking. Today while treading water in the physical therapy pool a fellow treader started up a conversation. Rather out of the blue, it seemed, about the state of American education. I'm inclined to disagree with anything that includes the phrase "what's going wrong in American ..." even when I agree with it! I did my level best to be agreeable, especially since the fellow hasn't jumped into any kind of conversation in the past and I suspect that conversation doesn't come easy for him. Well, in the course of what was becoming a stimulating conversation, I wanted to tell him what NT Wright had been saying about heaven ... or more accurately, what NT had been saying was NOT heaven. So my friend said "Like what?" and I was stumped. Couldn't remember a thing. Still it was a great starter conversation and I hope we have many more.


I'm missing praise music practice again tonight. I spent some time last night finding the chords and lyrics and listening to the tunes. Bought some new guitar strings this evening. Got to the church early to wait, and then, bam, my energy level crashed and I drove home and went to bed. Boy I hate it when I just poop out.

I want to pray

First a prayer of profound gratitude for the people in my new church. Tonight was when the "praise band" practices. I hauled my guitar and played around with tunings. I haven't played in such a long time, and haven't had so much fun playing for an even longer time. There were a few young children running around and full of laughter. We shushed them when they got too distracting and they would shush. There were four of us playing and a patient husband and a patient mother waiting. I realize that besides the joy of making music I was experiencing patience, simplicity, and security. So I want to pray my gratitude.

I also want to pray, yet again, "I believe. Please help me with my unbelief." I'll be sixty in a few days. I am realizing that I most probably will not be alive in thirty years. None of my future years can be taken for granted. Am I ready for whatever lies beyond this life? Am I truly living my present life?

Christmas traditions in media

My parents loved to listen to Dylan Thomas recite "A Child's Christmas in Wales". Thanks to the internet, I can share this with you.

And thanks to StumbleUpon, I've found another kind of music site, Songza. This one plays exactly what you want to hear (provided its on the web someplace). Today I've got my playlist set to play Handel and Bach.

Listening to Pandora

I have enjoyed Pandora for almost two years now ... maybe more. Right now I'm listening to mostly classical Christmas music. Non-stop, no commercials, no station breaks ... and, the BEST PART, if I don't like a selection I just give it thumbs down and it goes away!!
So, it occurs to me, dear Readers (all three), that you may have not heard of Pandora. If, not, here's a link. And it's free!