lives of the saints: patrick, sowerby & D.F. Wallace

I broke down yesterday and decided to madly learn Leo Sowerby’s 10 page piece on the melody St. Patrick’s Breastplate for next Sunday.

I spent an hour or so yesterday on it and have already begun work at the piano this morning on it. My old teacher, Ray Ferguson, used to insist that organ playing is mostly in the hands. Certainly true of this piece. Sowerby loves to write interesting chords and careful voice leading. I would like to play this one well for Sunday. Have already asked Eileen to turn pages on it. I won’t be able to reduce this score to a page turn version due to the nature of the music.

A page turn version is a reduced score taped up so I don’t need a page turner. Usually in a piece there is at least one or two points where you can lift a hand to turn a page. If I shrink the music I can usually manage to play it and turn a page or two myself at strategic spots. Again this is something Ray F. taught me.

This will be the second Trinity Sunday in a row that Grace will sing the great (and looong) hymn “I Bind Myself Unto This Day” which is the text to the melody, St. Patrick’s Breastplate.

ibind04

I’m partial to Sowerby. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and worked in Chicago. I find his music charming and interesting. I like to play historically important musicians from the denomination I am working in. Sowerby was an Anglican hotshot for a while.

Yesterday felt almost like a work day. I picked out and recommended music for next Sunday. Did our bills and my Mom’s bills. This includes balancing two check books, one for us and one for her.

Of course I did have leisure time to rehearse in the afternoon. Today I’m planning on taking it as easy as possible. This still includes reading and rehearsing.