I think I spent six hours or more composing yesterday. It’s the activity I enjoy the most. It leaves me relaxed and alert. Today I need to spend some more time with Finale. The anthem scheduled for this Sunday, “Christ is the world’s true light,” comes from the Oxford Easy Anthem Book and was composed by Stanton. I put it down a key for my choir. It is written for choir and organ and that is how we have performed it in the past.
I was taught how to conduct a choir and play organ simultaneously by my beloved undergrad teacher, Ray Ferguson. Apparently he was taught this technique when he was on his Fulbright in Germany by Helmut Walcha. It involves thoroughly preparing both the accompaniment and the conducting, deciding how to reduce some sections to free up the conducting hand.
I noticed last Wednesday that playing the accompaniment to this Sunday’s anthem on the piano from the organ score and attempting to cue in the choir at the same time was challenging. I decided I should return to the arrangement in Finale and make a specifically piano reduction of Stanton’s organ part. That’s the project for today.
I had to dash off yesterday’s blog in order to have time to go practice organ. I left out a bunch of links. I’m including those in today’s links.
On the Media Podcast | WNYC
On The Media has offered a five part podcast on poverty. I recommend it. I’m half way through the second installment. This episdoe has a good history of welfare in it. Most of the history I recognize from having lived through it (not the Civil War or even the President Johnson’s War on Poverty).
If you click on the link above, it will take you to the On The Media Podcast page.
Here’s Busted #2: “Who Deserves to be Poor?”
5 Hidden Features Of Google Chrome : TECH : Tech Times
One has to be careful with these. I did however install the audio mute plugin (or whatever it is). Ironically the first tab I used it on was this Tech Times article which has an annoying little piece of music it plays in the background.
In Texas, a Test of Whether the Voting Rights Act Still Has Teeth – The New York Times
So the Voting Rights Act is not completely defanged. Some small encouraging actions described in this article.
Invisibly Black: A Life of George Herriman, Creator of ‘Krazy Kat’ – The New York Times
Paul Auster: By the Book – The New York Times
I love these interviews because I find books to put in my “to read” doc.
Streaming music services Apple Music, Spotify and more compared | Komando.com
Handy little table at this link. They left out Naxos.
Facing the music: Roderick Williams | Music | The Guardian
This seems to be a regular feature at The Guardian. fun to see what other musicians have listened to then check some of it out.
I’ve listened to one of those episodes on poverty. I found it really brutal! I’m not sure I’ll listen to the rest of them just now. Man.
I understand. Eileen and I are working are way through them. I’m re-listening to Episode 2 and have made it all the way through 3. Brutal they are, but I’m finding them a helpful counterbalance to the influx of information and news just now.