Musical Sunday
I had a very musical Sunday yesterday. I played Rameau and Beethoven at church. I conducted the choir which sang well. I played the service and the congregation sang well. My trio played on an AGO Members recital. We played “Stirred Hearts and Souls,” my own composition and two Purcell pieces from incidental music to The Faerie Queen.
In Rev Jen’s homily yesterday she made the clever point that this would be the last Sunday our new pipe organ would be silent. We are hoping that Martin Pasi will have at least one function rank by next Sunday so I can work it into the service somehow.
My piano trio played well yesterday. We especially nailed my little trio, “Stirred Hearts and Souls.” I think all three of us enjoyed playing. I had many nice comments on my piece.
Chevron deference
This is a podcast from the National Constitution Center. In it, George Will mentioned a concept I was not familiar with: Chevron Deference. I think this term may have come up in Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch’s nomination hearings.
As best as I can understand it, it refers to a 1984 Supreme Court Ruling, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. The “deference” refers to the fact that this ruling deferred to government agencies broad interpretations of laws when Congress passed a law that did not have a clear meaning. The case was about The Clean Air act which required states to establish permit programs to regulate sources of air pollution. Chevron lost. The agency won.
Here’s a link to a clear explanation. Be warned. This is a “Christian” site and I stopped reading at “Why Should Christians be Concerned about Chevron?” However, I found the prose explaining the act and its history lucid.
I mainly mention this podcast because it turned me on to the recent conference held by the National Constitution Center. These people do non partisan (or bi partisan) better than anyone else in the USA right now. The minds involved are brilliant. The disagreements civil. I plan to listen to all of the lectures either in podcast form or videos. The podcasts can be found here (you have to scroll down a bit to find them).
Pronouncing Omeros
I was wondering how to read Derek Walcott out loud. His book length poem, Omeros, is written in a complex rhyme and near rhyme scheme. I wondered how he read it. Did he emphasize the rhymes? Also I wondered how to pronounce of the names. I’m embedding a lengthy excerpt of him reading. I think it’s charming.
The disagreements are civil? Who knew this was possible! Just kidding. So much love. I definitely vote non-partison (almost exclusively).
I haven’t seen myself as a member of a political party for my entire life. But I do vote. Hope you are well! love from Uncle Steve