It’s not unusual to be overwhelmed at this time of year, but this year feels a bit more intense. It doesn’t help to have a madman for a president. When this is the case, when I’m overwhelmed nothing helps me so much as reading words and making music.
I think I have fallen in love all over again with Sweelinck. I have been cleaning the kitchen listening to his music on Spotify (after listening to some depressing news). Sweelinck is that rare organ composer of early music that I find very attractive. There is a lot of organ music written for ecclesiastical use that I don’t mind but am not extremely enamored of the way I am of the French Baroque harpsichord music of the Couperins.
But now Sweelinck is falling into this category for me and that is a pleasant surprise.
And of course there is always Bach. I am learning his Fantasia and Fuga in C minor BWV 537 to play this Sunday. I plan to use the Fuga as the prelude and the Fantasia as the postlude. It’s a wonderful piece.
I’ve also been dipping into much poetry including some new volumes. I even wrote a poem this morning which is something I don’t do very often. It’s kind of personal so I’m not sharing it here.
I have been following Kevin Young the new poetry editor of the New Yorker. I ran across this collection and am enjoying it. It’s interesting to see what poems he includes. I recognize a lot of them, but still enjoy reading through them.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury turns out to be a competent poet. Who knew?
I add these poetry collections to the several books of poetry I am keeping going these days. Also I am rereading Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities which is like reading poetry for me as well.
I am trying to build up the will power to go treadmill.
NYTimes: When Our Thoughts Are No Longer Our Own
This guy has some interesting ideas about the loss of privacy. I’m thinking of checking out some of the books he has written. Sigh. Just what I need. More books on my to read list. But still, this is something I think about.
NYTimes: Madeleine Albright: How to Protect the World From North Korea
I find myself repelled by realpolitik but Secretary Albright knows stuff.
The American Scholar: Why We Need Art – Natalie Angier
Bookmarked to read.
NYTimes: In Dark Times, ‘Dirty Hands’ Can Still Do Good
Some interesting thoughts that factor in the complexity of being human.
NYTimes: What’s a Bigger Threat, ‘Normalization’ or Alarmism?
Some clear thinking from Poland that unfortunately is very apt for America.
Vox Humana
New online journal branching off from the American Guild of Organist mag. It’s hard for me to get excited since so many of these kinds of things represent fundamental different understandings of online tech.