A couple of posts ago, I used the expression, “Back to the salt mines.” Ever wonder where that expression came from? According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer, this means to: “Resume work, usually with some reluctance, as in With my slavedriver of a boss, even on Saturdays it’s back to… Read More Back to the salt mines
What is awe-inspiring and amazing about concert organists is that they can jump from organ to organ, and with seemingly little effort, can register their pieces and play with ease, no matter how different each instrument is, no matter the acoustic, the touch, and the stops. And believe me, all organs are different and not created… Read More Memories of Sparky
“I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation between us and everyone else on this planet. The President of the United States, a gondolier in Venice, just fill in the names. I find it A) extremely comforting that we’re so close, and B) like… Read More Six degrees of separation
Every concert at the Three Choirs Festival begins with an announcement: In the unlikely event of an emergency, please wait for instructions from the verger and the ushers will direct you to evacuate the building. Then there is a prayer from the head clergyman—this week there have been prayers for the terror victims in Nice,… Read More In the unlikely event…
Today started off at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, only a few blocks from the hotel, where I heard the Rodolfus Choir, a group of 32 young singers. Their program consisted mostly of choral transcriptions of instrumental works such as the Barber Adagio for Strings. The group arranged themselves in smaller ensembles around the church, creating… Read More Allegri and Mozart
I have just come from a performance of Hector Berlioz’ Grande Messe des morts, and I was being helped to my seat in row F, and the usher said to me, “it is going to be very loud. Are you going to be okay here? Let me know if you want to change your seat!”… Read More Hair-raising and earsplitting
I am at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester and today I gained an understanding about the music that is being presented. Yesterday I heard Evensong which featured music of Herbert Howells, whose early musical education took place at Gloucester Cathedral. Tonight’s Evensong was all music by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, a former organist-choirmaster of Gloucester.… Read More The building and the music
It is Day Three at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester and the music today was so incredibly beautiful and musically so perfect that I felt that I had died and gone to heaven! The first concert we attended was by Stile Antico, a 12-voice a capella vocal ensemble based in London whose voices were… Read More Died and gone to heaven!
Since we had not booked any concerts at the Three Choirs Festival today, we took a day trip to the city of Bath. After yesterday’s opening service there have been six scheduled concerts plus a lecture, so I know we have missed out but sometimes you have got to give yourself a break! I… Read More Bath Abbey
Today marked the opening service of the 289th Three Choirs Festival, and I could not help but think the Brits do it best—the pomp, the pageantry and the sheer grandeur of it all. In many ways it was like the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, with the entrance procession lasting 20 minutes! As we… Read More Who can match the Brits?