Okay, raise your hands here. How many of you have heard the music of Dame Ethel Smyth? Last night the Three Choirs Festival programmed her Mass in D on the opening concert and I must confess that I had not heard of nor heard the music of this woman composer. As you can tell, they… Read More Dame Ethel Smyth 1858-1944
Tuesday morning was the opening convocation at the Boston 2014 American Guild of Organists convention and as about 1800 of us organists and choirmasters gathered at the Church of the Holy Cross, I couldn’t help but think that this was not your typical Sunday morning congregation. Of course, how many in our parishes have 1800… Read More Not your typical congregation
Today we laid Canon Organist Emeritus John McCreary to rest. The other day when I brought dinner to Betsy, his widow, she invited our houseguest, John Graham, and Carl and myself to the viewing and burial. (John was buried with a martini glass and an organ pipe!) John Graham, who is here to attend McCreary’s… Read More Pie Jesu