Day 3: Trude and the Holy Ones, Part 3: I was working on the Durufle and pushed "cancel" as a man came into the church. Soon I heard a large, friendly voice from 'way over by the Tabernacle: "You aren't stopping on MY account, are you?" Why, yes, as a matter of fact...
Later we had a lovely conversation in the lobby. "Jake the Snake," from Kenya, enjoys listening to the organ and is retired from Bell. In his words, he has been blessed with four children and now looks after his grandson. I hope he brings the toddler over to the church one day when I am practicing. (Have to start 'em early in the organ biz!) Jake is a sweet man and yes, IMHO, definitely one of the true Holy Ones.
Rick Vander Woude from Calgary suggested I practice early in the morning and late in the evening -- just like we used to do on the organ at Convocation Hall at the University of Alberta when we were both there as students in the 1990's. I remember darkness -- morning AND night -- and lots of snow. Rick played the Reger piece I will be learning, and is famous for his subtitle for Bach's Trio Sonata #6: "The Mother Of All Trio Sonatas." (You had to be there...).
Thanks for that neat pic of your family, Rick! You are one lucky man!
Hey, I have a gig thanks to this blog -- my first one! George Fung, of Holy Rosary (a Basilian parish in Toronto), will allow me to play the Bach as a postlude at his church this fall. Just the fugue, that is, as a kind of short-term goal for me, not to mention the pleasure of playing his beautiful Casavant in the gorgeous acoustic of that old church. When the "Pieces" counter, above, reaches 9.5, you'll know I've played it. We are looking at late September or early October and everyone's invited.
Thanks, George! How about if I play the postlude at all your Masses and then we can all go to lunch? I'm buying! McDonald's, anyone? :-)
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