Days to go: 919 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 81: It's Choir Night in Canada and I have nothing to do tonight except eat and practice! (My personal Choir Night at St. Leo's is Monday.)

Oops, there's the doorbell. I'm going to ignore it, since it probably is just that water heater guy wanting to sign me up again. Apparently I am the only one in the whole subdivision who is keeping my old one.

19 days to go to learn the notes of the Bach. I can do it. I just don't think the whole piece will actually be performance-ready for a long time. It needs time to ripen and mature.

Ha! So do I!

"Nothing worthwhile ever happens in a hurry -- so be patient!" (Anon)

Days to go: 920 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 80: A play-through this morning to see where I am with the Bach. There is still lots to do in the remaining 20 days. Nothing like a deadline to focus one's attention!

Fr. Charles called about a special Mass this Saturday which will include Altar Server Awards. It will involve the Bishop and several parishes together at St. Leo's.

I thought it might be fun to play "The Lord Is My Shepherd" at the preparation of the gifts. This version of the psalm is the theme song from "The Vicar of Dibley." The choir school sang it at their closing Liturgy last June and it was just lovely. So I emailed Peter to see if he would snag me a copy.

It is an attractive musical setting and I hope people recognize the tune with a smile and sing it in their heads when they hear it played. (I remember playing "Jerusalem My Destiny" once and people were actually humming along...it was neat!)

Today around 4:00 I came home from treatment ready for a short nap and now it is 11:34. I am still sleepy, but am feeling much better than I expected to at this stage.

Days to go: 921 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 79: No practicing today, either. But encouraging news from UWO re the Studio 18 organ -- it will be undergoing significant repairs. And: only 3 more radiation sessions for me. :-)

Days to go: 922 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 78: No practicing today.

Days to go: 923 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 77:

DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm.

(John Greenleaf Whittier)

Days to go: 924 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 76: Finished the manual parts for Variation V just now and can add the pedal part when I practice at the church. I started this variation on Day 62, so that gives some indication of all the rehearsal time I've missed.

Maybe if I broke it down into four reps at a time, no matter what, then spread each mini-set out over the day...

Twenty-three days until I start the Franck Priere!

"The trouble with life is that there are so many last minute details and so few last minutes." (Anon.)

Tomorrow, a text about resting that doesn't have a single "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" in it.

Days to go: 925 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 75: Yes, I know I promised, but -- zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Days to go: 926 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 74: Tomo machine up, Trude WANTS to sleep all day, thanks God for gravol. More later, I promise.

Zzzzzz.

Days to go: 927 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 73: Tomo machine down, Trude sleeps all day. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Days to go:928 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 72: Improvised my first psalm accompaniment last Sunday. Rosemary said it was good. It may not have been brillig, but at least it wasn't slithy.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Days to go: 929 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 71: "The mome rath isn't born that could outgrabe me!" (Nichol Williamson)

Days to go: 930 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 70:

JABBERWOCKY

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought,

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh, Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

(Lewis Carroll)

Days to go: 931 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 69: No practice to log. Headed to Shoppers' for some more gravol and diet ginger ale.

Here are some hints for tomorrow's poem, with thanks to Mrs. St. James, my grade four teacher, and Billy Thiffault, fellow student, in whose voice I hear verse five.

Need another hint? Here's that verse five in Latin:

Vorpali, semed atque iterum collectus in ictum,
Persnicuit gladio persnacuitque puer:
Deinde galumphatus, spernens informe cadaver,
Horrendum monstri rettulit ipse caput.

Geeky enough for you? No? Here's the title in Klingon, then:

ja'Pu'vawQoY

Days to go: 932 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 68: Well, 4 reps are better than no reps.

Side-effects are picking up momentum now. Fortunately, only 9 fractions left. No motivation and very, very tired. What a difference a week makes.

I did complete the paper work for Guidance Part 2, Fall Session with OISE, so that is done. Given my energy crisis these days, full online seems the way to go.

Will switch the postlude for Sunday at St. Leo's. I love the Karg-Elert and it sounds wonderful in that church, but the double pedal and some "Tootsie Rolls" make it somewhat physically taxing for me at the moment. I will play Mouret instead (aka "Theme From Masterpiece Theatre") and add some inegale just to keep it interesting.

We will be having the organ fine-tuned soon, and that will be super! Thanks, Gordon and Bryant!

Days to go: 933 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 67: Thought I'd try practicing a bit later on, but you know what Yoda says: "Do or do not, there is no try."

I need to practice, at least for St. Leo's on Sunday. That Karg-Elert won't play itself, you know! (This is a reference to that silly chain-saw commercial on tv...).

But at this point, I am considering asking Susan and Rob for a ride out to Brooklin on Sunday morning. Not sure I have the concentration for driving. Thankfully I have only ten treatments left at the 'Brook.

On a happy note: I am going to ask Fr. Charles if I can write a music blog for the church bulletin (Blog = Bulletin log). It won't be as personally focused as this practice blog, but people might enjoy it, and I might be able to do a little consciousness-raising. (Yow, how's that for a seventies term? Groovy!)

Days to go:934 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 66: No practice today. "I love deadlines. I especially love the swooshing sound they make as they go flying by." (Douglas Adams)

Days to go: 935 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 65: Can't get this earworm out of my head: "Re-joice in the Lord alway, and again I say, rejoice!" And especially, "Be careful for nothing, but in all pra-yer, and sup-pli-ca-ti-on, let your pe-ti-ti-ons be manifest, unto G-d with giving of thanks. With giv-i-ing of THANKS!"

Singing respectfully about the peace of G-d: "Zzzzzzzzzz." (I actually fell asleep in the TOMO machine today.)

Thank you, kind and loving friends, for your continuing prayers and good thoughts sent my way. Back atcha!

"And the peace of G-d, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesu, in Christ Jesu. Aaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-a-men!"

(Anon)

Days to go: 936 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 64: Yesterday both attempts at improvising short passages were "successful" according to my present severely limited definition of success, which is: NOT obviously stumbling in front of the poor captive assembly. I closed my eyes and listened for the first, and that helped. For the second, I was watching a procession so that I could time the ending, and that also worked. Qua'pla!

Fr. Charles wrote a nice note on music for the bulletin...

Music is anything but background sound to the liturgy of the Church. It assists and enhances personal and congregational prayer; it moves us to greater and deeper contemplation of the mysteries of God; it can be a conduit through which our God speaks to and moves our hearts; it reflects God's power, love, mercy, tenderness and presence and can inspire joy, praise, conviction, thanksgiving and self-examination.

Days to go: 937 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 63:

JERUSALEM

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

(Words: William Blake, Music: C.H.H. Parry)

Days to go: 938 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 62: Have started Variation V of the Passagaclia at last! Several hours were spent at St. Leo's getting ready for tomorrow. I will really have to watch it -- in my desire to do excellent work, elements of "job creep" can easily slip in.

Met Barbara, who was in the kitchen prepping sausages and making two different sauces for the pancakes at the Welcome Back breakfast tomorrow. She is bringing in an old CBW II Choir edition for us to use, so that makes a total of two! 100% better than yesterday at this time! :-)

Perhaps it would be best to begin work with the Passacaglia each day, otherwise all the details involved in preparing music for liturgy can easily take over and practicing the LIST gets edged out. Right now, it is important for me to conserve energy where possible.

Perhaps, for the church work, I will set aside a period of time each day instead of trying to do everything in just two sessions a week. Might have to work from home more, too -- can't see driving all the way to Brooklin each day, especially with my "chariot" (my 1997 Toyota Corolla) starting to feel its age. Me, too!

Tomorrow: a stirring hymn I've always liked, speaking of chariots...

Days to go:939 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 61: I have just two speeds today: slow and off. Finished Variation IV at last, though! I am finding it too much to go through the entire learning process for a whole variation at one sitting. I think I will try doing all the reps for the manual parts at home (over several short practice sessions), then just adding pedal at the church.

Many exhausting medical matters to deal with today, but two very pleasant things also happened. I got up early to watch the beautiful sunrise from the park down the street, inspired by some photos sent by Henry Meredith of a dawn rainbow he and Nema saw yesterday. And then there was coffee with Susan and Suz, with considerable catching up accomplished.

I'm using wedding repertoire for preludes and postludes at St. Leo's right now. Light, pleasant, and under my fingers -- except for the Pachelbel Canon, which is more or less under my feet at times. My poor old copy, inherited from Ron Kingham a lifetime ago, is in tatters. Little bits of Pachelbel fall off and flutter to the floor as I attempt to turn the pages...

Enough slow. Time for off. Nighty-nite!

Days to go: 940 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 60: Today after treatment I went right out to St. Leo's to practice. I played the Fugue through slightly under tempo and was happy to find no technical difficulties whatsoever. Gotta love that Dupre system of learning music, at present helping me to assimilate Variation IV.

The organ at St. Leo's was a gift from Holy Family Church in Whitby. It is a pre-digital Allen instrument with two manuals and full pedal board. It has been well-cared for: all of the keys, stops and pistons work and there is a transposer, which I have decided to set a tone lower for Sunday liturgies permanently.

Some of the upperwork is a bit intense for my taste and some of the stops have a vibration which I think is more due to the speakers rather than anything in the console, but I could be wrong about this. What do you think, Gordon? (I may be in touch with you later when I know the organ better.)

I spent the evening having tea with Rosemary, sometime visitor at St. Leo's and organist emeritus of St. Patrick's. We toasted the good old days, and sent good thoughts out to all church musicians, past, present and future, on this holy night -- that is to say, "Choir Night in Canada!"

(Cue OLD "Hockey Night in Canada" theme: dut-Dut-dut-Dah-Dah-DAAAAHHH!)

Days to go: 941 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 59: Tired. Srsly!

Days to go: 942 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 58: I just came from St. Pat's, where I caught up on all the variations which I had learned on the piano. I added the pedal to each of them, and then began to learn Variation IV. After 16 reps of the Left Hand, I was done in, and came home. Nap time!

Sunday's work at St. Leo's went well -- perhaps not as gracefully as I might like, but good for a first time. I think this coming Sunday I will play with my eyes closed while improvising, considering I experienced a few seconds of "centipede trouble" during the Eucharistic Prayer improvisation last Sunday. (The trumpet descant went well, though, and I have already thought of some ways to make it better.)

"Centipede trouble." Here is the whole quotation. "I'm afraid of coaching, of writers' magazines, of books on how to write. They give me centipede trouble -- you know the yarn about the centipede who was asked how he managed all his feet? He tried to answer, stopped to think about it, and was never able to walk another step." (Robert Heinlein to his editor Lurton Blassingame, quoted in Grumbles.)

Days to go: 943 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 57: Happy Labour-less Day!

Days to go: 944 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 56:

THE TEACHER CAME TO OUR SCHOOL

The Teacher was coming to our school.
We all had our say:

He will teach Industrial Arts
for He was a carpenter;

He will teach English
for He taught in parables;

He will teach Special Education
for He was always on the side of the underdog;

He will teach Science and Math
for He is the Master of the laws of nature;

He will teach in Arts
for He is the Lord of the Dance;

He will teach Family Studies
for He is the host of the Heavenly Banquet;

He will teach Modern Languages
for He understands every tongue;

He will teach Business
for His justice is sorely needed;

He will teach Phys Ed
for He has unbounded strength;

He will teach Geography and History
for He has traveled every land and lived all of time;

He will teach Law
for He confounded the Scribes and the Pharisees;

He will teach Guidance
for He is the Light of the World;

He will be a Secretary
for He knows all our words;

He will be a Custodian
because He came to serve;

He will be an Administrator
for He is the Master Teacher.

At last the Dean of Religion knowingly said,
"He undoubtedly will be in our department,
for what greater vocation can there be than to
teach love?"

But on the day the Teacher came,
He came to sit in a chair facing the board, late,
chewing gum and out of uniform.

(Les Miller, YCDSB)

Days to go: 945 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 55: Spent most of this evening at St. Leo's preparing for tomorrow, my first Sunday "on the job," as it were. My pastor, Fr. Charles, wanted to practice singing the Eucharistic Prayer with the organ. What a gift, at this stage, to come across this marvellous person, a priest who loves music!

There was a pleasant surprise waiting for me on email when I got home a few minutes ago. Anthony wrote! He writes so well. Always encouraging, he wrote, "Hope you get a chance to just play in the world of G-d's sonorities." Lovely. I wonder if he enjoys poetry, too?

Anyway, I will get the chance "to just play the world of G-d's sonorites" tomorrow as Fr. Charles prays during Mass. He wants a bit of musical backup as he speaks. What better time and place to begin my public improvising -- surrounded by grace.

Actually, I'll be playing a little trumpet descant (without a net!) for one of the hymns tomorrow. It worked well in rehearsal...

Tomorrow: a poem for teachers by a master teacher -- and a very sweet man.

Days to go: 946 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 54: Over to St. Pat's for a quick practice of Bach and music for Sunday. I played just 8 reps of the Bach (Variation I only) and then decided to get through my prelude and postlude while the getting was good. Then home for a nap before I ended up taking it on the organ bench!

I found out that the picture I have been using in visualisation is not supposed to represent the Sacred Heart, but is actually called "The Divine Mercy" and seems to have an almost cult-like following. There is a "Divine Mercy Chaplet", a "Divine Mercy Novena", and even a "Divine Mercy Lapel Pin". Knowing all this makes the whole thing a bit -- unsettling.

Back to the music: I may have to be content with doing most practicing at home over the next little while. It takes up lots and lots of energy interacting with people at the church now. And I ran a red light and drove up on a curb today at the 'Brook. Time to slow way, way down. Think adagio rather than allegro...

Days to go: 947 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 53: Just back from St. Leo's. So-o-o-o-o-o tired. Zzzzzzzz...

Days to go: 948 -- Pieces to go: 10

Day 52: I learned Variation III at home in the air conditioning -- oops, I mean on the piano. The three-part manual "sinfonia" above the passacaglia theme was so technically interwoven that I couldn't separate out the Left Hand. So I just played the variation HT 32 times.

Before you ask, no, I don't have OCD. I just find Dupre's method effective and efficient, and I believe it saves time in the long run.

Today Karen, my CAREpath nurse, asked if I had ever tried any visualisation (I guess as an aid to relaxing). I didn't mention the air practicing, but I did tell her about the Sacred Heart picture at St. Patrick's and St. Leo's, and how I imagined the rays -- red (for Jesus?) and blue (for Mary?) -- shining, like gentle sunbeams, from His heart into my body during radiation treatment.

This visualisation is quite comforting when I am inside the TOMO machine. Instead of listening to the machine I sing a verse of Silent Night in my head: "...Love's pure light....radiant beams...". A bit ridiculous, maybe, but it helps.

"Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous." (Mother Angelica, EWTN)