Day 141:
VULPIUS
The strife is o'er, the battle done;
Now is the Victor's triumph won;
Now be the song of praise begun,--
Hallelujah!
The powers of death have done their worst,
But Christ their legions hath dispersed;
Let shouts of holy joy outburst,--
Hallelujah!
The three sad days have quickly sped;
He rises glorious from the dead;
All glory to our risen Head!
Hallelujah!
He brake the age-bound chains of hell;
The bars from heaven's high portals fell,
Let hymns of praise His triumph tell.
Hallelujah!
Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,
From death's dread sting Thy servants free,
That we may live, and sing to Thee,
Hallelujah!
Latin, mediaeval: Tr. Francis Pott
Music: Melchior Vulpius; arranged (with Faux Bourdon) by
Ernest MacMillan, Free harmonisation by Bert Van der Hoek;
Chorale prelude by Healey Willan
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Days to go: 860 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 140: Just tried to link the Cortner concert program to this blog but couldn't do it. When I figure it out...
The concert was a joyous celebration of Larry Cortner's life and legacy. I am pleased with how things went and everyone in attendance pronounced the concert a success. Also thank you to James Reaney, and his article about the concert in the London Free Press.
We were witnesses to the beginning of an urban (organist's) legend concerning Michael Unger, who as the last performer played the Vierne Final from the 1st Symph. A cipher started! Oh no! It blended in quite well with the harmonies for a while. In trying to disengage the cipher, Michael Unger started to play trills here and there, hoping to hit on the note, thereby stopping the cipher. No luck. Then he figured out that the cipher was in the pedal, so he started to play the pedal notes with more vigour. Soon the cipher stopped. Michael Unger had fixed it himself, while playing at full speed and full organ, without dropping a note! You deserve to win at Harlaam, young padawan. Show 'em how it's done!
The concert was a joyous celebration of Larry Cortner's life and legacy. I am pleased with how things went and everyone in attendance pronounced the concert a success. Also thank you to James Reaney, and his article about the concert in the London Free Press.
We were witnesses to the beginning of an urban (organist's) legend concerning Michael Unger, who as the last performer played the Vierne Final from the 1st Symph. A cipher started! Oh no! It blended in quite well with the harmonies for a while. In trying to disengage the cipher, Michael Unger started to play trills here and there, hoping to hit on the note, thereby stopping the cipher. No luck. Then he figured out that the cipher was in the pedal, so he started to play the pedal notes with more vigour. Soon the cipher stopped. Michael Unger had fixed it himself, while playing at full speed and full organ, without dropping a note! You deserve to win at Harlaam, young padawan. Show 'em how it's done!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Days to go:861 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 139:
THE DONKEY
When forests walked and fishes flew
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood,
Then, surely, I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening bray
And ears like errant wings--
The devil's walking parody
Of all four-footed things:
The battered outlaw of the earth
Of ancient crooked will;
Scourge, beat, deride me -- I am dumb --
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour --
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout around my head
And palms about my feet.
(G. K. Chesterton)
THE DONKEY
When forests walked and fishes flew
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood,
Then, surely, I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening bray
And ears like errant wings--
The devil's walking parody
Of all four-footed things:
The battered outlaw of the earth
Of ancient crooked will;
Scourge, beat, deride me -- I am dumb --
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour --
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout around my head
And palms about my feet.
(G. K. Chesterton)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Days to go: 862 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 138: Here are the performers for the Memorial Concert for Larry Cortner:
Paul Merritt (First St. Andrew's United Church, London, ON)
Dr. Ron Fox (St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London, ON)
Sandra Young Tangjerd (London, ON)
David Palmer (All Saints' Anglican Church and the University of Windsor, Windsor, ON)
Michael Unger (Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY)
...et moi!
The London Centre of the RCCO is bringing refreshments. Gabriel Kney and Paul Poppy have been working on the organ (Casavant 1972, mechanical action) in Studio 18 of the Don Wright Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario.
Dr. J. S. McIntosh, colleague of Dr. Cortner, will be attending along with Mrs. McIntosh. Former students and friends will be in attendance, and the concert is open to the public.
If a google search of Larry Cortner's name has brought you here, please feel welcome to come to the Concert, which will be held at 3 o'clock on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Free admission and free parking.
Paul Merritt (First St. Andrew's United Church, London, ON)
Dr. Ron Fox (St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London, ON)
Sandra Young Tangjerd (London, ON)
David Palmer (All Saints' Anglican Church and the University of Windsor, Windsor, ON)
Michael Unger (Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY)
...et moi!
The London Centre of the RCCO is bringing refreshments. Gabriel Kney and Paul Poppy have been working on the organ (Casavant 1972, mechanical action) in Studio 18 of the Don Wright Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario.
Dr. J. S. McIntosh, colleague of Dr. Cortner, will be attending along with Mrs. McIntosh. Former students and friends will be in attendance, and the concert is open to the public.
If a google search of Larry Cortner's name has brought you here, please feel welcome to come to the Concert, which will be held at 3 o'clock on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Free admission and free parking.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Days to go:863 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 137: Well, the really exciting news is that David Palmer is going to play John McIntosh's "Thou My Soul's Shelter," a piece dedicated to Larry Cortner, on the Memorial Concert. Such a gracious person. All of them are gracious people.
Practiced most vigorously last evening and ache all over now, especially my shoulders. Lesson learned. Ouch!
The Bach is not in good shape but will be.
Practiced most vigorously last evening and ache all over now, especially my shoulders. Lesson learned. Ouch!
The Bach is not in good shape but will be.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Days to go: 864 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 136: The Reboot of An Organist's Bucket List!
I am happy to announce that I have started serious practicing again. It helps to have motivation: in my case, the Memorial Concert for Larry Cortner, 3:00 pm, May 1, 2011, Studio 18, The Don Wright Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
I am going to play the .25 of this list -- the Fugue from the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor by J.S. Bach. I was going to play John McIntosh's "Thou My Soul's Shelter" but I have a different plan for that work.
So I stopped by St. Patrick's and played the fugue 4 times through on a full plenum. Many errors up to tempo but none at a slower tempo so I guess the future is clear... 60 days to fix it before the concert.
This is fun! I'd forgotten.
I am happy to announce that I have started serious practicing again. It helps to have motivation: in my case, the Memorial Concert for Larry Cortner, 3:00 pm, May 1, 2011, Studio 18, The Don Wright Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
I am going to play the .25 of this list -- the Fugue from the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor by J.S. Bach. I was going to play John McIntosh's "Thou My Soul's Shelter" but I have a different plan for that work.
So I stopped by St. Patrick's and played the fugue 4 times through on a full plenum. Many errors up to tempo but none at a slower tempo so I guess the future is clear... 60 days to fix it before the concert.
This is fun! I'd forgotten.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Days to go: 865 -- Pieces to go: 9.75
Day 135:
BOY AND EGG
Every few minutes,
he wants to march
the trail of flattened rye grass
back to the house of muttering hens.
He too could make a bed in hay.
Yesterday the egg was so fresh
it felt hot in his hand
and he pressed it to his ear
while the other children laughed
and ran with a ball,
leaving him,
so little yet,
too forgetful in games,
ready to cry if the ball brushed him,
riveted to the secret of birds
caught up inside his fist,
not ready to give it over
to the refrigerator
or the rest of the day.
(Naomi Shihab Nye)
BOY AND EGG
Every few minutes,
he wants to march
the trail of flattened rye grass
back to the house of muttering hens.
He too could make a bed in hay.
Yesterday the egg was so fresh
it felt hot in his hand
and he pressed it to his ear
while the other children laughed
and ran with a ball,
leaving him,
so little yet,
too forgetful in games,
ready to cry if the ball brushed him,
riveted to the secret of birds
caught up inside his fist,
not ready to give it over
to the refrigerator
or the rest of the day.
(Naomi Shihab Nye)
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