Author: artsyhonker

Stop, collaborate and listen

Byartsyhonker May 15, 2011 0 Comments
David Sinden has a series of blog posts recording different stops on various organs, one at a time so that you can really hear the character of the stop. It seemed like a good project, so I decided to try and record some of the stops on the organ at St Andrew's.Here, then, is the Oboe stop on the swell box. This is probably an original stop on this Swell Oboe 8 playing Stanley by...

A nice afternoon out

Byartsyhonker May 7, 2011 0 Comments
If you're thinking about coming to Evensong tomorrow (St Mary's Rotherhithe, SE16 4JE at 6pm on Sunday) why not stop by the Brunel Museum first? They open until 5pm, leaving just enough time for a quick half pint at The Mayflower before the service starts.I certainly fancy a wander around the museum. I wonder if I can convince someone to carry the serpent so I'm not too knackered to play it...

London Gallery Quire Evensong

Byartsyhonker May 4, 2011 0 Comments
London Gallery Quire will be singing an Evensong at St Mary's Rotherhithe this Sunday, 8th May, at 6pm. I'm really looking forward to it!Here's a very rough sample of one of the pieces. This is just me singing the parts, one take each, so the tuning isn't amazing, the timing is ragged and some of the words aren't very clear. But it's such a wonderful little piece I wanted people to be able to...

Life as usual

Byartsyhonker May 2, 2011 2 Comments
This morning I drifted in and out of groggy sleep... you know the sort, when you've set the alarm with the best of intentions but don't actually have to get up right away and a few more minutes sleep seem the better option. I heard someone on the radio speaking of a death, of rejoicing in the streets, and thought, "Oh, that'll be Osama bin Laden, then" before rolling over, too somnolent to have...

Adventures in hymn selection

Byartsyhonker May 1, 2011 3 Comments
In the Common Worship lectionary there are two options for Eastertide. One uses an Old Testament reading, a reading from Acts, and a Gospel reading each week. The other uses an epistle instead of the Old Testament. The point is that Acts is required.Somehow, I thought we were using the Old Testament readings, and chose hymns accordingly. So this morning we had a lovely reading from Acts, then a...

On acknowledgement

Byartsyhonker April 30, 2011 0 Comments
On Thursday I got an e-mail from someone. He was writing to tell me he'd found my piece Crux Fidelis on the Choral Public Domain Library a few months ago, and had used it in the liturgy for Good Friday at the church where he's organist. It went well and they intend to use it again next year.It felt really wonderful to be thanked, and even just to know that my music is being used. I know others...

A creative response to copyrighted lyrics…

Byartsyhonker April 26, 2011 0 Comments
Eric Whitacre wrote this music to fit the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. Rather stupidly, Robert Frost's estate told him that he couldn't use it until it becomes public domain in 2038.So he asked Charles Anthony Silvestri to write a new poem to fit, using the same meter and some of the same words... this is the result: The whole virtual choir thing is pretty darn...

Ever onwards…

Byartsyhonker April 26, 2011 2 Comments
This badge from Miss Music Nerd pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject. Alleluia, I survived! Like her, I'm also left with a rather large "to do after Holy Week" list that needs tackling. I think mine starts with tidying up the music room, I'm sure it had a floor once. I did take Easter Monday as a day to be lazy at home, and it felt decidedly odd not to be thinking of everything in terms...

In the great congregation I will praise…

Byartsyhonker April 22, 2011 2 Comments
Though my diocesan cathedral in Chelmsford is a bit of a trek for me, I'm privileged in London to be within easy travel distance of both St Paul's Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral.Yesterday, partly out of curiosity and partly out of a desire to attend a service that I couldn't mess up by playing the organ in the wrong place, I attended the Chrism Mass (actually called "The Renewal of Ordination...

IMSLP is back

Byartsyhonker April 22, 2011 0 Comments
Just a brief update on yesterday's situation with IMSLP -- the site is back!It looks like the MPA contacted GoDaddy to request that the domain name be reinstated. Their offer to work with IMSLP to ensure all relevant scores meet relevant copyright legislation seems like a bit of a joke to me, though: clearly they know much less about copyright than the good folks at IMSLP. I don't see much sign...