Tag: Uncategorized

Ruthie Gledhill has kindly put the press release at her tumblr. It is, she says, the worst press release since the Reformation.My understanding of it is as follows:Changes made to the draft measure:1) Clarification of the word "delegation" to mean legal permission to act as a bishop rather than sacramental derivation of bishoppyness;2) Inclusion in measure of guidelines stating that pastoral...

There will be a Flash Compline service at 9.45pm on Wednesday, 23rd May, outside St James Garlickhythe, near Mansion House Tube station. Here is a map. Music: We will use this setting of Compline. I will have a small number of spare copies, which you can purchase from me for £2 if you want to keep them, or borrow if you don't. Don't worry if you aren't a confident singer -- follow along with the...

...so we are still going to have Evensong at St Paul's-in-the-Camp this evening.I have no wish to compete with the cathedral, but I also don't want anyone turning up thinking there is a service and then finding out there isn't one. That has happened to me so many times, in so many contexts, that I can't bring myself to take the risk of it happening to someone else.I do plan to attend the Evensong...

Some time ago -- a year, two years? -- I came across an article on the technical demands of music. I think it might have been linked to from Elaine Fine's blog, Musical Assumptions (to which I commend you anyway), but I can't find it there.I remember quite clearly that it used a typing analogy, comparing playing music to copy-typing, but in a specific rhythm, in time with others, with precise...

By Window: workshop of Franz Borgias Mayer (1848–1926); Photo: Wojciech Dittwald (my own photo) , via Wikimedia CommonsWhen to the temple Mary went,And brought the Holy Child,Him did the aged Simeon see,As it had been revealed.He took up Jesus in his armsAnd blessing God he said:In peace I now depart, my Saviour having seen,The Hope of Israel, the Light of men.Help now thy servants, gracious...

I've just come back from hearing Bobby McFerrin perform at the Barbican, along with the London Vocal Project.The concert was wonderful. Bobby McFerrin was in fine form, and although the performance was in some ways his usual "bag of tricks" (I had seen several portions of it before on YouTube and so on), that bag of tricks is simply astounding. The improvised numbers were, of course, fantastic....

The London Gallery Quire presents aChristmas Concertof West Gallery Musicas sung during the Georgian period (1720-1850)Wednesday 10th December6.30pm for 7.00pm.Tickets - £5 on the doorAn opportunity to see inside the oldest German church in EnglandSt George's German Lutheran Church55 Alie Street, London E1 8EB Aldgate East tube station - exit Leman Street In other entirely unsurprising news, I...

The performance project that put Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Elgar's Enigma Variations is over; we recorded the last notes yesterday. It was going so well that we actually finished a full half-hour early. It was going so well that if they'd asked me to stay an hour later, I gladly would have done so! I think I enjoyed that project more than any other orchestral project in which I've been...

It's been a while since I've updated, I've been madly busy for the last several weeks. I'm hoping to get writing again soon.In the meantime, do come to the concert tomorrow:Trinity College of Music Symphony OrchestraConductor: Edward GardnerStravinsky: Rite of SpringElgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op.36Thursday 20 November, 7.30pmBlackheath Halls£10 (£7 concessions)Trinity College of...

I'm behind on posting again, no surprise there then...Horn class last Wednesday was good. Martin Owen came to run a session on note production: the basic message was to use air support, rather than the tongue, to start notes. This is less tiring than relying on the tongue and, practised over time, leads to better sound and better pitch control.We spent most of the class playing through various...