A Christmas Wedding

This weekend I had the great honor of leading the choir/organ music for the marriage of my former teacher and good friend, Mark Downey.  The wedding mass took place at the Church of the Holy Family in suburban Park Forest.  The organ is a nice Schlicker/Berghaus.  I really enjoy playing a smaller baroque style instrument in an intimate space.  Clean playing is requisite but so rewarding - at least to my ears.  The organ play-list included Daquin's Noel VI, Bach's In Der Ist Freude, Marcello's Psalm 19 and  David Johnson's Trumpet Tune in D.  

Rethinking Baseball, Apple Pie and Chevrolet

I love this story "Why Japan is Obsessed with Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas." Why is it that American companies do everything so much better overseas?  Cars sold by Ford in Europe actually have style.    And some of the best yogurt I ever had was purchased at a French McDonald's. Then I read that KFCs in Japan are featuring Champaign and whiskey bars while Wendy's restaurants are advertising American style foie-gras-and-truffle burgers.  Where can I find this America, anyway?  These people really know how to live.

Advent prose

Author of "A Wrinkle in Time", Madeleine L'Engle, wrote this poem I saw in an Anglican musicians' list feed this morning.  I agree, it speaks well to this Advent's tragedies.

First Coming
by Madeleine L'Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.
In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

25 Ways

After spending the last year as organist at a large Roman Catholic church in north suburban, Park Ridge, Illinois, I'm headed back to All Saints Anglican church in Bolingbrook after the first of the year.  I really miss the creativity of being music director and the friendly atmosphere of this small parish.  As I was browsing through my files, I ran into this great free resource from Selah publishers: 25 Ways to Become a more Successful Church Musician, and was happy to spend my lunch hour reading some great material.     

Leonard Bernstein and the Mystical-Magical 5 Levels of Musicianship

My Best-Man and mentor, Mark Downey, shared this with me some 20 years ago.  Thankfully, it  resurfaced.  It is such great information that it must be shared.  My favorite part of his lesson was the story of Leonard Bernstein performing a work from the piano (with the LA Phil) at the Hollywood Bowl.  During the performance, a bumble bee sat on his nose.  When asked by a critic how he was able to continue performing, he said he didn't even notice.  Such was the maestro's level of concentration!!

Leonard Bernstein was an excellent teacher; helping hundreds of students who attended his master classes. A student asked, “maestro, what is the one quality that distinguishes a good musician from a great one?”

His response was quite interesting. Here is a summary. I’ve adapted for singers, especially those singing in churches. Many musicians learn notes, rhythms, phrasing and dynamics, then call it a day. The really good ones realize this is only about 10% of the process. Here is a short summary.

Level	Technique/ Skills	Left-right brain/ creative soulfulness
1 Many singers hate this level because it focuses on the left brain.	What are the correct notes and rhythms?	Almost all left brain.
2 Church choirs often get stuck here and as a result, the music seems “boring” to the listener.	Notes and rhythms learned	Body starts to relax, some right brain experiences
3 The body now begins to relax and even movement within the body takes place. The body wants to move while singing. Give it permission to move.	Dynamics and phrasing, nuances in the music begin to appear	Most musicians stop here! It’s a shame because the really good  music is ready to be sung and blossom forth
4 The CSO most likely achieves this level with certain conductors. You can often tell how musicians respond to certain conductors. Think Solti-Barenboim-Muti!	Much more feeling in the musical line, more nuances within the notes, phrases and chord structures	Body becomes very relaxed, right brain is now in control. Body doesn’t think about fingerings, breath support, where the cut-off is… BUT the person is aware of their surroundings.
5 The most difficult level to achieve because it requires discipline to block “stuff” out and to empty the mind. It’s really letting go!	Creative process now takes over. The musical line is free and not obstructed in any way.	The performer is not really aware of his/her surroundings, temperature, coughs in the audience, being thirsty. This is when music is truly created.

 What level are you singing at? Challenge yourself to dig deep into the music, never singing two notes alike, singing with color and energy. You will be richly rewarded for your efforts.

Summary by Mark J. Downey

Healey Willan's Missa Beviseses

I just sent in my request to borrow Healey Willan's Missa Brevis No. 2 in F minor.  His little masses are quite nice.  His works may be borrowed, rented or purchased through the Canadian Music Center.  I haven't used their services in the past, though I'll let you know how that goes.

St Francis and the Creche

As a lover of St. Francis, I always enjoy reading the many legends about this most famous saint. One of my favourites is the story of the origin of the Christmas creche. St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) in his Life of St. Francis of Assisi tells the story the best:

It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff. Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise. The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem. A certain valiant and veracious soldier, Master John of Grecio, who, for the love of Christ, had left the warfare of this world, and become a dear friend of this holy man, affirmed that he beheld an Infant marvellously beautiful, sleeping in the manger, Whom the blessed Father Francis embraced with both his arms, as if he would awake Him from sleep. This vision of the devout soldier is credible, not only by reason of the sanctity of him that saw it, but by reason of the miracles which afterwards confirmed its truth. For example of Francis, if it be considered by the world, is doubtless sufficient to excite all hearts which are negligent in the faith of Christ; and the hay of that manger, being preserved by the people, miraculously cured all diseases of cattle, and many other pestilences; God thus in all things glorifying his servant, and witnessing to the great efficacy of his holy prayers by manifest prodigies and miracles.