...that was Geoffrey Reed's excuse anyhow - he really needs to change his punchlines/straplines/hairdye/spell check...
we met up at The Castle Pub in Farringdon for Bob's birthday. Funny, that winter thing: you know, cold and the like, jugs of ale and misted up windows. Convincing LOTR Elf impressions were done by Alison and cheeses warmed in the fug of the snug to waft amidst the assembled company. Bob and Helen were off to parts foreign the next morn. A valedictory Hupdy Bufdy was sung.
Geoffrey Reed gatecrashed the party and managed to slip past the bouncers and disable his electronic tag. I've told him before about his under-age drinking and laying off the vodka red bulls, but will he listen: NO! Maybe he should be working in retail...
My young pupil E.T. managed 130 out of 150 in his grade 3 piano exam: distinction! Huzzah! and thoroughly deserved. An adolescent lifetime spent sitting in practise rooms awaits him.
Barnarnarby arrived Saturday morning after I scooted home from seeing Aviary for breakfast (having muddled my Mass times): B and I serenaded the neighbours and the tape machine and slurped coffee and chocs before wending our ways - he to his eyrie in Pimlico and me to Waterloo East and thence to Stonegate (near Rumtumbridge Wells) for the Jackson-Matthews Christmas party, plus carol books and geeetar. The Yamaha grand was sounding well tuned and the Yuletide merriment seemed to be enjoyed by one and all. Unc P and I duetted a bit and I improvised the "We three kings of orient are kosher" that a version of has made it's way by camel-computer-train onto youtube. Really fun afternoon. Chestnuts roasting on the open fires and mistletoe and wine.
Fast drive by fair Cos and Aunt to Buxted, and a home to Battersea by 930pm. Fingers gearing up for Barn's and mine guitar fest next week.
Sunday morning service went well and we were Paula plus Cally, Rosemary and Tina in the St Ann's Choir. Father Michael cooked a delicious Asdapasta and chats of ecclesiology and chats of the importance of openness.
I LOVE staying home on Saturday afternoons and just pottering between computer and piano and guitar. Managed to wrestle with the Laptop and emerged with a few videos on youtube of stuff that I'd recorded last week - things written over the past year mostly. Also heard a lovely song 'The Crow on the Cradle' (a traditional tune) in a version by Mary Black. Very haunting! and magical too. I did a poem/lyrics to the same tune called 'The Dove on the Cradle.'
A wedding at Beth'lem, twixt heaven and earth
the Child of God's promise that men have long searched
And Herod and soldiers: Jerusalem's fear
deceived in their cunning by obedience of seers
and the Dove flown from the cradle
Do google the Mary Black version and you'll get an idea of what is intended with this one.
Michael C cycled over for minced and brewed about 9pm and talk of mine and thine. He's hoping to make our pub gig. Need to press on with invites for that one. I see that my former pupil Ed Sayeed is on the bill as well - that was a really nice surprise!
Aviary and I met for brekker again this morn and I'm sitting at 'our' table in Esca and it's pretty chillsville outside, colder at 815am than it seemed to be at 645am for some reason... mystery!
And so the week beginneth: learnt my aria from Christmas Oratorio this morning 'Grosser Herr und starker Konig' (there are umlauts etc missing from that title but I can't figure out how to find them for the mo on the keyboard). Speaking of German music and musicians, Julmax and I chatted of Beethoven and his spiritual development (there's a slim paperback from the 70's I'm reading by that title). The Missa Solemnis awaits me some sunny Sunday afternoon at St Anthony's Harpertage. I couldn't take med or hail of it on first listening but aim to maybe get a score and sit down for an hour or two. Oh the sweetness of music and God, divinely combined.
'for Music is but three parts plied and multiplied'
(George Herbert)
Father - rhythm
Son - melody
Spirit - harmony
(texture/colour?)
Must be careful not to over analogise. NB.
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