Life is what happens

Well, I never was a good letter writer or diary keeper, and blogging is more or less just a public version of both, so there is really nothing unusual about the recent dry spell in postings here, but goodness gracious - 5 months? Let's just say that I have somehow managed to neglect this avenue of personal expression in lieu of other real-life adventures. And I promise to say something about my goal of memorizing In Dir Ist Freude. But more on that later.

I have not tired of the sound the Allen organ, and I have also managed to remain inspired by hearing great organ concerts - including one by Cameron Carpenter and another by Angela Kraft-Cross who played with skill and technique I will never hope to master, but to which I never tire of listening in admiration. Cameron blew our minds with his virtuosity and treated us to multiple encores at the Davies Symphony hall on May 2nd. Check out his YouTube videos or even better, buy his CD's. He just came out with his second CD/DVD combo ('Live', which includes video of the Earl King and Clockwatcher, the latter being my favorite of his own compositions to date). He is breathing a breath of fresh air into the organ world. He autographed the copy of 'Revolutionary' I bought that night, even posed for pictures with me. Very cool!

I heard Angela play beautifully on both her home church organ and at St. Mary's Cathedral, two totally different instruments with totally different ambience. The former is a Casavant and semi-reserved. The latter is a Ruffatti (if I recall correctly, the same as the organ at Davies symphony hall) and all the pipes are out there speaking 'in-your-face' with unparalled clarity. I much prefer the latter. And the inspiring interior of that ultra modern church is quite dramatic.

I have slowly been accumulating organ music from here and there as I find it - just received an interesting package of sheet music and books this week in fact. Some real classics including simplified versions of Bach's chorales created by Marcel Dupre for his students (including In Dir Ist Freude).

Meanwhile, I've managed to memorize In Dir Ist Freude (the full version) and actually recorded myself playing it and proudly sent the compressed video to my parents and close family and a couple of friends. One can always count on parents to be complimentary, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to play it for the world. Still so much to polish. I know this piece is supposed to be played full organ, but I've found a nice soft setting that I find quite charming and am thinking about recording it that way just for fun. It's a very joyful piece, but nothing says joyfulness has to be rambunctious or overwhelming with volume.

But that recording will have to wait a bit - I stubbed my toe quite badly a couple days ago, evidently worse than I thought and it's swelled up to the point where I worry I may have torn a tendon chipped a bone, so I think I'll be focusing on the manual keyboards for a few weeks.