Via Sequencia

Rufus at Ravinia

Finally, after waiting all summer for the day to arrive (and then again waiting for the warm-up acts to finish and get the hell off the stage), I got to see my new favorite performer—Rufus Wainwright—in concert. Once we got to the main event, it was fantastic, but the 90 minutes leading up to it were excruciating.

His opening acts are A Fine Frenzy and Magic Numbers. I was okay with A Fine Frenzy for the most part. The singing was decent and the songs were nothing to be offended by. Her five-note range was a little tedious after four songs, but thankfully she sang only five. End of part one.

Then came on Magic Numbers, a four member British band that had a sort of Seals and Crofts whine to their sound, but totally uninteresting music to go with it. I can't imagine a more annoying combination than that. They received a standing ovation from a very small percentage of the audience who apparently were related somehow to the band members (at least that's the only way I can figure it). They were too loud, every song was too driven and sounded the same (except one, which I actually enjoyed listening to...kind of), and were on stage way too long. End of part two.

Then Rufus! He was promoting his new CD, Release the Stars, so most of the songs he sang were from that album. It was a great show. He sang well, and his band was great. I think this album is way over-the-top produced compared to his more introspective stuff, but I like it anyway. I think that if I were to have repeated the experience of going to see The Police or Crosby, Stills and Nash last night like I did twenty years ago in a sports arena, I wouldn't have enjoyed it much. But sitting in our box seats in Ravinia's Pavilion was a great way to see this show. The weather was great and the audience at Ravinia is very well behaved. I was amused by the fact that so much of last night's crowd was 40-something or older. I gotta go to shows up there more often!

4.5 Sequencia Stars

It's a...Yaris!

We did it...we finally bought a second car! This means that we both can be mobile separately. This means that I can get to church in time to practice. This means that I don't have to sit at home waiting to run an errand when Incontesta is off teaching. This means that we don't have to always drive the biggest damn vehicle in Christendom just to go out to eat. This means that I can fit into even smaller parallel parking spots (one of my all-time favorite pass times). This means we don't have to be rude to the neighbor when he decides to use our empty parking space without permission just because it's usually empty (yeehaw!). This means we can save a ton of money on gas! Of course it also means two car payments, two cars to insure, etc., etc., but it's a small price to pay, let me tell ya! 

Ain't she cute?

Just to move the previous post off the top of the page

My last post was a little gross, I know. So...here's a little something to draw attention away from it for a while. Happy Wednesday, everyone!

And now, I'm off to buy a new car.

Boing!

(The story you are about to read is true. Really!)

You know the cartoon gag where the eyes bug out of the character's head? Like they just can't believe what they're seeing right in front of them?

Well, that was me (just like with dear old Yasser here) a while ago this afternoon as I walked through Macy's on State Street. I was on my way to the lower level for some sushi to go, when my eyes caught a glimpse of something...umm... well...unbelievable.

I was quickly making my way through the lightly populated establishment when my eyes were drawn like a magnet to a swinging monster of a hoo-ha inside a middle-aged man's beige gauze pants. I must have been affected by the gravitational pull being created by this King Kong ding-a-ling. Some force of nature called to me to notice this thing. It was simply ginormous.

When I was being pulled in its direction (visually), it was swinging freely within those ridiculously light-weight trousers this fellow was wearing. And just as soon as my brain processed what it was that I was seeing, he reached down, grabbed the whopper, and adjusted it, just as though he were standing in the bathroom in front of a mirror. Talk about drawing attention to it (not that it needed any help)! When he reached for it, he actually had bent forward a little, giving his arms more reach...and still he was only able to grab it half-way down.

The next thing I did was to glance over at the woman walking hand in hand with him. I watched her walk a few steps, just to make sure she walked normally. She did. Although, I can't imagine how.

And he dresses left.

'Missa Mamaw' begins to take shape

The Mass that I've been busy composing has a name: Meriam Mass. It's named in memory of my grandmother, Meriam Delphine Calhoun, who died two weeks ago today. It's still very much a work in progress, but I've completed two parts now...I finished the Agnus Dei on Saturday. Anyway, its nickname of "Missa Mamaw" is already in use around our house.

It was an amazing feeling to hold a piece of music in my own hands that I had just finished writing with those very hands.  Not just amazing...it was intoxicating! Can't wait to experience the whole spectrum of emotions that are still to come, like the nervous anticipation of the reaction from the choir when I pass it out for the first time. Or the excitement of hearing the congregation and choir sing it for the first time during the Eucharist on Sunday, September 16!

Yes, I've started the Gloria, in case you wondered. This is so invigorating!

I've done it!

I had to make a trip over to the church again today. So, while I was waiting for my colleague to familiarize himself with my organ (sorry...couldn't resist!), I went to the piano in the choir room and finished the Sanctus et Benedictus that I started last night. And I like it! I find it unbelievable that I finished it in less than 24 hours, but I'm not about to start questioning the flow of creativity. And hey...it's not like I finished a choral anthem, is it? But for the first time in my life, I composed a piece of music. And it's a piece that will be sung and played...sung and played every Sunday from the middle of September through the end of November this fall. Kinda freaky.

Next, I think I'll write an Agnus Dei. What shall I call this Mass setting I've begun? Any suggestions?

Sequencia branches out

This evening, as Incontesta was busy upstairs in the music office at church, I was in the chancel practicing Bach and Buxtehude. Suddenly, I got a very strong urge to compose some service music. I have often thought about it, but always managed to procrastinate. I mean, why do today what I can put off till...oh...say, next year?

But tonight was different. The need to create was palpable. I called up to Incontesta on the walkie-talkie to see if he had some music manuscript paper. He printed some for me from the internet and I was on my way.

I decided to start simply...a setting of the Sanctus et Benedictus would be good. (Oh, God! I can't do this! Oh, yes, I can! So what if it's terrible or, even worse, mediocre or sappy or silly. My God! What the hell am I doing?)

So I started sketching out a melody. Then I'd get distracted trying out harmonies. Then I'd try to write something down. Then I'd go back to sounds. I have no system for this. This is uncharted territory. (What the fuck is Supremo going to think of this drivel? Is there any way that he might actually approve of my first attempt at tapping into my compositional creative juices? He pokes fun at my sincere attempts at improvisation. Stop it, Sequencia...just keep at it. Fuck all that other shit!)

Well...about two hours later, I had sketched out the whole piece. D Major. Nice modulation to at least a couple unexpected harmonies. Highest note is an e that occurs in the Hosanna (a whole step higher than what you usually see in service music, but they're quick). Two phrases end with a couple descant-y moments for the choir's sopranos. Yep...I think I remembered to use all the conventions. The fun thing about it is that I didn't really even think about those things very much. They just sort of happened naturally.

Stay tuned. I may have the piece sketched out, but I haven't finalized any of the organ part. Lot's of harmonic ideas that I hear in my head, but still a lot of decisions to be made. Honestly, it's the organ part that's going to make this piece something more than a run-of-the-mill, dime-a-dozen Sanctus.

Again I ask...what am I doing?

Holy, holy, holy shit!

My favorite sermon by Robert Tilton

Random hotness in honor of QueerFilter.com

In honor of updating the new Via Sequencia with QueerFilter.com, I post this picture for all to enjoy. Cheers!

From the mouths of nieces...

My niece, Anna, has just started first grade. She lives with my nephew, Johnny; my brother, John; and my sister-in-law, Dawn in rural southern Indiana. She came home from her first day of school this past Tuesday, and subsequently her first school bus ride.

"Mommy," Anna said to my sister-in-law, Dawn, "someone said the 'A' word today...and Mommy, I know the 'F' word and when not to use it!"

"Okay," Dawn said, a bit stunned. "What is the 'F' word?"

"It's FATASS! And I'm never supposed to say, 'Get out of my way, FATASS!' "