tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36747481869870239222012-01-22T12:27:46.517-05:00QuodlibetReflections and meditations on music and singing, birds in my life, books and literature, history and humanity, words and writing, politics, and current events.Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.comBlogger3731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-7166847861697767272012-01-22T07:51:00.000-05:002012-01-22T07:51:35.097-05:00Rose of Sharon
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The snow shows us shapes and textures we might otherwise overlook.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-36775003647077874752012-01-21T14:09:00.004-05:002012-01-21T14:10:36.953-05:00CONCORA's "Wine Jazz & Song" Postponed.
Due to the snowy conditions today, CONCORA's "Wine, Jazz & Song" event scheduled for tonight has been postponed to Saturday, January 28. Tickets for tonight's event will be honored next week.Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-39842138860158059672012-01-19T09:41:00.000-05:002012-01-19T09:41:48.338-05:00Apple Crisp.
Crisp tart apples and a lightly spiced butter-oatmeal topping.
Apple crisp.
Preheat the oven to 350F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup King-Arthur all-purpose unbleached flour, 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter cut into chunks, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg:
Using a sharp pastry cutter, cut the flour into Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-49870151710628731012012-01-18T08:38:00.000-05:002012-01-18T08:38:31.767-05:00“A Lovely Evening” of Wine, Jazz, & Song.
The CONCORA Friends of Bach Committee presents
An Evening of Wine, Jazz & Song
Saturday January 21, 2012
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Porter Memorial Hall, First Church of Christ Congregational
75 Main St., Farmington CT
(snow date: Sunday, January 28, 6:00-9:00 p.m.)
The “Wine, Jazz, and Song” fundraiser supports CONCORA’s March 25, 2012 performance of Bach’s Magnificat (BWV 243), Cantata 1 Wie schönQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-34388140288245139832012-01-17T20:33:00.000-05:002012-01-17T20:33:06.877-05:00Our Daily Bread .“Nothing in the whole range of domestic life more affects the health and happiness of the family than the quality of its daily bread.”(Mrs. Lincoln’s Boston Cook Book, 1884)
Last week K asked me to bake some of our favorite family bread. I did, and here’s how I did it. It doesn’t have a name.
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Have 1 package (or 1 tablespoon) active dry yeast and 2 eggs at Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-22594678429791060332012-01-17T10:35:00.001-05:002012-01-17T10:37:39.844-05:00As Expected, the Birds Arrived Today with the Snow
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Last week, I wrote about why we aren’t seeing too many birds at our feeders and around our yards. This was in response to the question that appears in news stories, in birding fora, and other places “Where are all the birds?”
Short version: There is plenty of wild food available, and mild temperatures and little snow has made it easy for birds to find what they need. Read the whole essay hereQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-77893670643640837442012-01-17T08:19:00.000-05:002012-01-17T08:19:57.808-05:00Rhododendron Redux.
It was so cold at our house yesterday (11˚F) that the leaves of the rhododendrons had curled up to protect themselves, a phenomenon called thermotropic leaf movement that was first described by Charles Darwin.
You can see the photo from yesterday, and read a bit about thermotropic leaf movement, here: http://quodlibet-sarah.blogspot.com/2012/01/darwin-and-rhododendrons.html
Last night we gotQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-73253082873067987562012-01-16T16:58:00.000-05:002012-01-16T16:58:35.781-05:00Busy Day.
As I worked and worked and worked today, I noticed that the birds at the feeders were working intensely, too. They had to work hard to stay warm in last night’s bitter cold (11˚F this morning); it’s been cold all day, too, and they’ve been feeding steadily all day. Tonight we are expecting snow and sleet, and of course the birds can sense this, so they’ve been hard at work eating, storing Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-6894549267432798332012-01-16T09:04:00.000-05:002012-01-16T09:04:49.805-05:00Darwin and the Rhododendrons
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When you think of Charles Darwin, you think of rhododendrons, right?
Until today, I never would have, either.
It’s 11˚F at our house this morning ― that’s cold. And as usual in temperatures under 20˚F or so, the leaves on the rhododendron plants are curled and drooping:
I knew that the leaves curl in response to extreme cold (a phenomenon called temperature-sensitive or thermotropic leaf Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-29851244825571280362012-01-15T11:10:00.000-05:002012-01-15T11:10:06.899-05:00Amaryllis.
From D – still fresh and blooming.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-9932664101543420762012-01-15T00:04:00.001-05:002012-01-15T11:10:30.420-05:00Morning Mist.
Pines at the edge of our yard, after rain in the night.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-12142812865533647662012-01-14T09:33:00.000-05:002012-01-14T09:33:22.548-05:00On the Run – Melismatic Singing in the Choral Ensemble
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A while back, someone posted this question to the ChoralNet forum: “Recently myself and choir went to a Messiah sing-along. We ran thru a few movements before hand to get an idea how they felt. How can we improve our melismatic technique? It sounds now very note-by-note and heavy.”
Here are my thoughts on melismatic singing, including melismatic singing in a choir:
Practice, Practice, Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-14808605915857715762012-01-13T09:09:00.002-05:002012-01-13T09:14:11.314-05:00What Else Could a Mother Do?
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As I prepared some material to post here this morning, I was listening to NPR’s Morning Edition. When this story came on, I found myself unable to continue work, and ended up in tears:
Threats and Lies, and “Who I’m Supposed to Be”http://www.npr.org/2012/01/13/145099739/threats-and-lies-and-who-im-supposed-to-be
Go listen, or read the transcript. (The transcript has important info that is notQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-28490169840703345552012-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:002012-01-12T09:04:53.013-05:00Singing Sacred Music: Reflections from One Beyond the Pale
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I am not a religious person, yet I generally prefer singing sacred music to secular music. Why? Because, it seems to me, many composers write their best music when they set sacred texts, and in so doing, create beautiful music to uplift words that hold great meaning, either for them personally, or for their ethnic or faith communities, or for the people for whom I am singing.
This is reason Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-13119467099851927382012-01-11T08:13:00.000-05:002012-01-11T08:13:48.094-05:00Air Mail.
I recently read a fascinating book, The Seven Ages of Paris, by historian Alistair Horne (Vintage, 2004). I’ll post a complete review here eventually, but in the meantime, here’s a fascinating bit about birds.
During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), communications in and out of the besieged city were almost impossible. Hot-air balloons were used to carry messages out of the city, but no Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-78431780749966131392012-01-10T07:42:00.000-05:002012-01-10T07:42:56.650-05:00Birds ― and Their Habitat ― Improve Property Values.
An interesting study from the journal Urban Ecosystems, as reported in Conservation Magazine, shows that the presence of birds, especially less-common birds, can raise property values in the area:
[Researchers] constructed a model that related bird abundance and species richness to home prices. The model suggests that the presence of less-common birds helps home prices soar. On a lot that Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-14976683165364279892012-01-09T09:11:00.002-05:002012-01-10T09:15:25.592-05:00Tune-Up
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As a chorister, I’ve run into occasional challenges singing “in tune,” even though I’m a very experienced semi-professional choral singer, with degrees in voice and music theory. What I experience from within the choral ranks is that even when a singer is singing “in tune” in terms of absolute pitch, the particular color of a singer’s voice can make it difficult to blend, and this alone can Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-64794216862631844502012-01-09T08:17:00.000-05:002012-01-09T08:17:13.201-05:00“A Wonderful Fact to Reflect Upon”
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“A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. A solemn consideration, when I enter a great city by night, that every one of those darkly clustered houses encloses its own secret; that every room in every one of them encloses its own secret; that every beating heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts thereQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-15601165610200840572012-01-08T13:46:00.000-05:002012-01-08T13:46:42.226-05:00Weather Report
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Since K’s school is only about sixty miles away from us, we generally experience the same weather. The other evening, she texted me about the beauty of the sunset over her campus. I stepped outside to see what our sunset was like, and was delighted to see brilliant pinks and golds developing in the sky beyond the leafless trees at the back of our yard.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-40641816046878572802012-01-08T13:40:00.001-05:002012-01-17T10:36:18.583-05:00Where Are All the Birds?.
Where are all the birds?
Every year around this time, this question pops up in bird discussion groups, news articles, etc. The question is typically asked in late autumn or early winter, by people who put out backyard feeders and expect the birds to come flocking in. Sometimes the birds do come to the feeders, and sometimes not. Why?
While birds and other wild creatures generally exhibit Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-38611966828421831112012-01-08T10:10:00.000-05:002012-01-08T10:10:51.933-05:00Prevailing Winds
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Yesterday while running errands, I stopped at a lake where I often see a good variety of ducks in winter and during migration. I didn’t see too many birds (one lingering bufflehead, a dozen common mergansers, a few ring-billed gulls, one HY bald eagle), but the quiet beauty of the place was worth the stop.
Though it was unseasonable warm yesterday (61˚F), the nights have been cold enough toQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-37341202149637233462012-01-07T08:49:00.000-05:002012-01-07T08:49:22.188-05:00Back to the Earth.
When I stepped outside to fill the bird feeders the other day, this caught my eye:
It seemed as though I were looking down on a large farm on a spring morning: Here were extensive fields, delineated by long, straight dirt roads, their brown earth tilled for planting; pools of standing water left by an overnight rain, reflecting the silvery sky; and a large stand of trees bursting with the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-46476357524684786622012-01-06T08:53:00.000-05:002012-01-06T08:53:53.953-05:00Crescent Rolls.
The rolls I made for our Christmas dinner have all been eaten. But they lasted beautifully fresh and delicious for about a week. That’s because the recipe contains milk, eggs, and butter, all of which impart a delicate crumb and lasting softness to this, our favorite “special bread.”
Here’s the recipe, which I have adapted from the “Milk Bread” recipe in the Joy of Cooking (Simon & Schuster, Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-41416925439067744982012-01-06T01:32:00.000-05:002012-01-06T01:32:01.985-05:00Soupe à l’Oignon (Onion Soup)
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One of the wonderful gifts I received at Christmas this year was a cookbook with recipes from all over France; D bought it for me in July, in Chenonceaux. I leafed through it this afternoon, looking for a recipe that I could make with ingredients that I already had on hand (what I call a “pantry dinner”).
Ah oui ― soupe à l’oignon – onion soup. So simple, so tasty! Start with a little olive Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-53097561703851211432012-01-05T18:23:00.000-05:002012-01-05T18:23:30.222-05:00Tseep!
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4:30 p.m. on an early January day …
... As the winter afternoon subsides into dusk, I hear the distinctive sibilant tseep! of a White-throated Sparrow on the deck outside the kitchen window. I get up from my work to look, and sure enough, there it is, perched on the back of the bench under the wisteria. As I watch, it hops down to the deck to scavenge among the leavings there, the remnants Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-37432475354677533382012-01-05T09:18:00.000-05:002012-01-05T09:18:06.154-05:00The Twelfth Day of Christmas ― The Gifts From My Two Magi
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On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-62544467836658980072012-01-04T15:43:00.001-05:002012-01-04T15:44:42.305-05:00Raise a Glass for Bach!.
CONCORA’s Friends of Bach Committee presentsWine, Jazz & SongSaturday, January 21, 2012, 6:00-9:00 PMSnow date: Saturday, January 28, 2012, 6:00-9:00 PM
Porter Memorial HallFirst Church, 75 Main Street, Farmington, CTTickets: $50 per person
Enjoy a fun evening of live jazz and classic songs performed by CONCORA singers and the Sir William Trio.
Includes wine tastings, a wine auction with Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-31431428322049903642012-01-04T13:35:00.000-05:002012-01-04T13:35:25.567-05:00Inner Beauty
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Last night, I prepared a quiche aux poireaux for our dinner. One of the leeks was just beautiful inside:
This leek had been in the refrigerator a little too long; the inner leaves had continued to grow, and became crumpled inside the narrow confines of the leek’s outer leaves.
Beauty may be found in unexpected places.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-62471648336488532972012-01-04T08:07:00.002-05:002012-01-04T08:10:37.037-05:00The Eleventh Day of Christmas ― The Three Kings.
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-70579581969611176362012-01-03T08:27:00.002-05:002012-01-03T08:41:52.780-05:00The Tenth Day of Christmas ― "What Sweeter Music".
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-4380699180975110012012-01-02T08:48:00.003-05:002012-01-03T14:13:16.734-05:00The Ninth Day of Christmas ― The Christmas Rose.
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-84908766442808234112012-01-01T08:01:00.004-05:002012-01-02T09:07:55.293-05:00The Eighth Day of Christmas – A New Year.
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-10753090140251813952011-12-31T16:53:00.000-05:002011-12-31T16:53:00.836-05:00“The Old Year is Past and the New Year is Come”.
Here is a favorite New Year’s toast:
A Happy New Year
The old year is past and the New Year is come,
And all the jolly soldiers are a beating on the drum.
So and I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Here's a health to you in water― I wish it was in wine!
And all the money you have got I'm sure it's none of mine.
So and I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Here's a health unto our Master and Missus Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-52698182394339486402011-12-31T08:50:00.003-05:002012-01-03T14:13:46.596-05:00The Seventh Day of Christmas ― The Oxen.
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-67545897341589381862011-12-30T08:00:00.002-05:002012-01-02T09:12:15.286-05:00The Sixth Day of Christmas ― Wolcum Yole!
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On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-73362935032382423162011-12-29T16:16:00.000-05:002011-12-29T16:16:08.703-05:00New Stamps Feature American Raptors.
On January 20, 2012, the U.S. Postal Service will release some beautiful new stamps featuring five magnificent American birds of prey, painted by Robert Giusti:
From left to right: Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus).
Very fine.
Too bad they’re not for Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-52557113903186909242011-12-29T07:57:00.004-05:002012-01-02T09:13:43.055-05:00The Fifth Day of Christmas ― Smoking Bishop.
On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-13383534418909295362011-12-28T08:00:00.002-05:002012-01-02T09:15:08.513-05:00The Fourth Day of Christmas ― Baking Favorite Christmas Cookies
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On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-25772219515721302302011-12-27T20:58:00.002-05:002011-12-28T10:45:44.181-05:00“Like Ornaments on a Christmas Tree for Merlot, Pinot, and Chablis”
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Once in a while a perfect gift comes along.
A colleague gave me these three lovely jewel-toned wine stoppers as a Christmas gift:
Aren’t they pretty? This is just the sort of elegant thing I love to have but would never splurge to purchase for myself. I’ve long wanted pretty stoppers for wine bottles, but could never justify the expense. How nice, then, to have received these as a gift!
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-23487612078033031372011-12-27T11:48:00.000-05:002011-12-27T11:48:43.551-05:00Hartford Chorale ― Happy 40th Anniversary!
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On December 4, 2011, The Hartford Chorale, the region’s principal symphonic chorus, celebrated its 40th anniversary. The anniversary happened to fall on the day that the ensemble gave the last of four thrilling performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams Hodie with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.
You can read more about this music, the performances, and the great reviews, here:
http://Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-52336677606622305012011-12-27T08:42:00.005-05:002012-01-02T09:17:36.504-05:00The Third Day of Christmas ― Partridges, Plovers, and Popingo-ayes – The Birds of the Twelve Days of Christmas
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On December 26, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I offered my observation that for many Americans, the day after Christmas ― the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Though we are not a religious family, we enjoy many Christmas traditions. I resolved to enjoy all the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Day until Epiphany on January 6th, and to do so in part by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-80744640837031196902011-12-26T10:42:00.009-05:002012-01-02T09:18:25.330-05:00The Second Day of Christmas ― What's the Rush?
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For many Americans, today ― the day after Christmas, the twenty-sixth of December ― is the end of the Christmas season.
Today is the day that many families discard their Christmas trees, throw away the Christmas cards that arrived from friends and family, and take down their Christmas decorations. I expect that if I drove around town today, I'd see plenty of discarded Christmas trees, some Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-51822278893681872352011-12-26T08:57:00.001-05:002011-12-26T09:11:49.541-05:00Words Fail Me
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I pride myself on my verbal wit, my snappy retorts, my punning.
But sometimes I run across things that just leave me speechless.
This is one of those things.
I saw this in the holiday candy aisle at the local supermarket. I was looking for those neat chocolate oranges that break into sections. My disappointment in not finding the oranges was nearly assuaged by my delight in finding Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-59816446719194477982011-12-25T23:31:00.003-05:002011-12-28T16:24:34.773-05:00The First Day of Christmas ― Merry Christmas!.
Merry Christmas!Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-13320537478696117592011-12-23T08:49:00.000-05:002011-12-23T08:49:57.888-05:00“Of Exceptional Standards” –– CONCORA's Bach is “Best Classical”
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Each December, the arts writers at The Hartford Courant offer their assessment of the arts scene in Greater Hartford during the previous year, including their picks for best performances or ensembles in various genres (classical, theater, jazz, etc.)
The “best of” article appeared online last night (December 22), though the dateline is given as December 25. Once again, CONCORA was named as “Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-65923288995890718842011-12-21T11:00:00.000-05:002011-12-21T11:00:24.552-05:00A Christmas Carol.
It’s a tradition in our family that on the evening that D and K decorate our Christmas tree, I read aloud from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. We never get past the first chapter of the first stave, of course, but we like to do it anyway.
I continue with the book on my own, reading it gradually over Christmas week (along with the three or four other books I have going at any one time).
I Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-14420673165649830582011-12-20T18:48:00.001-05:002011-12-20T19:17:58.195-05:00Time Line – "Christmas Through the Ages" with CONCORA.
This morning I spent a few minutes with my folder of music for CONCORA’s third and final performance of “Christmas Through the Ages” which takes place this Thursday evening, December 22 at Infinity Hall in Norfolk, Connecticut.
CONCORA presents “Christmas Through the Ages”
Richard Coffey, Artistic Director and Conductor
Thursday, December 22, 8:00 p.m.
Infinity Music Hall & Bistro, Route 44,Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-82007608421810350012011-12-20T15:00:00.004-05:002011-12-26T09:43:20.085-05:00Nutcracker Suite.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-44367230131222073262011-12-20T11:50:00.000-05:002011-12-20T11:50:44.961-05:00“One of the best Christmas concerts...ever” Christmas with CONCORA.
There are just two more days until CONCORA gives its third and final performance of “Christmas Through the Ages” ― it’s a beautiful program of some delectable choral music for the Christmas season.
I found this nice endorsement for the concert in the blog of Infinity Hall in Norfolk, site of our upcoming performance, this Thursday evening, December 22:
“A friend recommended this particular Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-77881366716358014152011-12-20T08:37:00.000-05:002011-12-20T08:37:19.323-05:00Our Daily Bread
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“Nothing in the whole range of domestic life more affects the health and happiness of the family than the quality of its daily bread.” (Mary Johnson, Mrs. Lincoln’s Boston Cook Book, 1884)
.Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-13114127988412092772011-12-19T11:52:00.004-05:002011-12-19T19:34:07.711-05:00“Composed less than a year before his death”
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[Somehow the sequence of text in this entry became garbled; I've reposted it with the text in the correct order. Apologies to my legions of loyal readers. You are legion, aren't you?]
Try entering this exact search string, with the asterisks and the quotation marks, into Google and see what you get:
“Composed * before * death” “program notes”
Here’s a sampling:
Mozart's Clarinet Concerto Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-40633187141138732062011-12-19T08:49:00.000-05:002011-12-19T08:49:29.399-05:00Crescents for the Choir.
The South Church Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which took place yesterday afternoon, was just beautiful, as always.
And, as always, the choir and others associated with the Festival gathered later at a private home for a potluck dinner and holiday celebration.
I contributed four dozen crescent rolls to the groaning board:
My friend Patti, who knows wherefrom she speaks, said they Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-36790781190583644982011-12-18T08:50:00.000-05:002011-12-18T08:50:56.946-05:00“The Playing of the Merry Organ, Sweet Singing in the Choir” ― Lessons and Carols at South Church.
Today the wonderful Chancel Choir at South Church in New Britain sings at the annual Candlelight Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 4:00 p.m. This service is part of the celebrated Music Series at South Church, now in its 39th season.
This worship service is free and open to the public, but you might want to get there early to secure a seat. The church really fills up for this beautiful Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-52439136780539125772011-12-16T10:22:00.000-05:002011-12-16T10:22:23.122-05:00Little Red Riding Hood Finally Gets a Cookie.
Several weeks ago, just before Hallowe’en, I shared a reminiscence with my friend Alison.
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I was just five years old, and Hallowe’en was fast approaching. There was going to be a Hallowe’en party in my kindergarten classroom. I loved the kindergarten and my teacher, the wonderful Mrs. Karplus, who was also our friend and next-door neighbor. I rode with her Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-61005088130783618612011-12-15T13:45:00.001-05:002011-12-15T15:05:44.515-05:00The History of English in Ten Minutes
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If you enjoy learning about language, especially the history of language, get thee to Musical Assumptions to watch this clever ten-minute video:
http://musicalassumptions.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-english-language-was-developed.html
While you’re there, browse around this fine blog by Elaine Fine – you’ll find delightful essays about music and ideas, and musical ideas. Elaine gives wonderful Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-59556313689092967642011-12-14T06:32:00.001-05:002011-12-14T06:32:00.988-05:00Possibly The Cutest Thing You've Ever Seen.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-54868469006354072642011-12-14T01:06:00.002-05:002011-12-14T01:12:25.318-05:00Sleep'st thou well.
Sleep'st thou well, o daughter mine,
While stars and moon bejewel the frosty sky;
Dream thou with dreams both sweet and fine,
And greet the day with bright refreshèd eye.
For K
October 25, 2011
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© 2011 Quodlibet. Dissemination, re-use, or duplication prohibited except by express permission of the author.I pay attention and I will find you if you cite, republish, or use my work Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-87134202780002757352011-12-13T13:50:00.000-05:002011-12-13T13:50:44.276-05:00Cycling Explained.
My own D is a cyclist. He doesn't ride a bike, he's a "cyclist."
If you don't know the difference, here's a nice explanatory video. (If you're bothered by strong language, be advised that this video contains a bit of ... strong language.)
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12674956/cycling-explained
Cycling Explained
by: nofinishline
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-37302722194013552632011-12-13T09:35:00.000-05:002011-12-13T09:35:17.639-05:00Shopping List.
A memory from last summer.
At the supermarket checkout counter:
Me, with a shopping-cart full of food and drink, heading out for our family camping vacation.
Young woman, pale and with a sad and anxious mien, buying only one item: a pregnancy test.
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Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-33423283762960328362011-12-12T16:04:00.000-05:002011-12-12T16:04:58.982-05:00“This is My Favorite Concert of the Year!” Christmas with CONCORA.
“This is my favorite concert of the year!”
That’s what my friend Judy said to me yesterday afternoon, after CONCORA gave the first of three performances of its “Christmas Through the Ages” program. “It’s the most fulfilling and uplifting concert I go to all year,” she added.
And another friend, Bob, wrote to say, “Thank you for an exceptional Christmas concert. Terrific venue, [an] excellent Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-7334316977819426442011-12-11T09:19:00.002-05:002011-12-11T09:22:57.299-05:00Hear the “Best Christmas Carol Ever” TODAY at CONCORA’s “Christmas Through the Ages”
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Yesterday, CONCORA had its dress rehearsal for its holiday concert, “Christmas Through the Ages,” which we will present in TODAY (December 11) at Center Church in Hartford (4:00 p.m.), in Hampton on December 16, and in Norfolk on December 22. (Details on times and venues are at the end of this post.)
One of the many beautiful works that Mr. Coffey has chosen for this program is a favorite Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-968158360667594222011-12-10T19:13:00.001-05:002011-12-10T19:15:27.530-05:00Velvet Desert.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-69583149808466134532011-12-10T18:54:00.006-05:002011-12-21T13:49:26.055-05:00The years run by
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The years run by, and by, and always by:
now all my time’s an endless searching dream;
and like a nightmare searching dream―where I
will search, and hope, and follow any gleam,
yet never find the something that I seek,
nor comprehend the reason for my quest ―
my hopes are few, my outlook black and bleak,
for nowhere find I solace, peace, or rest.
Each thing I touch does spill, or die, or Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-39019655123326382292011-12-10T10:12:00.002-05:002011-12-11T10:30:31.147-05:00That certain “Je ne sais quois” ― CONCORA and "Christmas Through the Ages"
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Last night, in CONCORA’s last-but-one rehearsal for our upcoming performances of “Christmas Through the Ages,” we sang through the “Hymne à la Vierge” quite beautifully. As we sang, I couldn’t help but feel the very French-ness of the poem by Roland Bouhéret and the lush, sensuous setting by Pierre Villette (1926-1998).
Even to a listener who doesn’t know much about music, the sound of “HymneQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-36974301276831294102011-12-09T23:38:00.000-05:002011-12-09T23:38:35.638-05:00“Who is there that singeth so?” – CONCORA, of course!.
“Who is there that singeth so?” That is the opening line of “Sir Christèmas,” one of the many wonderful selections on CONCORA’s upcoming concert, “Christmas Through the Ages.” We’ll be performing Sunday, December 11, at 4:00 p.m., at Center Church in Hartford, and will repeat the program on December 16 in Hampton and December 22 in Norfolk (details at the end of this post).
Here’s my program Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-40859608570343182622011-12-09T17:54:00.000-05:002011-12-09T17:54:37.886-05:00On Your Guard, Sparrows!.
I first saw this juvenile Cooper's Hawk as a huge swooping silhouette against the kitchen window. When I ran to look, there is was (probably a male, as it is on the small side) on the deck rail.
The House Sparrows (grr) retreated to the tangle of wisteria branches, where they huddled until the hawk flew off.
Photo taken with my cellphone - poor quality, but better than nothing!Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-40073070186495185722011-12-09T17:21:00.001-05:002012-01-22T12:27:46.525-05:00Quick-Set.
I just have to document this: Today I successfully completed today's Set game in just 36 seconds! That's a personal best.
http://setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm
Try it!
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UPDATE 1/22/2012
Ooh! Ooh!! I just beat my record - I completed today's Set in 0:34.Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-63598210144088735132011-12-08T10:10:00.000-05:002011-12-08T10:10:22.680-05:00What’s on a Musician’s Christmas List?
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The other day, while doing some research on something I can’t even remember now, I came across the blog for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, written by that ensemble’s principal cellist (who, it seems, is from the Hartford area?).
I landed on a recent post called “Dear Santa,” which starts off like this:
Another Christmas is approaching, and even though I am just dreaming, there a few thingsQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-71064288770912217722011-12-08T08:58:00.000-05:002011-12-08T08:58:08.840-05:00Heavenly Music with CONCORA's “Christmas Through the Ages”.
This week, CONCORA has its final rehearsals for its holiday concert, “Christmas Through the Ages,” which we will present in Hartford this weekend (December 11), Hampton (December 16), and Norfolk, Connecticut (December 22). (Details on times and venues, and the complete program listing, are at the end of this post.)
One of the many beautiful works that Mr. Coffey has chosen for this program isQuodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-86143110066520556222011-12-07T20:58:00.005-05:002011-12-27T09:03:34.637-05:00You Don't Need to Take My Word for It... .
...when the classical music expert at The Hartford Courant says so, too.
About what? About giving CONCORA tickets as holiday gifts, of course!
In today's edition of The Hartford Courant, classical music critic Jeffrey Johnson says:
Listening to Bach makes you smarter. Your [friends] would ... love the annual Bach event given by CONCORA in collaboration with the Hartford Symphony in the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-51232179685289442452011-12-07T10:13:00.000-05:002011-12-07T10:13:42.410-05:00Pumpkin Pie.
Pretty good pumpkin pie:
Pretty, good pumpkin pie:
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-29363526607730817632011-12-05T12:08:00.002-05:002011-12-14T00:50:05.985-05:00“The performance was brilliant …Magnificent throughout.”
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After last evening’s thrilling performance of Vaughan Williams’ Hodie with The Hartford Chorale and The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, I knew that I’d want to post some follow-up here. I was delighted that another glowing review was published this morning, providing just the right final note for this project.
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“Holiday Masterworks”
by Michael J. Moran
In the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-71459910832078187272011-12-04T11:34:00.002-05:002011-12-11T12:15:04.668-05:00"Barbaric Splendour"
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This afternoon, The Hartford Chorale, The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and the Connecticut Children’s Chorus, conducted by the Chorale's Music Director, Richard Coffey, offer the fourth and final performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Hodie.
In last night’s performance, as we sang “The March of the Three Kings,” I couldn’t help but recall the phrase “barbaric splendor,” used to describe the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-30545709590862868772011-12-04T09:01:00.002-05:002011-12-06T10:04:47.362-05:00Dreaming of Snow
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For the past two nights, I’ve dreamed about Snowy Owls.
In the past several weeks, these magnificent raptors from the far north have been seen across New England and New York as they make their way south in one of their periodic irruptions. About every three years, Snowy Owls spread out across a larger than usual wintering range, wintering further to the south than usual.
(The Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-89263153218843860682011-12-03T14:02:00.001-05:002011-12-03T14:06:30.026-05:00Backpedaling on Backpeddling
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The other day, my attention was drawn to an odd headline on a consumer advocacy news site:
“[Major Retailer] Backpeddles on Adding Service Contracts on Appliances” [I paraphrased this so as not to "out" the ignorant editor"]
Backpeddles? Hmph. No such word. The word the editor wanted was “backpedal.”
I left a comment on the site: “The persistence of spelling and grammatical errors in the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-39692565640497325972011-12-03T12:03:00.005-05:002011-12-11T12:16:34.596-05:00“Ring Out, Ye Crystal Spheres!” - "Celestial Music" and Vaughan Williams’ Hodie.
Last night, the Hartford Chorale, the Connecticut Children’s Chorus, and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra (all under the direction of the Chorale’s Music Director, Richard Coffey) gave the second of four performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Christmas cantata Hodie. Our first performance on Thursday was very good, and earned a nice review in The Hartford Courant (click here to read it on Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-9133298522313494532011-12-02T15:24:00.001-05:002011-12-03T23:27:58.749-05:00My Constant Companion
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Migraine has been my constant companion for the past few months.
I’ve lived with migraine, on and off, for more than a quarter-century. In my mid- to late-twenties, I had two or three migraine headaches each week. I learned to live with it, and being young, had the physical resiliency and energy to manage it OK. The condition intensified during my single pregnancy, and was exacerbated by Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-37074194872863708132011-12-02T15:00:00.000-05:002011-12-02T15:00:58.642-05:00“Music That Was Quite Beautiful” – Review of Hartford Chorale/HSO Vaughan Williams Hodie
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The Hartford Courant just posted a nice review of last night's performance of Vaughan Williams Hodie given by the Hartford Chorale, the Connecticut Children's Chorus, and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. I'm glad he singled out the performance by the Children's Chorus; they really were spendid. I wish he had remarked on the beauty of the orchestra's playing; they offered a technically Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-52406526027512011962011-12-02T09:16:00.000-05:002011-12-02T09:16:29.844-05:00The Chorister's Nightmare
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Yesterday I needed to check a detail in one of my scores for the upcoming CONCORA concert. I went to the place in my music room where I always keep all my choral folders. They are always – always! – lined up in a neat row, along with any papers, instructions, and other materials relevant to the current concert projects.
My CONCORA folder was not there. Not there. Not there!
Small panic. Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-57872712916148138152011-12-01T10:44:00.001-05:002011-12-01T10:57:30.343-05:00"Sweet Rejoicing" with CONCORA's "Christmas Through the Ages".
Next week, CONCORA has its last two rehearsals for its holiday concert, “Christmas Through the Ages,” which we will present in Hartford, Hampton, and Norfolk, Connecticut, on these dates:
Sunday, December 11, 2011, 4:00 p.m.
Center Church, 60 Gold Street, Hartford, Connecticut
Snow date: Monday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Information: www.concora.org or 860-293-0567
Directions: http://Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-13286796536680460162011-12-01T09:27:00.002-05:002011-12-11T12:20:18.771-05:00“From Kingdoms of Wisdom Secret and Far” -- Poetry in RVW's Hodie
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Yesterday I mentioned how much I love the poetry that Ralph Vaughan Williams chose for his Christmas cantata, Hodie. In addition to setting words from the Christian Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Catholic liturgy, Vaughan Williams set poems by John Milton, Thomas Hardy, George Herbert, W. Ballet, William Drummond, Miles Coverdale (his paraphrase of verses by Martin Luther), and his Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-25393404875965454862011-12-01T08:45:00.000-05:002011-12-01T08:45:02.437-05:00Pepper-Pots
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When we were in France this past summer, we visited many old castles and châteaux, of course. Many of the châteaux were graced by turrets with the conical, slate-tiled “pepper-pot” roofs typical of the French Renaissance style, such as this guard tower at the famed Château de Chenonceau:
And this larger turret at the Château de Bouesse en Berry near Chateauroux, where we stayed for three Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-44906483579214054052011-12-01T07:58:00.002-05:002011-12-01T08:01:11.223-05:00“An Ephemeral Pleasure”
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“Birding… is an ephemeral pleasure: beauty suddenly appears and then just as suddenly vanishes, leaving you with a longing to see it again. I suspect that no matter how many birds you see, how many species you check off your list, this longing never goes away.”
Kirk Walsh, “Glimpses of Elusive Quarry: Warblers, Ducks and My Dad.” The New York Times, September 26, 2008.
http://Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-64626428813283024302011-11-30T23:38:00.001-05:002011-11-30T23:41:21.774-05:00“A Beautiful Tapestry” - Vaughan Williams' Hodie
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“A beautiful tapestry” – that’s how one program annotator described the Hodie of Ralph Vaughan Williams, which The Hartford Chorale will perform four times this weekend with The Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the Connecticut Children’s Chorus (details below).
We had our dress rehearsal this evening at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell. I love the Belding, with its warm wood furnishings, Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-17665684682362338742011-11-30T09:30:00.000-05:002011-11-30T09:30:48.187-05:00Foot-Paw-Prints.
On a recent frosty morning, when I stepped out to fill the bird feeders, I saw this on the deck railing:
Can you guess who it was?
It was these two scamps:
These two are regular visitors, taking advantage of our tendency to forget to bring in the feeders at night. The one on the deck floor is very large (a parent?) and the one on the deck rail is small-to-medium sized (offspring?)
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-89429625863835998052011-11-29T22:52:00.000-05:002011-11-29T22:52:36.426-05:00The Fragile Winter Sky.
On Sunday, I stopped briefly in “my” meadow, just as the sun was setting.
There’s something fragile about a winter sunset. Even though the clouds of a winter sky often seem heavier than those of summer, their color seems to fade more quickly, and the colors tend more toward pearl and gray, rather than blue and violet.
Still, it is beautiful.
And the colors of a winter sky seem to better Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-65350475007048537922011-11-29T21:00:00.011-05:002011-11-29T21:00:06.242-05:00CONCORA's Christmas Through the Ages: "Masters in This Hall"
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Next week, CONCORA has its final rehearsals for its holiday concert, “Christmas Through the Ages,” which we will present in Hartford, Hampton, and Norfolk, Connecticut, on these dates:
Sunday, December11, 2011, 4:00 p.m.
Center Church, 60 Gold Street, Hartford, Connecticut
Snow date: Monday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Information: www.concora.org or 860-293-0567
Directions: http://Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-35100330996257206842011-11-29T20:00:00.006-05:002011-12-11T12:21:50.313-05:00Tech Week : Hartford Chorale Prepares RVW's Hodie
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This morning, it hit me that The Hartford Chorale, in which D and I sing, has actually entered “tech week” ― the intense period of days prior to a concert series. Our Monday night rehearsal was with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in their rehearsal space (instead of our usual piano rehearsal in our space), and on Wednesday we have our final, or “dress” rehearsal, at The Bushnell. Our Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-44425646968137022712011-11-29T17:31:00.002-05:002011-12-18T08:24:39.215-05:00"Come Through the Gloom" - Lessons and Carols at South Church.
Though I no longer sing regularly with the wonderful Chancel Choir at South Church in New Britain, I was delighted to have been invited to sing with the choir for the Candlelight Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is offered this year on Sunday, December 18 at 4:00 p.m. This service is part of the celebrated Music Series at South Church, now in its 39th season.
"Come Through the Gloom"Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-42550075309799569162011-11-29T14:52:00.002-05:002011-12-14T01:12:55.176-05:00I Wish the Hawk Would Eat the Sparrows (Redux).
A few minutes ago, a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk dashed across the yard and flung itself into the maple that overhangs the hedgerow.
It ruffled and preened itself, then spread its wings and tail – apparently it had gotten wet. Had it been caught in a passing shower, or bathed itself in our little brook? Or had it had a tussle with a prey bird, perhaps on the wet grass? Its crop didn’t look Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-20507960127750915452011-11-29T12:25:00.001-05:002011-11-29T12:25:00.821-05:00There Is No Life Outside of History
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“There is no life outside of history.”
That phrase struck me as profound. It was offered by Karen Chase, Linden Kent Memorial Professor of English literature at the University of Virginia, speaking about the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens' 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities. Professor Chase was part of a panel discussion the book on an older episode of The Diane Rehm Show (October 20, 2010Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-67014690124028540482011-11-29T10:40:00.001-05:002012-01-04T18:25:29.473-05:00Beautiful Broccoli.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-57302160188245361472011-11-24T23:43:00.000-05:002011-11-24T23:43:14.260-05:00Three Ways to Peel a Clementine.
What Omnia saw:
What Justine saw:
What Katie saw:
Different perspectives of the same idea.
Each one is interesting.
Each is part of the whole.
Each one is worth considering.Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-42804927659916017612011-11-22T07:32:00.001-05:002011-11-22T07:34:36.786-05:00Evening Rest.
On my way home from a meeting the other day, I stopped at a favorite pond just as the light was beginning to fade.
As I opened the car window to take in the air and to listen to the evening, I heard geese approaching, their wild calls filling me with nostalgia.
In a few minutes, a small flock of Canada Geese glided over the tree tops and set down on the water. The glided to and fro on the Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-84021318758367111732011-11-21T08:53:00.003-05:002011-11-22T13:32:30.956-05:00"To Acquire the Bird".
I enjoy reading about music, books and ideas, cuisine, and birding, and I've found some nice blogs that offer some great information and photos.
My favorite cooking blog, Baker's Banter from King Arthur Flour, offers clear prose, helpful photos, and a forum wherein readers can share questions and ideas. That blog has, in large part, inspired me to photograph and write about about my own Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-67801186011276049722011-11-20T22:26:00.001-05:002011-11-20T22:34:00.670-05:00Autumn Fireworks.
Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-37441971309785943882011-11-20T09:41:00.003-05:002011-12-01T08:00:14.457-05:00“That Perfect, Ineffable Moment”
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This morning I’m spending a few minutes with my music for CONCORA’s upcoming concert, “Christmas Through the Ages.” I had flagged a few musical spots that needed some extra attention, and I also took some time to tidy up the music and be sure that it is all ready for the next rehearsal. I had a few anxious moments when I couldn’t find my pies, but there they were, right where they belonged. (Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-25848869340722397782011-11-19T10:01:00.004-05:002011-11-20T09:45:50.750-05:00“This will be my favorite! … No, this one!” Rehearsing CONCORA’s “Christmas Through the Ages”.
“This will be my favorite! … No, this one! … Oh, this one!”
That was my experience last night during our first rehearsal for CONCORA’s upcoming holiday concert, “Christmas through the Ages,” which we will present on December 11 in Hartford, December 16 in Hampton, and December 22 in Norfolk (details below).
As we rehearsed each selection, I found myself thinking, “This is so wonderful…it Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-3270714668239258322011-11-18T07:32:00.001-05:002011-11-30T09:56:43.793-05:00“I’ll Catch Up Tomorrow”.
Last night, well after midnight, I finally got too sleepy to work any more. I checked my email accounts (six) one more time, and of course, there were tons of new messages waiting for me. About half of them would require some response, and probably a third of them included some new item for my growing to-do list.
I'll catch up tomorrow, I said to myself.
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"Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674748186987023922.post-31027557409441254262011-11-17T07:56:00.003-05:002011-12-16T13:49:02.256-05:00CONCORA Performs “Christmas Through the Ages” … Across Connecticut!
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The Christmas concert given by CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists), Connecticut's premier professional choir, has become a beloved tradition for many music-lovers in the Greater Hartford area. Each year’s concert has a different theme; our 2010 program offered “Christmas in the Americas,” while the 2009 concert offered music to celebrate “Christmas in New England.”
This year’s program, “Quodlibethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310871394184407035noreply@blogger.com0