Music for Sunday, June 17, 2012 Pentecost +3

Interesting Music We're Doing - June 17


Introit:  People of God by Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan, 
see & hear at Worldmaking.net


All People That On Earth Do Dwell - vs. 1-3: 
I prefer no less than 3, no more than 3 verses of hymns.  
It's like seeing a well-cropped photo...
I play a good, strong intro to this, 2nd verse with the lovely fauxbourdon.


The organ prelude goes Italian in honor of pastor's daughter's trip to Italy:  Canzone IV - Girolamo Frescobaldi

Pentecost keyboard trio

In the little church I serve as music director we have 3 organists. 
We also have 3 different keyboards shoehorned into a corner. 
So far it sounds like a set-up for a Trinity situation, right? 

Wrong. 

I wrote us a piece for Pentecost. 
A Pentecost Keyboard Trio on hymntune "Boundless Mercy",
text "Come, O Spirit",
found in the ever-trusty Presbyterian Hymnal, #127.

Maybe not of Bach quality, but it's done.
From concept to completion in a day. 
See what you think.
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/285722117/1/f_2264028777

If you like it, you may use it and play it with my blessing.
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/285722393/1/f_2264023007

Ripples and currents

c. 2001 6:30 a.m., at a little church in Johnston, Iowa

there's a light on in the balcony. 
a sleep-deprived 40-ish woman sips her QuikTrip coffee zombie, trying things out on the organ

a little improv -- wow! that was solid!
quick, get it down on manuscript paper before it vaporizes

i play it again, i miss the intended note but the one i play sounds even better.
good, keep that!

scribble, scribble
erase, erase
replay
scratch, scratch
hmm... this might be a keeper.

the sleep-deprived woman is me

later on i share this piece with my amazing mom, Jean Folkerts
she likes it.
she hardly ever likes things.
but this she likes!

(gloat, gloat)

a copy gets passed around
a ripple goes out.

ten years later a friend and colleage, Carl Gravander, plays this piece at Plymouth UCC
and another friend sends me the bulletin to let me know.

Twilight at Grant Park Christian

Today I played a worship service at Grant Park Christian Church on Des Moines' east side. News is that they are disbanding on June 8 of this year -- too much upkeep, too little money, too few church members.  Despite all I had a fine time there today.  After drawing every interesting stop combination I could think of, I settled on a flutey mix and played one of my new little pieces "If you but trust in God to guide you".  It has a nice eighth note pedal part and a sweet little ritornello theme if I say so myself!

roots

i live and play on the prairie
the wind songs are my songs
    though I know a surprising amount about French Noels...

when I'm not working I'm playing
when I'm not playing I'm writing
and something of the prairie, distilled thru Dutch Psalms, great organ literature, Jean Folkerts, Paul Manz and my own quaint grasp of harmony & keyboard skills, shows up on the manuscript page

and it sounds pretty good to me