Felix doing Mendelssohn

Remember Felix Hell in March last year? He played an organ concert at Zion. His name made it in yesterday's New York Times. Check out the link .

He's doing the complete organ works of Mendelssohn at the Church of the Transfiguration.

Check out the photo of the Emerson String Quartet above the article. The stuffiness of classical music is more and more a thing of the past.

taxes and music

The February newletter, Noiz, carried this musical note from me. A reader said to me, You sound like Obama. Then I read it again and figured it out.

Tax season is coming. Everything from Souderton to Caesar will take something from our personal account to strengthen the common life we live together. Why not a church music tax while we’re at it?

I’d slap a tax on every Sunday you miss church without good reason. And add a fiver for every unkind gripe you’ve aired this past fiscal year, and for every hymn you didn’t even try to sing.

Capital gains? Why not. If you benefited in your youth from a wonderful teacher or choir director or song leader, that’s capital gains you can enjoy the rest of your life. This nasty tax can be cancelled if you are passing along the same benefits you enjoyed to the next generations.

Now, deductions. This is church and there should be lots of grace to go around. If you sing in the choir or regularly belt out the hymns, take a deduction. You can take one for each time you said thank you to someone who put out musically for your benefit. Make that two deductions if that compliment went to a young person. Triple deduction if you give a bundle to the music program and say, “Let’er rip. Open all the stops. We cannot give something too good to God.”

I’d let you have deductions, too, for each time you went to Tuesday With God or a concert of Christian music. Popular, commercially successful concerts just get you a half deduction. Do the math, and expect a good musical year.

after hours

I'm dreaming of lazier summer days. After work on Tuesday I looked up Oakleaf Pottery in Bally. Roy Yoder had this sign on his door. Maybe church music pressure will lighten up a bit. But then Easter will be on the horizon. I'll just wait until summertime.

the holly and the ivy

"The holly and the ivy..." we sang just weeks ago. I don't have ivy at home, but here's the holly bush on inauguration morning. It's red berries are covered in blueish snow. It's singing a different tune today.

choir member at inauguration

What a great picture! It's from a wrinkled front page of The Reporter, but it's our very own Katie Clough, an alum of our choir currently on college leave.

Congrats, Katie! I'll attend the inauguration in my living room, via TV. I'll see if the camera ever pans you.

laurelville keeps me out

Oh no. Two Sundays in a row missing worship at Zion!

This time it's work. Kara and I along with Barb, Darlene, and Barry are taking in a weekend music and worship conference at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. This link will show you what's happening. http://www.laurelville.org/Program/MusicWorshipJan.htm

stomach bug keeps me out

New Year's Day I got the stomach bug. No appetite and in bed for two days. Here he is, making life miserable for me. Eating and activity slowly coming back. As a result of the bug, I had to call in sick for the first time on Sunday. I missed the marimbas which I really wanted to hear. I'll look at the video.

Monday, now, I'm eating and feeling okay and will be in Tuesday and Wednesday as usual.