Watts concert

This Nov. 24, the last Sunday before Advent, I led a concert focused on Isaac Watts (1674-1748)  hymns.  He's pretty much captured the high ground of global hymnody with Joy to the World, Jesus Shall Reign, When I survey, Alas and Did, The Lord my Shepherd Is, et. al.

Supporting the congregational voices I had the Bravura Brass Quintet, a select vocal ensemble, me on the organ a few times, and Patricia Martin on piano for three songs.  The brass preluded and interluded the event with pieces written by contemporaries of Watts (e.g. Bach, Handel, Albinoni) and one piece by me, the third of the offertory.  I also wrote all the brass parts accompanying the hymns.  If you want to hear the 52 minutes of just the music, click here.  Here's one view of the event.

the high notes

When are notes high and when are they high?  With a counter-tenor it seems as if they are all high; but soon you get into the alto zone and then you just listen to the music.  Here's the ticket to the concert.  See the link on my Dec. 3 post if you want to hear him.

Bach for today

Someone sent me this youtube.  It’s an attractive attempt to show Bach's music as relevant to the modern world.  Notice, they didn’t have the heat in the church up and the musicians all dressed for the cold.  The singer, a counter-tenor, is singing in Lancaster's, Ware Center, Dec. 5, after a concert in Atlants and before a show in New York.  Art music (or classical music) is losing market share and some people attribute that to the tuxedo/gown dress and hierarchical conventions which often go with it which make it seem stuffy.  Yo-yo Ma is an example of someone trying to integrate into contemporary life styles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENFo_QOyiRA