Mercoledi Musicale

I can't believe that in the past week I have missed the Tallis Scholars, The Harlem Gospel Choir and kd lang!  Now I must admit that I knew about all three months ago and meant to get tickets - I mean I really meant to get tickets but....

And that is one of my problems I keep meaning to do these things which is why I ended up buying subscriptions - that pretty much guarantees that I will go.  Though I must admit our Cathy sent me a little note about the Harlem gang but by the time I got home that night I was just too tired and it was raining and... and... and..    You see if I don't plan these things I don't end up going.  My bad!!!

So for my Wednesday Music (doesn't have the same ring in English does it???)  I though I'd feature a clip from each just to remind me what I missed and to suggest I start checking calenders and booking.

Tallis Scholars under Peter Phillips started off specializing in Early Music and though it is their forte have since branched out into modern church music to great effect.  But I thought I'd feature them in the music they performed on one of their earlier recordings.  The only word for the Palestrina Missa Papae Marcelli is miraculous and this 1980 performances approaches that adjective.  The "Kyrie" has been matched in this clip by pictures of two churches in France including Notre Dame de Garde in Marseilles - a church that I visited more than 45 years ago but remember to this day.

A few weeks ago Lara, Reg, Sonya, Laurent and I went to what was advertised as a "gospel brunch" at one of the local restaurants. From the publicity we were expecting at least a small gospel choir; what we got was a blues singer with three backup guys doing Wade in the Water and a few other gospel style numbers. I was expecting something more along these lines:

kd lang has almost reinvented herself as often as a few other current performers who I won't even mention in the same breath because they come no where near to having the talent and abilities of this remarkable singer. Maybe reinvented is not the right word, its just that her versatility is such that she can go from stadium, to concert hall to cabaret. She seems as comfortable in pop as she does in C and W, Blues, torch songs and jazz. And her sense of communication is... well if this doesn't rip your heart out you jsut don't have one!

My friend Maureen tells me that at tonight's concert she included Miss Chatelaine, Helpless and - be still my soul - Hallelujah. I've assured Maureen that I am not jealous of her - just bitter!

19 September - 1982: Scott Fahlman posts the first documented emoticons :-) and :-( on the Carnegie Mellon University Bulletin Board System.