This May Have Come Up a Time or Two Before

I love to sing. Really? Yeah, really! You may have heard it a time or twelve before; I love it.

A few weeks ago, six sisters sang in Sacrament meeting. I loved hearing them, loved the feeling that they brought to the meeting. It was sweet and lovely. I'd been watching them practice for weeks. They wanted to make sure that the notes were right, the harmony was right, the words were right and that the spirit was right. Also, they wanted to make sure that they didn't make any major mistakes or look foolish in front of friends and family. Trust me, I know. I've been there and done that!

As you know, I've been around for decades. The first time I ever remember going into a church, was when I was nine; a friend invited me to go to church with her. Who knew Presbyterians did missionary work? My folks weren't thrilled with the idea, but couldn't think of a good reason to refuse, so I went. I don't remember anything about the church service, but my friend sang in the children's choir and asked if I'd like to sing, too. Again, see my parents response two sentences ago.

And then , one Sunday, the children's choir sang. I thought my parents would love to come, but they did not want to come hear me sing for the first time in public. Not because they didn't love me - they did! They just did not want to go to church! They did come to hear me, but reminded me before and after that they would not be coming whenever I sang. Just so I'd know!


And that's the way it's been; I've been singing in choirs, school and church, ever since. Holy cow, that's more than 50 years! And for many of those years, I also sang with a group of five other sisters in the church. We'd sing at Christmas, in regular Sacrament meetings and at funerals. If a special musical number was needed, we did it. We were the go to gals. The sisters who sang a few weeks ago reminded me so much of that earlier crew.

So Jane, Mabel, Rosemarie, Laurie and Mary - sure miss you!

Dancing with Different Stars

I may have mentioned a time or seven hundred that I love, love, love music! As an appendage to that, I also love dancing. Ronald darling and I have been known to cut the rug from time to time. Waltz and swing are our favorites with square dance and polka thrown in. Boot Scootin' Boogie, not so much.
Remind me sometime to tell you the funny story about Ronald darling and square dancing. You will fall on the floor laughing. Oh yeah, I forgot, I can just write ROFL! But that is a story for another time. Today we are talking about other people dancing.
In addition to music, singing and dancing, I like see them put together in one place and call it a musical!
You want to know my five favorite musicals? Sure, here you go!

• The Music Man
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Damn Yankees
• Oklahoma
• West Side Story

The next five?

• Fiddler on the Roof
• Mary Poppins
• State Fair
• South Pacific
• High Society

I could go on...... When I discovered musicals I found that some people don't like them. Really. I could not understand, so I just up and asked them. Why not!?! The reason they gave was completely irrational. You want to know the reason? They thought that musicals were illogical. No one busts out singing at the drop of a hat. But they are wrong, because I DO!

I DO! I DO! by the way, is the name of another musical, which I've never seen.

But along with the music and the singing is the dancing. Love it. Here is a clip of dancers from about 40 different musicals. They are in a montage set to one piece of music. The editing is great, because all of the choreography fits the music.

WARNING! Some of the shows were made in the 80's, so there is scary hair. Also scanty costumes on a some of the dancers may bother you. And the obligatory hip grinding that passes for dancing in some venues. Forewarned is forearmed.

How Music Works

I have no idea. Really. I love music (most forms), but I couldn't write a song if my life depended on it. How Beethoven wrote brilliant classical music while deaf? Not a clue! How Mozart began composing at the age of 5, writing symphonic, concert, chamber, choral, opera and piano? It's a mystery!
I don't understand periodic music... Medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic or even 20th century. Music theory? Huh uh.
I like all of these.... even some opera. I like swing, rock, country, jazz, blues and folk. I listen to pop and show tunes and I love choral music. But I don't understand how it is composed, what makes the notes fit together. What is the inspiration for a particular piece of music? I can figure out why a slaver who became a Christian wrote "Amazing Grace". And I know what prompted Loretta Lynn to write "Coal Miner's Daughter" and Dolly Parton to write "Coat of Many Colors". The motivation I understand, the method, not so much.
Gioachino Rossini was an Italian composer(1792-1868). He wrote 39 operas, including "The Barber of Seville", as well as chamber music, religious music, popular songs and instrumentals.
I understand one piece of music he composed.

Ahh, Bach!

Yesterday was my first concert with the Bach Society of Dayton. The concert was recorded by the local public radio station and will be broadcast next Saturday morning at 10:00am. Just so ya know.

This was almost my first performance with a live orchestra, and they were GOOD! We were performing in a church with a slate floor and high vaulted ceilings the sound was gi-normous! During the first piece, it hit me. Music proves that God exists. The complexity of the vocal parts, blended by 48 individuals and the orchestra's score performed by 20 people, and the genius of the composer... has to be blessings and inspiration.

Here is a recording, not us, of the first movement of the oratorio "Jauchzet, frohlocket". Did I mention that we were singing in German? Yes! What a blast!