Well, dear readers, then there is the matter of Aaron Copland. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, then there is the matter of Aaron Copland. I’ve always enjoyed Mr. Copland’s music, who wouldn’t? His sound was uniquely his and was very influential on any number of American composers of classical music. I had a hankering for some Copland yesterday, so I rummaged through the hall closet and finally found the three Sony box sets. I then put them all into iTunes and began listening. And a very interesting thing happened. What was the interesting thing? Well I’ll tell you what the very interesting thing was because why should I keep such things from you dear readers? The very interesting thing was that I began to grow weary of listening to the music. That is, of course, a danger when you’re traversing through all the works of a particular composer. And yet, it certainly hasn’t been the case with me when I traverse. It’s happened occasionally, of course, but really not that often.
It’s not that I didn’t appreciate what I was hearing, it’s not that I don’t love Mr. Copland’s Americana sound, but frankly it just wasn’t “getting” to me, so maybe I’ve just heard it too much or it’s associated with too many things. I love his film music and I love the ballets, but one after another I just began to not want to hear any more. And I realized that my favorite Copland music isn’t even on these boxed sets – it’s the gorgeous suite from his opera, The Tender Land. I will tell you that I never grow weary of listening to Howard Hanson, no matter WHAT piece, same with Robert Ward, and a few other favorite twentieth century American composers. So, it was a very interesting thing, at least it was interesting to me. What it made me really want to do was upload all my Howard Hanson CDs immediately. I really only have the Romantic Symphony (and not a great performance at that) and his third symphony, plus one of the Bay Cities Hanson CDs. So, I have many, many others and upload them I will, maybe starting this very evening.
Well, that was a Copland Opening, wasn’t it? That was a lot about Copland, all about Copland. What’s next? All about Eve? In any case, yesterday was an okay little day. I was up at ten after seven hours of sleep. I then really had to buckle down, Winsocki and finish assigning songs, which I couldn’t really do until I finished choosing them. That took a little time, and then I finally sent all the singers their music, and sent everything to our musical director, Alby Potts. I had some low-cat, no-fat hot dogs for the main meal o’ the day. I also had a lot of jibber-jabber about the tree person who’s coming this morning, and he also came by and we discussed exactly what he’ll be doing and I cannot wait for him to do it. I did a jog and then I had a nice telephonic conversation, and I did sit on my couch like so much fish but only for a moment because I decided to traverse the works of Mr. Copland instead, and that’s basically what I spent the evening doing, whilst also doing some work on the computer, mostly getting ready to write the show commentary, which I’ll do after I figure out the show order.
Today, the tree man and his tree people will be here at eight and I’ll be up to greet them and then they’ll begin what will probably be either one long day or two days of work. When the pool man gets here I have to be very strong with him – sometimes when he shuts things off or adjusts things when he’s cleaning, he forgets to put those settings back the way they were. It’s not good, so he’ll have to fix that and I want the pool and hot tub spotless as the falling palm tree fruit balls will not be an issue anymore after today. Whatever he did, the remote for the spa isn’t functioning properly, so he has to fix that, and the spa has been emptying itself every night and refilling in the morning, which is not good and which he also has to fix. At some point I’ll eat something light but amusing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I may or may not go for a drive with Mr. Nick Redman, and then I’ll do a show order so I can begin writing the commentary.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals, seeing a couple of things, going and doing as well as doing and going and then relaxing in the evening hours.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, greet the tree people, greet the pool man, eat, hopefully pick up packages, maybe take a drive, jog, do a show order, and write some commentary. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having finished the long and winding Copland Opening.