Some days it seems as though we live in a G-Major, 4/4 world. When tuning systems changed in the Baroque era, one doubts that the composers of the day intended for modality to disappear completely in favor of the then-revolutionary major/minor constructs. As we all know, though, that is more or less what happened. […]
Stick Time: It’s a G-Major, 4/4 World
GUEST BLOG: “Starting Fresh” by Tim Sharp
STARTING FRESH by Tim Sharp Waking up on the first day of a new year always presents a great opportunity and challenge. I love the thought on January 1 of being able to say, “I have worked out every day this year, “ or, “I have eaten right every day this year”, or, “I […]
Stick Time: The Myth of Specialization
“My singers can’t do that.” One is always astonished when a colleague assigns perceived limitations to their singers. Now, of course, we’re not talking about elementary singers performing a Verdi Requiem. The “my singers can’t do that” line usually issues from the mouth of a colleague on the high school or collegiate level, and […]
GUEST BLOG: “J.S. Bach is Alive and Well” by Thomas M. Scott
J.S. BACH IS ALIVE AND WELL by Thomas M. Scott The other day, I was writing a woodwind arrangement of NUN DANKET for an upcoming Sunday service. As the piece unfolded, while scoring a progression between two chords (a minor 5 in first inversion to a tonic seventh in third inversion), it suddenly struck […]