Music Music

I have been meaning to report on how last weekend I ran into some interesting music. The first was on Friday when I was on the way to work. I had gone to Starbucks for a bit and when I came out I saw that there was a string quartet across the street on the benches in front of the empty Pizza Hut store. They were college age guys all wearing t-shirts and shorts. I heard the last bit of "Eye of the Tiger," by Survivor which made me think of the Rocky movies. Not that I have watched any of them all the way through, but I think that song is in one of them! Later on this string quartet played "Stairway to Heaven" and "Enter Sandman" which both translate very well to strings.

Then on Saturday I went on a whim to the Overture Center because I thought there would be an open house and pipe organ recital. I didn't know for sure if there was a performance, but I was right. There were quite a few older people there and most of the hall was filled. I heard Gary Lewis, one of the music directors of Bethel Lutheran church, play several classical organ pieces. It was a different experience for me. I don't have a lot of exposure to classical church music. Gary Lewis explained what a "fugue" is, how one melody line is played over and over in different keys. He demonstrated by playing it in one key with one hand, then later with the other hand and then later with his feet! I didn't know there were so many pedals on the console for him to play the lowest notes with his feet, quite a lot of footwork! So I could follow the melody lines in the fugue pieces when they recurred, but otherwise I kind of got lost in all the harmony. When played loudly the organ sounded kind of harsh to my untrained ears! I have things to learn about classical music.

But all of this seems pretty pointless to talk about considering what happened to New Orleans. I sort of wanted to visit that city someday. It seems that I probably won't be able to for many many years. I feel for the people stuck in the Superdome. I'm praying for them!