16 March 2025

Poised to Retreat, Finished Weeping

 “Darning his socks in the night when there’s nobody there …”
What, he’s supposed to darn his socks when he has guests over for tea?
Porridger’s Almanack (Breakfast of Ganglions)

If you are not a better person tomorrow than you are today, what need do you have for a tomorrow?
— Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

The big news yesterday is that Mr David Ossman of the Firesign Theatre gave me permission to set a (non-comic, BTW) poem, “Retreat” to music. I had been in touch with my friend and colleague, Triad alumnus, Julian Bryson, who responded warmly to the proposed collaboration. I told Julian I was thinking of writing a piece for choir and single-line instrument and I asked what instrument would work best for him.  We decided on trombone. Last night I began sketching the opening trombone statement.

I saw Greta and Josh this morning. They had read the music I sent them, and like the pieces. I wrote a new piece for them this afternoon based on Wm Billlings’ When Jesus Wept. It will be something for Holy Week. Separately, I decided that some of my Opus numbers which have been catch-alls for little pieces written for Danvers, I can reassign to more substantial and/or more disseminable pieces. Thus, I have designated this piece Opus 162.


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