December 8 - End of the Line

And a morning and an evening, finishing the orchestration of Samson and Delilah: VIII. Death (Lion), which checks in at about 24 pages.



Luis and Ken W. present the dictation and harmony today, for which they select Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade -- Wow! Third student-selected classical rep for teaching (joining the Smetana and Shostakovich of last week, and pictured above towards the close of his career). After this present selections from Henry Miller in Brooklyn.

Overture
Suicide Song
At the Blood Bank
Subway Madman

John plays and sings a proposed improv-composition after class -- both beautiful and funny -- then in the lab to record S&D

V. Disorientation (complete, finally)
VII. Daughter
VIII. Death (beginning)

Finally home after whirlwind of errands, watching video of November 8 Ophelia Forever, Quantum Mechanic, Antigone with Harriet -- very strong performances -- as we mail out back issues of journals.

December 7 - In-Line Skirting

Up to page 12 orchestrating Samson and Delilah: VIII. Death (Lion), and continuing major reorganization of the workspace (which is just about on the edge of chaos of late), realizing that boxes of files (surprise, surprise), rather than filing cabinets, are part of the solution.

Amongst the items turned up is the David Byrne / Brian Eno My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, a welcome re-discovery, which I look forward to importing into iTunes, assuming the computer remembers how (it certainly doesn't seem to be able to handle the second half of the Arnold Schoenberg Pierrot Lunaire with Cleo Laine as the sprechstimmer).... Also begin listening to the Nonesuch Philip Glass 10-CD box set (the first two so far -- Music in Contrary Motion, Music with Changing Parts, Music in Similar Motion, Music in 12 Parts, in slipcovers, however), which Michael McDonagh so kindly gifted.



The fog breaks, the fog returns (here again a picture of Sulfur Springs treed slopes on December 1); Harriet and I out to the local brewery and then back watching video (of November 16 Chapel of the Chimes Ophelia Forever, Quantum Mechanic, and Antigone, all pretty impressive), mailing out back issues of Journals, plus desert and divertissements.