On the second day of Christmas ...

and I stayed in my PJs all day and watched all 26 episodes of season five of "The Office".

Tomorrow, we have the farewell church service and party of the rector of my parish - in which there will be much emotion and celebration. Those who know me, and know of the family connection will understand the emotional aspect. We will have a seven month interim priest-in-charge before the new incumbent beings. And although there is understandably a bit of trepidation in this whole process, I have full confidence in the selection committee, and am looking forward to the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the parish. If it's anything like the last chapter - it will continue to remain one of the most fantastic places to work.

On Monday - my wife and I head to Jasper for a three day trip, and the itinerary will be very stressful. Hours and hours of sitting in the outdoor pool, playing cribbage in the lodge, possibly skating on the lake, and definitely eating good food - something we haven't been lacking in the last week or so.

Needless to say - you probably won't hear from me for the next week or so.

Hope your Christmas holidays brings you the rest that you need to start 2010 with a renewed energy!

Not a creature was stirring - excpet for the Organist

Today has been a very relaxing day so far. A bit of a calm before the storm, with services at 7 PM, 11 PM tonight, and 10:30 AM tomorrow. I plan to get to the church early enough to work up "In Dulci Jubilo" BWV 729 for postlude at the 7:00 tonight, and 10:30 tomorrow (my assistant will play something for the 11:00 PM thank goodness!)

This isn't BWV 729 (Couldn't find a good one on YouTube) but it is nice nonetheless!



Merry Christmas to all!

Advent IV

... for something completely different

The Advent carol "People Look East", as played on the accordion. Doesn't he look happy that Christmas is only five days away?

Weather in Edmonton Today...

No matter if it's in Fahrenheit or Celsius .. (the f degrees are the smaller numbers, that you can't see because of the frost on the inside of this thermometer) -40 is -40 - and it's DAMN COLD. Not going to get better for a little while yet too. Have I mentioned lately how much we love our new heated garage?

(Photo Credit, www.theweathernetwork.com)

Advent III

Today's Video, a vintage video from King's College Cambridge.

Elizabeth Poston's "Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree"

Advent II

Today's video - Bach Cantata 140, the 4th movement. With the ever so lively Ton Koopman conducting.



Today, Da Camera Singers will be performing the Cantata at Alberta Baroque Ensemble's annual Christmas Concert. I will also play BWV 645 from the Schübler chorales during communion today. Arguably, Bach's most popular Cantata, but with good reason I think.

Advent I

Last year I posted an Advent related YouTube video every Sunday in Advent - and, although two days late, I'm going to try to keep up this tradition.

Today - Veni Veni Emmanuel, set by Zoltán Kodály and sung by L'Accorche-Choeur, Ensemble vocal Fribourg.



Over the course of the day on Sunday, I sang (well played mostly) 18 verses of this carol. We did all seven verses in the morning, an abridged four verse version at the carol service, and then all seven English verses again at the Cathedral's carol service.

Normally I have an aversion to any carol with the English word "Israel". In North America anyway, we seem to pronounce is as it were in Latin, only with an ugly diphthong, even triphthong, for the vowel combination, "Is-rye-el" rather than "Is-ray-el" as it should (the main reason why The First Noel is a carol I try to avoid during this season, if I can), however I just love this plainchant carol - especially as an organist when I can play any harmonization I want during the verses. Maybe next year we'll just sing it in Latin then I won't have to worry about the pronunciation issue at all.

Happy Advent!