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The rector doesn't, but other vicars don't trust my sight reading (sorry) abilities and insist on ringing me with the numbers beforehand. But since I don't have a copy of the hymnbook at home, it's a relatively pointless exercise.
No, no sponsorship deal with Bishops Finger but since my dear dear dear friend (who knows me far better than those who have been dropping in bunches of flowers) gave me five bottles the other night, it's been at the forefront of my brain. Particularly next morning.

My Facebook newsfeed is full of Eurovision nonsense

I refuse to watch it so have caught up on recorded stuff

I cannot watch it solely because it has gone so downmarket. Every one of the acts fail to realise the concept of aural (and indeed theatrical) art. There is a Classical Eurovision also that should be pushed more by the EBU.

http://www.youngmusicians.tv/page/cologne-2014

Would be interesting to see a Scottish entry for Eurovision post-independence. S4C are members of the EBU and by rights there should be a Welsh entry, would raise the profile of the country and indeed the language, providing the artists don't have to turn to tacky, cheap Anglo-American pop.

I mean, where is the Turkish lokanta or Greek taverna music, the klezmer, the Roma Gypsy music, the Nordic folk, or even the Parisian banlieue rap, German industrial heavy metal or English country dance. It's all pop trash which is an insult to the ears, not to mention the intelligence.

Trying on my funerial gear, I look like a Mod on the way to a rally at Clacton, or a Two Toner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Tone).

Love funerals, reminds me of the funeral scene in Eh Brian, It's a Whopper!

Will you miss your piano lesson?
My friend Martin was singing at Eton college chapel in a tux once and I went to see him. He came back home for some grub and I went in first and told Eric that a penguin had followed me home. But he didn't let me keep it.

Don't know yet. It's on Tuesday (lesson) but I doubt they'll be able to arrange a quick funeral. Friday or Monday week would be good days but it all depends on what we're told by big brother. Because the death occured at a weekend, it cannot be registered until tomorrow (Monday) anyway, which is what I guess a funeral director would need.

Also there has to be a service place free at the crem/church which in some areas can be a considerable wait.

Could be at any crem in Warwickshire. My father in laws' one was at Warwick/Leamington.

Right folks! Play time!!!

Whilst playing Blaenwern just now, the dominant 'Aaaaaaaar-meeeeeeen' suffix came naturally. Now I am truly ready to bash that out on a proper organ.

Do you do that when yow play, Gill? At every single Welsh chapel I've visited, they've done it after every single hymn.

That ah-men progression is a cadence, Dave; a plagal cadence (chord IV to chord I). There. From saying you don't know what a cadence is, you find you've been PLAYING one!
No, nobody seems to sing the final amen any more, although when I play from the New English Hymnal (which isn't new at all) there's an amen at the end of every hymn.

I came away from Mabel's house feeling very happy because yet again, I had a thoroughly enjoyable lesson with her. She looked so well after a fortnight in the Caribbean, and I felt such a sense of achievement because all of the hard work I put in is now starting to pay off. I can ask her anything. She said that I played both of my h/w pieces 'confidently'. I only told myself to play boldly and confidently before the lesson because that is just what I am guilty of NOT doing! I always feel there's someone going to tap me on the shoulder and tell me sternly 'oi, shut that racket!!' (a possible consequence of negative thought patterns, the feeling of can't do). She even told me about one particular aspect of the 'German Dance' Haydn that I had been struggling with (not because I asked but because she noticed) regarding the fingering. I took her advice, replayed it and voila, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders!

Just the one h/w piece this week, a Mozart piece which she went over the first couple of phrases with me during the lesson. Plus I played my Blaenwern and she liked it, and gave me more helpful advice with playing the 'missed' notes...despite mispronouncing 'Blaenwern'!

Next lesson on Tuesday next at 1515, providing my mother in law's funeral isn't fixed for that day which I have told Mabes about, so I can cancel at short notice should I need to.

Re. cadences, I meant to say subdominant not dominant, fourth, tonic of course. Wikipedia refers to a plagal cadence as an 'amen cadence'. The good thing there is you can actually hear them by following the links. I cannot believe I've been playing these thingies for many years and not even known what they're called.

I've always said that playing a musical instrument and studying music should be less elitist priveliged and middle class than it is, so maybe I should continue to call them 'thingies'? I dunno.

Piano lesson safe for Tuesday. The ashes to ashes affair is on Friday week and we still don't know if there will be a hymn.

This time I played Blaenwern with NO MISSED NOTES! Mabel just told me how to place my hands to do the missed notes - and her hands are smaller than mine!

I really cannot believe how well I am doing with my piano lessons. I am surprising even myself. Now I am on the Paul Harris book 1 which at the end is playing to grade 1 standard. When I did it all before (and failed as you are all too aware) I didn't even have a massive repertoire, now I can play over half the tunes in CTM 1.

And so we move on, in the eternal parlance of Ian Fletcher from 'Twenty Twelve' and 'W1A'. I must say she has lovely hands. And her garden looks so lovely as well....the mind boggles!

dave brum wrote:playing a musical instrument and studying music should be less elitist priveliged and middle class than it is, so maybe I should continue to call them 'thingies'? .

Cobblers, chicken...everything has to have a name and 'cadence' is as good a name as any!
I'm so glad you had another positive lesson; long may it last!

Not sure whether chickens have cobblers?

Now to find our what 'counterpoint' is in a layman's way, preferrably with audio help. If I hear the word on the Third Programme again, I shall scweeem!

I came back from my lesson and Flog It was on from Guildford Cathedral, and Paul had a chat with the chief organist there called Katherine Dienes Williams. I googled her, she certainly has had a very interesting life in music, and she's only twenty days younger than what I am!

I saw that Flog It - he wouldn't have a go on camera - wuss!
Counterpoint - just separate voices with independent melodies that somehow come together and fit. Like a round, but everyone singing a different tune.

You really should charge for all this knowledge, Gillers!

It's easy enough to look it up on line somewhere - I bet wiki has a bit on it...

It's okay if you can actually hear an example of these musical references rather than just read about it as after all, it is musical. Like the Cadences on wiki.

...and a cadenza is something else, although it is the translation of cadence! And I thought it was that woman off Time Team with Tony Robinson!

These are all things that should be covered by your online course

Young Musician was good last night. Almost all of the finalists in that competition play more than one instrument and usually, it's the piano.

Yesterday was a busy one, filling out online application form and doing a CV in the morning, a trip to traffic gridlocked Stratford in the afternoon, and shifting half a ton of clay to make an onion patch in the evening meant it was 'naturist' piano practice last night as I needed a bath!!

It's 'that' time of the week again!

How are you doing with the new piece, Dave?

Okay thanks, learned the first 4 bars. The piece involves pedal work (new to me) and some big LH leaps and Mabel says even she has to glance down at the keyboard to find her way. I however, need to learn to do it without worrying about losing my place.

If you have CTM1 it's on p19 and called Landler. Though I seem to be making more progress on Hydrofoil and, guess what, she's given me one of the pieces in Pride and Prejudice as well.

I hate doing pieces where the LH leaps about. Stride piano players fill me with awe! Glad the book's useful.

As a small matter, I still have a teensy weensy issue with a piece of homework from a few weeks ago, 'German Dance' (there are 2 in CTM 1 but this one is on p13). I learned it and played it perfectly for Mabs but she told me my fingering was strange - it involved a grace note D and a C# which I played with my thumb and struggled to reach so it caused a jerk in my whole RH. She said try finger 2 (the piece went G,E,grace note D and C#) and I tried it and it indeed was less of a struggle to reach the note but since then I've not been able to regain the continuity because I either get the notes mixed up, or my finger slips off the C# or I get the LH stretch incorrect. It looks like a spot of the old John Major tactics with this one....and I've not even touched the PAP piece yet!!

However I've just got back from Bristol with CTM 2 and More CTM 1 in my shopping bag....freezing cold and wet (oh to be in England now that......winter's always here)

Dear Jimmy Savile,

Please could you fix it for me to play Blaenwern and Hyfrodol (better known as Hydrofoil) on a proper church organ. Thank you, yours sincerely David (aged 44 1/2)

ps just realised you're dead so you can't. Oh, b*lls.

If you ever make it down to civilisation in daylight hours, I can fix it for you. As long as the churches are unlocked - I know where the keys live...

You have too much on your plate at the moment, what with the alarums and excursions of the old 'pot and pan' of the house....to be fixing it for anyone. Wonder if Dave Lee Travis fixes it for people, or Rolph Harris??

They could hold the camera as I play.

Three things have made me happy today:

1. The election results, we've (Green Party) picked up one more MEP and seventeen new Councillors

2. Wife and I have decided to go to London next Monday as she's off work that week

3. Having a moment that was totally unexpected with my piano homework, meaning I can now play almost half the Landler slowly and in time.

apologies, that went in the wrong thread!!!

We only had MEP votes. The government is in the corner with its tail between its legs!

Gill the Piano wrote:We only had MEP votes. The government is in the corner with its tail between its legs!

Or rather Nick Clegg is....not ruling out a leadership challenge very soon, or possibly even one on Cameron from the extreme end of his party. As for me, I feel like getting on a train and speaking loudly in Welsh just to cheese off Nigel Farage!!

As long as it isn't German, in case he thinks you're getting off with his wife...

Gill the Piano wrote:As long as it isn't German, in case he thinks you're getting off with his wife...

Would I dare! I know only too well how jolly batey these right wing hotheads get when their male supremacy is threatened. Especially if he's just been for a drink or five with his secretary....or Bulgarian cleaner!!

Whilst I made a vow of refrainment from negative postings (will leave that to UKIP), I have to register my disapproval with this awful weather. I mean it hasn't got light at all today, it's been d.u.double l. DULL in the Second City all day and we've had mo choice but to put the central heating back on as well as our winter woolies! And next week I start coming off my antidepressants and I need some brightness to do that!

I'm going to join you in the Fed Up With The Weather Corner

And today's going to be exactly the same. I really do not mind the cold but the constant lack of brightness really gets to me. No wonder why Britain is such a depressing little country full of depressed people.

It's only weather. Do some piano playing and don't look out of the window. Did you investigate the SAD lamp Feg was on about?

I was going to dust it down and use it earlier today, but my wife wasn't well and decided to go to bed after lunch, and I joined her. Think it was my attempt at making enchiladas last night as we both had abnormal colons last night. However hers was still highly abnormal when she got home from work and Aldi.

Did the world fall out of your bottom?

When it seemed like the bottom fell out of my world.....

My darling husband is spending tomorrow with the other 'love of his life' - a fully kitted out R1200RT complete with blue lights and sirens

You mean he's playing!

I cannot imagine any self-respecting rocker or 'angel' going on a run to Clacton on one of those! Reminds me of 'Street Hawk' in the 80s.

Did you see that thing on BBC4 on BH Monday about mods and rockers??

In any case Feg, I thought you might have been on one of these
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27602618

I'd love to see them, but it's too far. There's a tramway being built through central Birmingham at the moment for opening next year but it's less than a kilometre in length. Yet M*nch*st*r is extending its own Metrolink system citywide

June has begun with something not very nice happening, which I'm not prepared to discuss at great length on here. So I'll just google images the word 'kitten' and see what comes up...

Think I've dealt with it now. Shall we say the very unwelcome return of an old enemy.....