fermata

Things have been on hold for a while (thus the title) as we hosted my father-in-law and then flew from California to Pennsylvania for our son's wedding (we felt like we were herding cats with both Dads in tow--I can only imagine what they thought of us!). Dementia adds an element of uncertainty and...excitement...to the voyage. But we survived just fine and Jeremy and Amanda's wedding was wonderful.

It was a delight to get to know the new other side of the family, and to see the obvious delight that the happy couple took in each other. While the music selected for procession and recession weren't anything unusual, I quite enjoyed Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring for the bride: it added a serene and stately touch just right for the late afternoon ceremony. Joyful, Joyful made an appropriately up and, ok, joyful way to send the wedding party out.

I primarily served as the bemused father of the groom:

• write checks for the rehearsal dinner


• play golf with the guys the morning of the ceremony--score was totally unremarkable [let's just say I know how the guys at the PGA Championship felt as they slogged their way through humidity you could almost cut with a knife!]


• follow the mother of the groom into the church during the seating of the families


• have a good if somewhat unobtrusive time at the reception--I did work the room a bit, meeting a bunch of nice people)

I did have the opportunity to play Reflected Joy 2 during the unity candle ceremony. It was hard to focus on the music because I really wanted to see what Amanda and Jeremy were doing. A number of people had positive comments; I enjoyed being able to offer the couple a somewhat different gift from the others they will get.

Having written the two movements, I hope to add three more to make a suite: a new opening piece, one between the two I've already written, and a closing piece. I've set myself an interesting task, since I mention both Jesu, Joy and Joyful, Joyful. Do I focus more on the latter, since the former got good play in these two pieces? Can I find some common elements? Will there be any sense of development, or should each piece be a potential stand-alone character piece? Stay tuned...