tempo rubato

It's been a quiet week for me, speaking musically. A couple of good, but short, practice sessions. No composition projects going on. But it's not been a dull week. There's been some rallentando here, accelerando there.

I've been in planning mode with my new church position, both as we look toward the upcoming Sunday and as we look toward an exciting Fall. I've been helping out Marianne at The Yarn Boutique as well, with the well-deserved vacation of one of her employees. So I haven't heard any music that particularly excites me this week, nor written any, for that matter!

Tempo rubato: stolen time. It's almost like a vacation, but it feels a little stolen, since I would rather be writing and playing, rather than orchestrating skeins of yarn (a not unpleasurable task, but not my cup of hot chocolate).

There was an article in a local newspaper yesterday about local organist Keenen Boswell, who, although still in his teens, is already a seasoned performer. I've heard him, and enjoyed the experience. It's good to see local media spending time on an outstanding local performer--and in the classical genre, even!

In my browsing this morning I came accross in the wings, the blog of Heather Heise, a SF Bay Area pianist. Rather enjoyable. I like her sensibility and sense of humor. It'll be fun to explore her posts.

Tempo rubato: not wasted time--just borrowed. I might as well enjoy it because it will be paid back, and not too far away in the future. I play a wedding tomorrow, church on Sunday (first service at my new church), next week family as we (with my Dad and father-in-law) head to son Jeremy's wedding with Amanda. Upon return, a quick plunge into the pool of Fall counterpoint which refuses to wait for Labor Day and September.

In retrospect, I will miss tempo rubato.