Tags
Bach, Beethoven, Boyce, Cage, Hummel, Josquin, Lutoslawski, Monteverdi, Mozart, O God Of Earth And Altar, Parliament Choir, Schubert, Vivaldi, Zelenka
This will be a brief entry, for it is far past my bedtime, but I am newly returned to Somerset and there’s a glass of Sauvignon Blanc on my desk which needs finishing, so it seems about the right time to give a quick update.
When not bustling up and down the A303 I have been directing, talking about or performing music by Josquin, Zelenka, Mozart, Schubert, Hummel, Boyce, Bach, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Beethoven, Cage and Lutoslawski, and that is since last Friday. There was also some O’Neill in there, a decent run at O God Of Earth And Altar (now complete) at Parliament Choir rehearsal on Monday. I’m fairly pleased with the piece as it stands, and think it serves its purpose decently enough, although I was distressed to find two errors in the score I had carefully proofed and submitted only a minute or so after I received the hard copy. Nothing major, but enough to dent my pride.
If I can get that piece and 1215 orchestrated before the end of next week I shall be well ahead of things and, for the first time in months, able to take a compositional breather for a few days. There is still much work to do on 1215, but I am nearing the end of the creative side and beginning to focus on the promotional aspects of that particular project. Meanwhile there are three other commissions to be getting on with from the beginning of next month.
I’ll be having what they call downtime over the next few days, my first proper break for months when one considers that last summer was taken up with the house purchase, last Christmas with the aftermath of the move, and pretty much the whole of the past year with work on various large musical projects. I’ll be taking manuscript and laptop with me, of course, but also some games secreted in the corner of a rucksack. No doubt I’ll feel the call of the blog from time to time, but, really, I am looking forward to switching off for a bit.
From the beginning of March my new life really kicks off after the ruckus of the past months. Work on my London house will be done and the realignment of my life (hopefully for the better, lest we forget) will be on secure ground, at last. Late it may be in Somerset, but it is quiet and calm as well, the only sound the tappity-tapping of my fingers on the keys. Time even for that to stop for the night.
Nicholas O'Neill 