Madison: Thurs.
Yesterday was a little bittersweet as it was the last day of classes. I got out early to practice shawm, as the faculty concert was that day and I knew I wouldn't be able to use it. Time-share instruments can be a pain, but thanks to Rotem Gilbert for letting me use her instrument for the 460 loud band (the only high pitch festival band in the country, I hear). In bagpipes, we decided it was safer to mute my drone for the concert...with these little pipes, I'm having trouble getting adequate pressure for both chanter and drone. In dulcian class, Bob and I are negotiating about reeds...the one he made for Priscilla is too large, so he'll have to go to the drawing board. In harp class, we talked about harp types and procurement. Before mass, we had a lecture by Alexander Blachly. No revelations, but a nice chance to hear bits of Pomerium recordings. Lunch was an Indonesian tempeh dish; dinner I scrounged in my room, after going out to a used book/CD store quite a ways out.
The faculty concert was 15th-c, Dufay and a bunch of Hugo de Lantins from an upcoming A-R edition (they're one of the sponsors of the Festival.) There were some things they did tutti...rather odd to hear this repertoire done by a dozen or 2 when 3 people would work better. Paul Flight, it turns out, is not only a fine conductor but a damn good countertenor. One highlight was the first performance of Dufay's Gloria ad modem tubae that really worked for me. Maybe it was the antiphony from the balconies that did it, but it was somehow more interesting, in a proto-minimalist way.
I went back to my room hoping for a phone call. My cell seems to be out of minutes, and I'd asked Rusty to call my room phone, as I hate calling cards. But Sara had messed up her computer and she didn't get the email telling her the number. She got it back up for a morning email though, so all is good.
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