A Sad Statement...
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    ...concerning my profession as a Catholic Church Musician
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Nice shoes, Francis, even if they are dusty. : )

    How many miles/notes do you have on them?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    this particular pair employed since 2008 saw about five+ years of

    1. Bach, Buxtehude, Bruhns, the first 7 volumes of the Liber Organi and other selections from my 10,000 page digital library of organ music (see myopusdotcom Youtube for details, link below)
    2. numerous organ concerts
    3. two premieres of my own large choral works (with orchestra and choir)
    4. five years of playing three Masses every weekend and all Feast Days and Holy Days (without missing one in all five years!)
    5. an organ dedication
    6. about 125 weddings
    7. a handful of funerals
    8. four Bacalaurette Masses and
    9. 1 TLM (very sad I only got to play for a single Latin Mass since 2008)

    Not sure if I am going to ever dust them off again.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5tCF3vCgQI
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • TCJ
    Posts: 966
    My pair of shoes is about as old but probably have seen considerably less wear from practice (time or laziness not allowing) plus a couple of periods of unemployment. They look to be in much better condition, but the soles are wearing and peeling now. I checked into getting them re-soled at a local shop, but the cost was nearly that of purchasing a new pair, so I'm just going to get a new pair and leave my current ones at home for practice.

    The good news is that my pair probably has about 25 TLMs on them. It's probably the only thing I'll ever beat Francis at!
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    TCJ

    I am very very very very very very very jeaolus. 5 years of weekends playing for the NO's don't even equal 1 TLM IMHO.
  • TCJ
    Posts: 966
    You're absolutely right! Unfortunately, I'm leaving my current position for another one so the TLMs are coming to an end -- for now, at least.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    You need to do some practicing!
    Thanked by 2Adam Wood eft94530
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    I'm confused.. are you presently out of work or are you doing your Masses a capella? Or piano/guitar? I'd like to be able to pray for you, but I'm not sure whether to pray for you to find work or for your situation to improve?
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,295
    I'm with MJM on this.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I am doing a number of different things these days: Playing piano about the town for prominent events (http://www.tetonvirtuoso.com); Wood carving layered hard wood reliefs (http://fineartamerica.com/featured/moulton-barn-francis-koerber.html), piano tuning and even commercial painting and working for a florist. And of course, I am still publishing my music (http://www.myopus.com) and making very fine rosaries (http://www.finerosary.com).

    To answer your question about sacred music, I am not sure I will ever return to being a DoM unless it was a position exclusively for the TLM, conducting a schola and utilizing the 1962 and the works I compose in Latin for the same.

    I would totally entertain compiling the NOH in the form of my hybrid notation if it were financially feasible.
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • TCJ
    Posts: 966
    Francis, your wood carving is impressive. I have a brother who is a professional woodworker (though not an expert carver). I'm going to point him to your work because I know it's something he'd be interested in seeing.
    Thanked by 1francis
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    tnx tcj
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    You are prodigiously gifted, Francis, and your rosaries are beautiful! I'll pray that you will someday soon be able to be an EF organist. If you lived nearby, I'd be happy to hand my humble keyboard duties over to you at our Latin Mass. I'd far rather be singing alto full-time. : )
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    JulieColl:

    You are so kind to extend such an offer. We have one Catholic church in this town, and unless fire falls from heaven with a sticky note attached with explicit instructions signed by God himself, I don't think they will ever celebrate a single TLM.
    Thanked by 1chonak
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    I'm in a similar situation: I suggested having the cong sing the dialogues (the simple ones at that) and Fr says "yeah but then we'd be introducing chant." my prayers are with you: we need you back in the field somewhere.
    Thanked by 1francis
  • TCJ
    Posts: 966
    If you want to move across half the country to play for one TLM, I can point you somewhere.
    Thanked by 1francis
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I would entertain any offers to play organ and direct a schola (GC and polyphony) for TLMs.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Happy for you !
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