Odds and Ends
-
Dark, spellbinding, intense, beautiful, eloquent, and frighteningly virtuosic. And that just describes the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Elegiaque Trio. If you’re new to Rachmaninoff, this opus is a good place to start. If you’re familiar with Rachmaninoff but not his second Elegiaque Trio, then you’re in for a real treat, as this piece blends
-
Recently, I watched a podcast, featuring pro-life advocate Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire, and Bronte Remsik, an abortion activist. “Podcast Land”—its longform conversations can be a healthy alternative to the tedium of the cable news cycle—has become a crowded space, so one should choose wisely. Typically, I limit myself to Impact Theory, Modern Wisdom,
-
It is known that J.S. Bach was the father of counterpoint harmony. I don’t know if Bach set out to create counterpoint harmony, a component that enriched music exponentially, or discovered it by accident. His music ranged from godly to subtly intense, and from celebratory to a man working out internal strife. And speaking of
-
I am grateful that my brain is wired in a way that enables me to grasp the complex harmonies of Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Hindemith. But it that a possession? Some esoteric force in the universe enabled me to capture and keep the heart of the world’s most beautiful woman thirty-two years ago. Is that a
-
…and the barkeeper asked, “What’ll it be, fellas?” Alexander replied, “A concentrated and centralized power structure, for we are a young nation with new and bold ideas and thus require a clear path forward to implement our brave initiatives. Thomas told the barkeeper, “A constitutional republic that destabilizes centralized power and distributes it to the
-
I creep downstairs at 5:45 a.m., put on a pot of coffee, and open my front door. I smile. The newspaper (The Philadelphia Inquirer) has arrived. My coffee (Bucks County French Roast; Starbucks has yet to reach the east coast) is through percolating. I pour two mugs and transport them and the newspaper to the
-
It was upon a summer’s breeze that the echoes from a forest beckoned a young lass. Often, from the confines of her mother’s garden or with her elbows resting on her bedroom windowsill, she had wondered about the wood just yonder did our golden-haired youth but never had she ventured into its denseness. Today,
-
Recently, while at an affair, a friend of my wife’s approached me and heaped praise upon me, stating that I was a devoted husband and father. She expressed herself sincerely and in earnest, implying that my wife of thirty-two years and twenty-nine-year-old son were more fortunate than most. I took the compliment well enough—after all,
-
Many years ago (twenty-seven to be precise), I took my two-year-old son to the Children’s Festival, held annually at the Annenberg Center within the University of Pennsylvania campus. Upon arriving, I purchased two tickets to the Iron Gate Theater to see Ozzie Davis Jr., a blues guitarist. We seated ourselves on a bench in one
-
Like many, I am appreciative of a tidy home and well cared-for automobile. My home is tidy but lived-in, and my car is not immaculate but uncluttered. (I’m from Philly. To offset the clutter on the road, one must drive a reasonably neat car.) What we use for transportation, and our dwellings, are important possessions
Michael's Corner 