February 29 - Leaping Lizards

It's not really an urban commute if one passes one of these puppies from time to time. And it is indeed time for a little country music -- that is, music from our country, but first we have to get there


as the fog exposes one of the Buckhorn nipples


and sends a chill blanket careening down towards Long Barn


and a crisp line at Horse Farm


where the world is reduced to an unknown banner of blue, white, and green,


the simpler the better,


with perhaps a running fence,


and the land looks elemental -- be it Stonewind (from the north)


Summit (from the south)


or the Rill,


near a first glimpse of Trash Valley (true to form, arguably trashy),


though Eden remains, well, Eden -- untouched.


Theory dictation is Charles Ives's


Variations on America (the Spanish variation [well, as it was also originally an English tune, guess this is not quite so American after all, yet as a heterogenous blend, maybe still so] with other excerpts below):



Melodically, F harmonic minor: Do Do Re Ti Do Re Me Me Fa Me Re Do Re Do Ti Do
Harmonically, i iio6 V7 i6 V7 i iio6 i64 V7 i iio6 i6 V7 i to M6 downbeat


then in the lab to record Antigone: I-V (V. Where Is Your Pain above and below) and




The Bald Soprano: XVIII. The Fire.



Next, leaping over to Marin,


the ascent of the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge, with Mt. Tam beckoning,


sheltering San Quentin in its bosom (and what happened to the sunshine?).


Dropping the March 21st-Century Music Journal (21st-centurymusic.com and 21st-centurymusic.blogspot.com) off at the printers, with an interview re Frederic Rzewski's


The Fall of the Empire, then


time to head home for episodes 6-9 of I, Claudius, with Caligula (in this case, a young John Hurt in his first major role) threatening.

February 3 - Rise & Fall of Roaming Empiricist

Up early to Diablo Valley College to record instrumental version of the interior part of Camino Real: Block 12, for the Horsewomen of the Apocalypse: The White Horse show, 8pm, February 16 at St. Gregory of Nyssa (500 De Haro Street, SF - goathall.org)


Doug's in the lab, grading Assignment 1 for Music 173. Well I remember it, recording Antigone: 10 Come On Now, Miss with haunted-house wind and chains,


(above are Mark Alburger, Guard III; David Saslav, Guard II [obscured], Leticia C. Page, Antigone; Robert Benda, Guard I).

Jump in the car, through the Caldecott Tunnel,

over Bay Bridge to San Francisco,


for rehearsal with Suzanna,

who continues to make a great Curley's Wife, vocally and dramatically, in Mice Suite No. 2, which we have determined will use the orchestral tracks after all.

Also go over Camino: 12 -- surreal to have finally recorded it, after Karl's excellent recording -- and "June's Song," from Henry Miller in Brooklyn (here's Jennifer Ashworth, below, from the showcase performances, pre the run, with more pictures at markalburgerworks.blogspot.com, and the overture to same at the ilike spot).


Cold, bluster day in SF, with random huge dark clouds and rain spritzes (contrary to some of the sunny pictures above), so it's time to head home, the weather still looming over the English Hills beyond the Chevron in the near environs.


Check in with Harriet, and all's well in Seattle, particularly with Tisha's recital (we certainly still miss having her down here on a regular basis).


Finish preparation of the March 2008 21ST-CENTURY MUSIC (soon to appear at 21st-centurymusic.blogspot.com and, one would hope, eventually at 21st-centurymusic.com, as well as print version from P.O. Box 2842, San Anselmo, CA) for final proofing this week. Cover references Frederic Rzweski


The Fall of the Empire.