“Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.” Gee it is so nice to be appreciated and respected. I wonder how the Editor would feel about us, the paying membership, if we did not pay to be complemented in such a way? 🥺🥺🥺
Dr Marks has more class and thank you Dr Marks for the music, because if I hear “Grandmaw got run over by a Reindeer” one more time this season I may inflict thermal damage on the Bose System in the car. 😆😆
Thanks. But, when I was a Visiting Lecturer at Thomas More College, I never let anyone call me "Doctor," because even though Vanderbilt University says it considers a law degree to be a "Doctoral" degree, I do not think it is. I think Vanderbilt says that because it justifies their paying law school instructors as much or perhaps more than, say, Literature professors with PhDs.
My favorite of the three is the second CD, in terms of the recorded sound, the musicianship, and the pieces chosen. I found some Renaissance vocal Motets that translated very easily into string-quartet parts. Which was lots of fun, actually.
From looking on Amazon, it seems that Steinway & Sons is no longer pressing CDs of these titles. If you want a chuckle or two, search on eBay for "Arturo Delmoni" and sort the results by highest price first.
Some clown is Asking $648.95 for the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs CD of "Songs My Mother Taught Me." Which is silly, it is nowhere near as good as the JMR remastering by Bob Ludwig. You can buy a 24kt. Gold CD of that for around $40, NEW.
But what is totally clownish about the MFSL listing is that, after asking six times the going price, the seller wants to fleece you an additional $3.95 for Shipping.
That said about the MFSL sound quality, you can imagine who I, "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere," felt about having my production work appear on a label that, to take one example, also reissued "Dark Side of the Moon."
Years later, I had dinner with Herb Belkin, who, before he took over MFSL, had been at Capitol Records. He had been Executive Producer for the boy band the Raspberries. Herb had some nasty words to say about Eric Carmen. (Eric got Capitol Records in legal trouble for stealing a tune from Rachmaninoff.)
The position of Miss Manners is that outside of professional circles, only medical practitioners (i.e. MDs, DOs, DDSs, DVMs) should use the title "Doctor" in social settings. In the faculty lounge it's okay to use the title but not in social settings.
I've yet to have an academic complain when I've addressed them as "Professor," rather than "Doctor."
I am a lawyer. Any lawyer who would want to be addressed as "Dr.," except for the tiny group that have an SJD or equivalent, is a charlatan. We all know that a law degree is a master's-level degree with more-obnoxious-than-average exams.
Doing just about anything in public exposes one to slings and arrows, some outrageous, others deserved. It's gratifying, then, when something you do is done well enough that people praise it.
I just thought about something. I've gotten some nice comments on things that I've written but I've never had someone say something like, "That was a bad article." I wonder if that's because I'm actually good at it or because my editors keep my bad ideas and work product out of the public view.
Seconded, Ronnie, because though I'm a relative late comer and missed the TTAC period, I have never needed to shake my head and stop reading one of your pieces.
“She later wrote me a letter, to tell me what a difference that music had made in her life…”
I try to be mindful of everything I do - but fail regularly - because one can never know the effect of an action no matter how significant or otherwise. And as we see here there is no relationship between the size of the cause and the effect. Well done.
I am informed that, in the time frame when England was grappling with the notion of their Royal Heir-Designate marrying a multiply-divorced American Gold-Digger Grifter Girl (Wallis Spencer, later Simpson; Nee Warfield) (Sidebar: Rumor has it that the reason "Wally" was SO attractive to Edward 8 ("Edward the Dickhead") was because, unlike proper British Matrons, WWS had made her peace with giving blowjobs with no reciprocation in kind), children walking home from school would sing:
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing:
Mrs. Simpson Pinched the King."
"Pinched," in the sense of "Shoplifted."
A good end to bad rubbish. Eddy and Wally both adored Hitler.
John, when you posted about these recordings previously I added selections from them to my own Christmas playlist I play each year as background music at family gatherings. Family and friends, typically classic rock enthusiasts and country music purists, regularly comment, “Now this is real Christmas music!”
In a world saturated with Christmas music about the cultural trappings of the event it’s balm to the soul to hear hymns performed and recorded with such wonderful expertise. To walk daily through a world full of sin and error, pining for something better, then hear music that wordlessly calls one’s mind and spirit to a place of joy and hope is a real blessing. Thank you for your part in sharing that blessing with my family.
When I released my one-and-only jazz record, my father, who also is now among the saints, quipped, "Finally, you have made something I'd want to listen to."
But the truth of the matter is, he loved Arturo Delmoni's "Songs My Mother Taught Me."
But I think that, for Christmas music, my father wanted it 100% religious. He wore out his LP of Luciano Pavarotti's "O Holy Night."
I will be streaming this in our home on Christmas Eve. Thanks so much.
On a lighter note, it brings to mind a bit of dialog from the old M*A*S*H TV series in which the upper-crust Charles is lamenting that he is not home for Christmas,
“Oh, to be home tonight. A brisk walk across the Boston Common. The bell in the Old North Church ringing. Watching it gently snow across the frozen pond. And then later, sit with Mother, Father, and Honoria in the West Wing, sipping one hundred year old brandy. And the servant standing by, bathed in the light of the fire, and the glow of utter civility. Corporal, it is to weep.”
As someone who generally dislikes Christmas music with the exception of "Fairytale of New York" it's hard to have festive music playing while decorating the tree. This was the perfect accompaniment, thank you.
“Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.” Gee it is so nice to be appreciated and respected. I wonder how the Editor would feel about us, the paying membership, if we did not pay to be complemented in such a way? 🥺🥺🥺
Dr Marks has more class and thank you Dr Marks for the music, because if I hear “Grandmaw got run over by a Reindeer” one more time this season I may inflict thermal damage on the Bose System in the car. 😆😆
Thanks. But, when I was a Visiting Lecturer at Thomas More College, I never let anyone call me "Doctor," because even though Vanderbilt University says it considers a law degree to be a "Doctoral" degree, I do not think it is. I think Vanderbilt says that because it justifies their paying law school instructors as much or perhaps more than, say, Literature professors with PhDs.
My favorite of the three is the second CD, in terms of the recorded sound, the musicianship, and the pieces chosen. I found some Renaissance vocal Motets that translated very easily into string-quartet parts. Which was lots of fun, actually.
From looking on Amazon, it seems that Steinway & Sons is no longer pressing CDs of these titles. If you want a chuckle or two, search on eBay for "Arturo Delmoni" and sort the results by highest price first.
Some clown is Asking $648.95 for the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs CD of "Songs My Mother Taught Me." Which is silly, it is nowhere near as good as the JMR remastering by Bob Ludwig. You can buy a 24kt. Gold CD of that for around $40, NEW.
But what is totally clownish about the MFSL listing is that, after asking six times the going price, the seller wants to fleece you an additional $3.95 for Shipping.
That said about the MFSL sound quality, you can imagine who I, "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere," felt about having my production work appear on a label that, to take one example, also reissued "Dark Side of the Moon."
Years later, I had dinner with Herb Belkin, who, before he took over MFSL, had been at Capitol Records. He had been Executive Producer for the boy band the Raspberries. Herb had some nasty words to say about Eric Carmen. (Eric got Capitol Records in legal trouble for stealing a tune from Rachmaninoff.)
The position of Miss Manners is that outside of professional circles, only medical practitioners (i.e. MDs, DOs, DDSs, DVMs) should use the title "Doctor" in social settings. In the faculty lounge it's okay to use the title but not in social settings.
I've yet to have an academic complain when I've addressed them as "Professor," rather than "Doctor."
I am a lawyer. Any lawyer who would want to be addressed as "Dr.," except for the tiny group that have an SJD or equivalent, is a charlatan. We all know that a law degree is a master's-level degree with more-obnoxious-than-average exams.
I believe you completely whiffed on the cultural reference.
https://youtu.be/NozVpZj4i2Q?si=H7ZmF64EiU208qzv
I have gotten some very interesting reviews on my stories as to how they've helped people. It's always nice when you get something like that.
Doing just about anything in public exposes one to slings and arrows, some outrageous, others deserved. It's gratifying, then, when something you do is done well enough that people praise it.
I just thought about something. I've gotten some nice comments on things that I've written but I've never had someone say something like, "That was a bad article." I wonder if that's because I'm actually good at it or because my editors keep my bad ideas and work product out of the public view.
If you like, post one of your rejects and we'll let you know. I suspect you're good at it.
Seconded, Ronnie, because though I'm a relative late comer and missed the TTAC period, I have never needed to shake my head and stop reading one of your pieces.
seconded
the people demand ronnie lore
“She later wrote me a letter, to tell me what a difference that music had made in her life…”
I try to be mindful of everything I do - but fail regularly - because one can never know the effect of an action no matter how significant or otherwise. And as we see here there is no relationship between the size of the cause and the effect. Well done.
YOU bring tears to my eyes.
Merry Christmas
john
And merry Christmas to you and yours as well. I will be exploring this music over the holidays so thank you for this gift to us.
My favorite Christmas song would have to be Hark the Hare-lipped Angels Sing.
Today is, coincidentally, the 34th birthday of my nemesis, “Harelip.”
I am informed that, in the time frame when England was grappling with the notion of their Royal Heir-Designate marrying a multiply-divorced American Gold-Digger Grifter Girl (Wallis Spencer, later Simpson; Nee Warfield) (Sidebar: Rumor has it that the reason "Wally" was SO attractive to Edward 8 ("Edward the Dickhead") was because, unlike proper British Matrons, WWS had made her peace with giving blowjobs with no reciprocation in kind), children walking home from school would sing:
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing:
Mrs. Simpson Pinched the King."
"Pinched," in the sense of "Shoplifted."
A good end to bad rubbish. Eddy and Wally both adored Hitler.
john
John, when you posted about these recordings previously I added selections from them to my own Christmas playlist I play each year as background music at family gatherings. Family and friends, typically classic rock enthusiasts and country music purists, regularly comment, “Now this is real Christmas music!”
In a world saturated with Christmas music about the cultural trappings of the event it’s balm to the soul to hear hymns performed and recorded with such wonderful expertise. To walk daily through a world full of sin and error, pining for something better, then hear music that wordlessly calls one’s mind and spirit to a place of joy and hope is a real blessing. Thank you for your part in sharing that blessing with my family.
YOU as well have brought tears to my eyes.
john
Wonderfully written, as always! My mother always loved a good string quartet, sorry she missed this.
When I released my one-and-only jazz record, my father, who also is now among the saints, quipped, "Finally, you have made something I'd want to listen to."
But the truth of the matter is, he loved Arturo Delmoni's "Songs My Mother Taught Me."
But I think that, for Christmas music, my father wanted it 100% religious. He wore out his LP of Luciano Pavarotti's "O Holy Night."
john
I will be streaming this in our home on Christmas Eve. Thanks so much.
On a lighter note, it brings to mind a bit of dialog from the old M*A*S*H TV series in which the upper-crust Charles is lamenting that he is not home for Christmas,
“Oh, to be home tonight. A brisk walk across the Boston Common. The bell in the Old North Church ringing. Watching it gently snow across the frozen pond. And then later, sit with Mother, Father, and Honoria in the West Wing, sipping one hundred year old brandy. And the servant standing by, bathed in the light of the fire, and the glow of utter civility. Corporal, it is to weep.”
John,
As someone who generally dislikes Christmas music with the exception of "Fairytale of New York" it's hard to have festive music playing while decorating the tree. This was the perfect accompaniment, thank you.
My pleasure.
Speaking of which, back in the day, my favorite Pickup Line for Nice Jewish Girls was:
"Hey! It's almost Hanukkah! Please let me Trim your Bush!"
# # #
john