Prayers from me

One time a guy came up to me while playing at Mayo Clinic, thanking me for my playing, and he said that he was one of Dino's assistant. He was from New York, and had come all the way to Arizona to go to Mayo Clinic. He told me that he went to college with Dino, but he didn't tell me his name. It was nice to meet someone who was so close to this arranger who I appreciate so much. I play a lot of his arrangments. This hymn is based on a Swedish traditional melody and a poem written by Carl Boberg in Mönsterås, Sweden, in 1885. It was translated into German and then into Russian. Then it was translated into English from the Russian by English missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own. It was popularised by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during the Billy Graham crusades. This is also something I wanted to play for the family of Jeffrey D'Aleo. He passed away at the age of 58, on February 4, 2021. His wife Michelle Turner is my cousin. Many thoughts and prayers to her and her family. As we come upon Easter, this piece is a good reminder that God not only sent Jesus here and let him be crucified on a cross, but then he raised Him from the dead!

Augie Otto was a very famous, important person in Sandwich, Illinois. He not only ran a large farm, but he spent years as a member of the school board, and he also built steam engines, that helped him on his farm, and he made a train for the Sandwich fair. He also loved music and had a pipe organ installed in his home. At a concert in his home he invited me to play the Maple Leaf Rag. It was written for piano by Scott Joplin. The dream of Scott Joplin was to carve out of sound a truly American and truly classic music, respectful of but not subservient to European music, a racially balanced music truthfully reporting American life, its tempo, and its temper. This arrangement says "Tempo di Marcia", which means to play it as if it were marching music. I've been playing it faster, trying to jazz it up, and just realized that it doesn't want me to do this. Hopefully you'll enjoy it.

There was a man who used to work at Mayo Clinic, I think he was there as an assistant in building three. He told me that this is his favorite song, and I still remember his excitement when I played it. It's a piece written by Felix Arndt, who is related to Napoleon III. Felix wanted to play something about the girl who he loved so much, his fiancee, later wife, and her name was Nola Locke. This was his engagement gift to her. The sheet music I have for this piece has a date written on it of 12-27-49 by my piano teacher. I was 11 when I started playing it. I'll put a copy of it on my blog, so you can see it. My teacher at that time was the grandmother of a friend, Karen, who is now here in Scottsdale, and she plays the violin.

This piece is special to me because it's a good reminder that everyone of us is valuable. The history is that this was a hymn written by Elizabeth Clephane, but she was unknown to anyone, and she sang it for kids to remember the story. The text of her poem appeared in the newspaper where Ira Sankey saw it and kept it in his pocket. During a meeting the next day, he heard the story of "The Good Shepherd", and asked if he could perform a final hymn at the end of the service. He composed the melody on the spot as he sung this poem. It is a story where a shepherd loses one sheep from his herd of 100, and goes out to find it. He has to leave the other 99 behind, and fight through many challenges to find the lost sheep, who eventually was sick, helpless and ready to die. When he finally finds it he rejoices, and there is a celebration when he gets back.

I volunteer to play at Mayo Clinic. When there, I'm playing in the area where patients may be waiting for the doctor to see them. Nowadays, they are only allowed one other person to be with them as a visitor, because of COVID. About a week ago, a distinguished man came up to the piano, and thanked me for my playing. I'm not sure if he was a patient or visitor, but he appeared to be of African American descent. He asked me if there is anything I know how to play, that he may know. Well I had been working on a medley to play for Black History Month, since it was February, and so I thought I should play something that I was practicing. Once I started playing, he immediately recognized the songs, and started singing along. It was a great moment that we got to share together.

A great friend, Judy, who helped babysit my first kid, has also requested that I play something special for this month, and she told me how many of the old spirituals played in those days were played with just the black keys on the piano, so I should use this scale as well. In music this creates a pentatonic scale. The black keys on a piano keyboard comprise a G-flat major (or equivalently, F-sharp major) comprised of five keys. It is our final recording for February on my podcast, and this is my tribute to the ASNLH. In 1976, fifty years after the first celebration, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), started in part by Carter G. Woodson, used its influence to institutionalize the study and celebration of black history. I hope you enjoy it.

The "Pachelbel Canon" is a piece, sometimes called Canon and Gigue in D or Canon in D, and in 1982, pianist George Winston included his "Variations on the Kanon by Johann Pachelbel" with his solo piano album in December. When I first started playing in Phoenix, the Assistant Pastor at the Historic First Presbyterian Church of Phoenix asked me to play for their wedding. This is a church that had a really big pipe organ. When I went there to practice, the pastor came down and said, "Well, do you want the organ job?". So I took the job and played there for some time. It's funny though because at that time, George Winston hadn't written the music to this piece yet, so I had to write it out by hand. I'm still using my version of it this day, and it isn't too different from what George Winston published, so I never got around to getting his official version. You can see it in the video and I'll post it on the blog page, in my website. Hopefully you enjoy it.

This is a song that my mother had taught me when I was a little girl, and I still sing it almost every night when I go to bed. Diane Bish, who arranged this as an organ solo, is a very famous organist in Florida. I think it's encouraging that she would take the time to arrange this piece. This song, from the children's fairy tale, conjures so many powerful emotions and nuances, and it talks about fourteen angels. The fourteen angels, as it turns out, are a group of collectively venerated saints in Roman Catholicism. Their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially against certain diseases. I hope you enjoy it.

There were a few pieces I was thinking of playing for this day, but I eventually decided to play "My Funny Valentine". "Come Into My Heart" is another good one, but I've already recorded it on this blog. You can watch the video on my website. It's a piece I've been playing since I was six years old. I hope you have a blessed day today.

Ron Turner died on February 1st, at the age of 66, from a heart attack. He was plagued with bad cholesterol, similar to his mother Naomi, and even though he was very fit for his age, this congenital issue took its toll. Ron ran the Turner Funeral Home in Somonauk, IL, and his mother was my aunt. She was always so awesome to me, and our families shared many pleasant moments. I'm playing this version of "It Is Well" for him. Many prayers to the family and may he rest in peace.

We all have our own storms in life to deal with. Around the world we see the effects of war, famine, and disease. There are many stories of storms and cataclysmic events from historical texts, and across all religions as well. This hymn reflects upon this rage and destruction, and it brings forth the burning question of how such rage and destruction can exist if there truly is a Master or God who cares about us. It also acknowledges the peace that follows the biblical storm, or the metaphorical storms in our lives. It presents the idea that some lessons can be very tough to learn, but may be necessary, and after getting through it all, a brighter light may shine upon you. Love and peace will endure.