the existing pipe organ will be removed to create space for the toilet.

May 28, 2006 on 8:49 pm | In ghost stories, organ, ramblings | No Comments

why, oh why. Sheffield Today carries this article describing renovation work being performed on a 12th-century church in that city. as my headline says, they’re replacing their existing organ not only with a digital but with a loo, ostensibly in the former pipe chambers.

two of my favorite subjects, combined! stephen roberts writes over pipechat that william spooner, dean of new college, oxford, and famous for “spoonerisms” still haunts the college’s chapel:

Sir David, a very trustworthy witness I would say, told me once that Dean Spooner’s ghost still haunted the New College Chapel. He was once practicing the organ in the chapel late at night and turned around to see the ghostly specter of Dean Spooner sitting in the Dean’s seat. As I recall, Sir David told me that the ghost stood up and calmly walked out.

i haven’t posted much in the past few days because not much has happened in my life (but that’s a good thing). i’ve been reading about sufism and the school of thought that freemasonry was lifted from sufi mysticism, (finally) finished up christopher knight and robert lomas’ hiram key, and am very much enjoying the posthumous publications of shirley jackson. i need to be on call on a holiday weekend more often!

unfortunately, all this reading hasn’t helped my cause for a clean bedroom and bathroom…

organ recital planners beware!

May 23, 2006 on 9:08 pm | In organ | No Comments

the times online and the catholic news service report that Massimiliano Muzzi has been masquerading as the Pope’s organist while touring the world.  i’d be proud of myself if i could masquerade as a professional organist!

knights templar and history of freemasonry

May 17, 2006 on 9:24 pm | In masonry | 1 Comment

the history channel’s week of cracking the quite cracked davinci code continues. tonight was an hour chronicling the rise and demise of the knights templar, following the script of every templar conspiracy theorist ever to publish a book straight to the barnes and noble bargain bin.  they do get props for imaginative depictions of inquisition-era torture and some wonderful shots of the interior of rosslyn.

tomorrow night is a 2-hour special on the history of the freemasons featuring a re-enactment of the murder of hiram abif. all of this reminds me that i need to go see the william r. davie exhibit in the north carolina collection, featuring the mccauley apron he wore to the 1793 cornerstone dedication of old east.

new dobson in philly

May 17, 2006 on 2:51 pm | In organ | 1 Comment

sarah miller writes a lengthy review of a lengthy recital on the new dobson organ in verizon hall in philly. it makes me sad that chapel of the cross’ bach’s lunch series is over until the fall. ah, well. there’s always duke.

first post!

May 16, 2006 on 7:12 pm | In ramblings | No Comments

har har.  so, it’s mid-2006 and i’ve finally gotten off my butt and set up a blog.  we’ll see how much i have to say.

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