Schematically, rhythmic music is music that scorns repetition, squareness, and equal divisions, and that is inspired by the movements of nature, movements of free and unequal durations. The classicists, in the Western sense of the term, were bad rhythmicians, or rather, composers who knew nothing of rhythm. The music of Bach incorporates harmonic colors and extraordinary contrapunctal craftsmanship; it’s marvelous and brilliant, but there’s no rhythm. In these works we hear an uninterrupted succession of equal durations that put the listener in a state of beatific satisfaction; nothing interferes with his pulse, breathing, or heartbeat. So he is very calm, receives no shock, and all this seems perfectly “rhythmic” to him. Jazz is based on a foundation of equal note values. Through the use of syncopation, it also contains rhythm, but these syncopations exist only because they’re placed over equal note-values, which they contradict. In spite of the rhythm produced by this contradiction, the listener once again settles down to the equal note values that bring great tranquility – Olivier Messiaen on rhythm

It’s been a great trip, a real experience, and I’ve guessed I’ve learned a lot. Didn’t win anything (no pt keeping you ppl in suspense) but it’s no loss. I’m really grateful to have got this far anyway. Pictures (yes, and videos) to come later.

It wasn’t very eventful, but we did get to do some touring (Medieval Times) and I did get to meet some great people (my sister’s friends, and fellow young organists and all). But it was good, in the non-hectic, peaceful way. Blessed are you, when you live in uneventful times, as the Chinese proverb goes.

The most eventful event of course, was the competition. The following pieces were played:

Competitor 1 (Clayton Roberts, representing Salt Lake City, soon to begin graduate studies at Rice, who came in 2nd)
JS Bach: Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542
Louis Vierne:Scherzo from Symphony No 6
Leo Sowerby: Pageant
Hymn: CWM Rhondda

Competitor 2 (Hannah Brewer, representing Los Angeles, doing organ at Oberlin, as well as art history (!))
JS Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582
Louis Vierne: Romance from Symphony IV in G Minor
Calvin Hampton: Everyone Dance from Five Dances
Hymn: CWM Rhondda

Competitor 3 (Keenan Boswell from San Diego, an extremely talented undergraduate student at Juilliard came in 1st. If you ever get a chance, watch him play. This guy’s future career shall definitely be interesting to watch)
JS Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541
Louis Vierne: Scherzo from Symphony No 5
Petr Eben: Moto Ostinato from Sunday Music
Hymn: Nun Danket

Competitor 4 (Charles Guiam, the other Asian competitor, representing San Francisco, an extremely nice and sociably guy, going on to UC Irvine to do Engineering this fall)
JS Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543
Alexandre Guilmant: Meditation in G
Gilbert Martin: Fanfare on an Original Theme
Hymn: Holy Manna

Competitor 5 (me!)
JS Bach: Preludium et Fuga in D, BWV 534
Leon Boellmann: Suite Gothique
Olivier Messiaen: Joie et Clarte des Corps Glorieux
Hymn: Holy Manna

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to win, but still am a bit disappointed. O well. One of the judges was really nice though, a Dr. Williametta Spencer: she said that my Messiaen was the best piece played the entire day! She said it was played with great insight and understanding, feeling and passion, and that she wished I had won. She’s a composer of modern music (although not organ nor French modernist) but Alicia still says that compliment is worth a lot, coming from her!

Asides, it was great picking up the knowledge of the other contestants about music conservatories and where to apply. My interest in Eastman remains (cos of the improvisation program), in Juilliard (cos Paul Jacobs is supposed to be good for Messiaen) and of course in Michigan and maybe North Texas. Funding remains a problem still, though.

Today we visited All Saints Church in Pasadena. It was an interesting experience, especially because I first heard of the Church due to the IRS investigation. They’re liberal and PC, qualities I admire in moderation, although I fear they take it too far. Still it was an enjoyable service (even if I was a bit disappointed by the music standard and of course my taste runs to greater high churchmanship)

We were singing a song with lyrics by St. Teresa of Avila, one of my most revered mystics, and it really touched me, somehow, because the lyrics were in spanish, and echoed after my me usual tbcmg: te basta con mi gracia. (God’s grace is sufficient) (someone once asked me why I sign off tbcmg in spanish and not in latin. the answer is this passage. God’s grace is enough! God is enough!) and also because i’m just so familiar with the passage in english (and yes, even kindof in spanish, for some reason). It’s really a passage of comfort, of reassurance, and of faith. Some of you may have seen it on my blog before:

Nada te turbe;
nada te espante;
todo se pasa;
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia
todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene,
nada le falta.
Solo Dios basta.

In English, it means:

May nothing disturb you.
May nothing astonish you.
Everything passes.
God does not go away.
Patience
can attain anything.
He who has God within,
does not lack anything.
God is everything! (or literally, God is enough)

More updates with pictures and videos later.

Kyrie eleison.