I wanted to second your thoughts about the sometimes joy of singing bass.
In most cases, I can’t sing my way out of a paper bag. But every year, in early December, there is local (Brattleboro VT) community sing of “Messiah”, now proudly in its fifth decade. And each year you’ll find me there among the basses, belting it all out.
In short, it’s really amazing how much, down there, the effort involves simply repeating the tonic. Which, in turn, means that it’s (more or less) within my vocal grasp.
I apologize to any real basses (and other singers) who might be reading this for my cheekiness in referring to what I do as “singing”. But where else am I going to get a chance to stand up in public and participate in something as amazing as Handel?
You write in your Post: "The move to Denmark was the dumbest thing I ever did in my life." I'm happy that you discovered the Anglican (Episcopal) church there. (Reference: your book "We're Still Married.")
Yes, it was a lovely congregation of Brits, many of them there only briefly, and they didn't make the mistake I made, of trying to speak Danish. Danes start learning English in the 5th grade; it doesn't work well to start when you're 45.
You are absolutely right - one of my retirement hobbies during the past 14 years has been studying foreign languages, something I have wanted to since I was in high school. It is particularly difficult to learn to speak, especially if you don't have anyone to talk to.
It is nice to be able to read, though, and to somewhat understand what they are singing in operas. It is especially rewarding to watch a DVD of an opera in Italian, German, Russian, or French with the subtitles in the original language.
Mr. Keillor, you wrote of holding a funeral for a cat in Lake Woebegone Days - if I remember correctly, you and your sister sang hymns for him, too. I think Tony's singing goodbye to his beloved pets is sweet. I really enjoyed that book. I believe that Reverend Brad can find the passage about the schismatic history of the Sanctified Brethren there as well. After reading about it, I ended up googling it because I had trouble believing that women wearing pants would be such a big deal - but it seems it was true! Farming while wearing a skirt must have been very difficult. Thank you for another interesting crop of posts to the host.
My grandma worre a skirt and did her work in the house and the chicken coop, but my Aunt Eleanor wore pants, handled a gun, drove a pickup. It changed somewhere back in the 40s. But women always wore dresses on Sundays.
Your stories about your trip to NYC with your father resonate with me because my husband, who is 6 months younger than you are, went on trips to NYC with his parents in the summers of 1953, 1954, and 1955. His mother had a MAT degree from Columbia, so she knew her way around and served as the tour planner and guide. For his 80th birthday my husband received an online gift from one of his daughters which, every Monday, prompts him to write about some aspect of his life. The essays will eventually be made into a book. He has been writing very long passages each week and I have been scanning old pictures for him to post in them. A few weeks ago the question was about his first major trip, so he wrote about those wonderful trips to New York City. It occurred to me that you might have been there at about the same time - I think that his trips were all in July.
During the first trip they took a side trip to my home town of Concord, MA because his mother was a retired English teacher who wanted to see the homes of the famous Concord authors and visit their graves in nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. He has a picture of himself as a 10-year-old western PA boy standing near the Old North Bridge and the Minuteman statue. At the time that the picture was taken, I was a 4-year-old girl living only about 2 miles away! We had another close encounter 18 years later in 1971 – I started as a graduate student at Brown at the same time that he started teaching 30 miles away at the university where we would eventually meet in 1978 on the first day that I started teaching there. One of the other graduate students who taught in a lab with me at Brown had graduated from that very same college. She invited me to spend the weekend at her house so she could take me to the visit her alma mater, but I never did, missing the opportunity for an even closer encounter.
I am excited about the possibility of PHC 50th anniversary shows. I still miss the original! After they ended I was lucky enough to see your show in Billings,, Montana. Enjoyed your comments here about singing. Our small but active Church choir went silent in 2020. Singing in church finally returned but not the choir--- we have no accompanist and have lost several of our few members, not to covid, thank goodness. I used to sing soprano but had sung alto for years because we needed altos and I loved the challenge of singing harmony. I miss it!
I read in your April 10th "Post to the Host" that we are Alum of the U of M. May I ask what years you attended? Perhaps we were contemporaries. I was in Graduate School (Zoology) from 1976 to 1979 and lived in Married Student Housing next to the Power Plant and State Fairgrounds. Our daughter was born at the University Hospital and so we have a lasting, if brief, connection to PHC and the upper midwestern ethos.
Like your experience at university, mine was not the best. I went to undergraduate school at a small state college in Northern California (Humboldt State College). It had less than 10,00 students and very close associations between facility and students. I thought I wanted to be a college professor. Going to UM as a PhD candidate with 50,000 students was quite a shock. The Department was undergoing reorganization and the "publish or perish" syndrome was rampant. Lots of backstabbing and sabotage. Fortunately, I got out of there with a MS degree and ended up with a very fulfilling career in Public Land management.
Have listened to "The News from Lake Wobegon" with family and self while driving the distances between towns in Wyoming for over 40 years. Perhaps you should consider a show at the University of Wyoming. Peter Paul and Mary and the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britian have braved the altitude.
Yes, GK’s factual reply was the high road. But for myself, I prefer a put-down of sorts in response to the sputtering outrage with which GK’s reference to the shooter as a “she” was denounced. This was so typical of the “shoot first, ask questions later” mindset of our culture which has been formed by social media. And, one might add, by the main stream media, which immediately and falsely began referring to the shooter as a “trans-woman” when they should have said “trans-man.” Whatever. Any reader of either type of media should have taken a deep breath before going off half-cocked—a reaction which is pandemic in this country and is reflective of the gun culture itself.
I am so grateful for my Broadcasting instructor in college studies who introduced me fully to PHC. Garrison Keillor is a national treasure. Radio was my first love growing up. I remember listening to big band music courtesy of Danny Stiles on the AM dial. I am forty eight now. Thank you Garrison for all the indelible, saucy memories. he he.
We're all still learning no matter how old we are, GK! When we pass on, so does all we learned. Some good. Some not-so. Some definitely not. But the best part is that it no longer matters. Just love.
Tonight at Cary Hall in Lexington MA you referred to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, saying they were in “their early twenties”. Yes, Buddy was 22, but the Bopper was 28 and Ritchie a mere 17.
Garrison: I appreciate that you’ve shared reflections on departing from NPR. They have caused me to consider times when I’ve judged without knowing the facts or not reached out to someone when I should have.
Recently two of my friends suffered public embarrassment because of their (alleged) actions. I reached out to each of them, without judgement, asking if they wanted to talk and both did. While the conversations had awkward moments, both seemed grateful for our time together. I hope that’s the case, but no matter, I’m glad I did what I did. And it probably wouldn’t have happened if not for you.
Thank you for giving me clearer insight on what it means to be a friend. Jim Lifton
What do you think about the proposed new Minnesota state flag? I like it. It is simpler, depicts the state and all its lakes, and is more elegant even not considering the doubtful elements of the current one.
WanderingSIoux Jul/18/24 There’s “Book Learning” and there’s “WISDOM!” All of the books in the world wouldn’t give you the Natural Instinct you have for “What it means to be Human!” I wouldn’t be surprised if being raised on Biblical parables gave you a “leg up” on the art form! Thanks so much for “Not Hiding Your Light Under a Bushel! Your gift is a bounteous one for all humanity!
I wanted to second your thoughts about the sometimes joy of singing bass.
In most cases, I can’t sing my way out of a paper bag. But every year, in early December, there is local (Brattleboro VT) community sing of “Messiah”, now proudly in its fifth decade. And each year you’ll find me there among the basses, belting it all out.
In short, it’s really amazing how much, down there, the effort involves simply repeating the tonic. Which, in turn, means that it’s (more or less) within my vocal grasp.
I apologize to any real basses (and other singers) who might be reading this for my cheekiness in referring to what I do as “singing”. But where else am I going to get a chance to stand up in public and participate in something as amazing as Handel?
Truly one of the high points of my year.
snow on the window --
standing with my neighbors
“Wonderful!” “Counselor!”
I am a real true bass only in the morning for an hour or so but I'm tempted to go to Brattleboro and join you. I'm not getting any younger.
Garrison
You write in your Post: "The move to Denmark was the dumbest thing I ever did in my life." I'm happy that you discovered the Anglican (Episcopal) church there. (Reference: your book "We're Still Married.")
John , Rogers, Ark.
Yes, it was a lovely congregation of Brits, many of them there only briefly, and they didn't make the mistake I made, of trying to speak Danish. Danes start learning English in the 5th grade; it doesn't work well to start when you're 45.
You are absolutely right - one of my retirement hobbies during the past 14 years has been studying foreign languages, something I have wanted to since I was in high school. It is particularly difficult to learn to speak, especially if you don't have anyone to talk to.
It is nice to be able to read, though, and to somewhat understand what they are singing in operas. It is especially rewarding to watch a DVD of an opera in Italian, German, Russian, or French with the subtitles in the original language.
Mr. Keillor, you wrote of holding a funeral for a cat in Lake Woebegone Days - if I remember correctly, you and your sister sang hymns for him, too. I think Tony's singing goodbye to his beloved pets is sweet. I really enjoyed that book. I believe that Reverend Brad can find the passage about the schismatic history of the Sanctified Brethren there as well. After reading about it, I ended up googling it because I had trouble believing that women wearing pants would be such a big deal - but it seems it was true! Farming while wearing a skirt must have been very difficult. Thank you for another interesting crop of posts to the host.
My grandma worre a skirt and did her work in the house and the chicken coop, but my Aunt Eleanor wore pants, handled a gun, drove a pickup. It changed somewhere back in the 40s. But women always wore dresses on Sundays.
Well of course they did. One doesn't need to worry about ticks, mosquitoes, or brambles in church. 😊
Your stories about your trip to NYC with your father resonate with me because my husband, who is 6 months younger than you are, went on trips to NYC with his parents in the summers of 1953, 1954, and 1955. His mother had a MAT degree from Columbia, so she knew her way around and served as the tour planner and guide. For his 80th birthday my husband received an online gift from one of his daughters which, every Monday, prompts him to write about some aspect of his life. The essays will eventually be made into a book. He has been writing very long passages each week and I have been scanning old pictures for him to post in them. A few weeks ago the question was about his first major trip, so he wrote about those wonderful trips to New York City. It occurred to me that you might have been there at about the same time - I think that his trips were all in July.
During the first trip they took a side trip to my home town of Concord, MA because his mother was a retired English teacher who wanted to see the homes of the famous Concord authors and visit their graves in nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. He has a picture of himself as a 10-year-old western PA boy standing near the Old North Bridge and the Minuteman statue. At the time that the picture was taken, I was a 4-year-old girl living only about 2 miles away! We had another close encounter 18 years later in 1971 – I started as a graduate student at Brown at the same time that he started teaching 30 miles away at the university where we would eventually meet in 1978 on the first day that I started teaching there. One of the other graduate students who taught in a lab with me at Brown had graduated from that very same college. She invited me to spend the weekend at her house so she could take me to the visit her alma mater, but I never did, missing the opportunity for an even closer encounter.
I am excited about the possibility of PHC 50th anniversary shows. I still miss the original! After they ended I was lucky enough to see your show in Billings,, Montana. Enjoyed your comments here about singing. Our small but active Church choir went silent in 2020. Singing in church finally returned but not the choir--- we have no accompanist and have lost several of our few members, not to covid, thank goodness. I used to sing soprano but had sung alto for years because we needed altos and I loved the challenge of singing harmony. I miss it!
Garrison - -
I read in your April 10th "Post to the Host" that we are Alum of the U of M. May I ask what years you attended? Perhaps we were contemporaries. I was in Graduate School (Zoology) from 1976 to 1979 and lived in Married Student Housing next to the Power Plant and State Fairgrounds. Our daughter was born at the University Hospital and so we have a lasting, if brief, connection to PHC and the upper midwestern ethos.
Like your experience at university, mine was not the best. I went to undergraduate school at a small state college in Northern California (Humboldt State College). It had less than 10,00 students and very close associations between facility and students. I thought I wanted to be a college professor. Going to UM as a PhD candidate with 50,000 students was quite a shock. The Department was undergoing reorganization and the "publish or perish" syndrome was rampant. Lots of backstabbing and sabotage. Fortunately, I got out of there with a MS degree and ended up with a very fulfilling career in Public Land management.
Have listened to "The News from Lake Wobegon" with family and self while driving the distances between towns in Wyoming for over 40 years. Perhaps you should consider a show at the University of Wyoming. Peter Paul and Mary and the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britian have braved the altitude.
Keep it coming!
Dear Mr. Keillor,
Your response to "How dare you refer..." on today's Post to the Host was right on. Thank you for answering with the facts.
William Clayton
Yes, GK’s factual reply was the high road. But for myself, I prefer a put-down of sorts in response to the sputtering outrage with which GK’s reference to the shooter as a “she” was denounced. This was so typical of the “shoot first, ask questions later” mindset of our culture which has been formed by social media. And, one might add, by the main stream media, which immediately and falsely began referring to the shooter as a “trans-woman” when they should have said “trans-man.” Whatever. Any reader of either type of media should have taken a deep breath before going off half-cocked—a reaction which is pandemic in this country and is reflective of the gun culture itself.
I am so grateful for my Broadcasting instructor in college studies who introduced me fully to PHC. Garrison Keillor is a national treasure. Radio was my first love growing up. I remember listening to big band music courtesy of Danny Stiles on the AM dial. I am forty eight now. Thank you Garrison for all the indelible, saucy memories. he he.
We're all still learning no matter how old we are, GK! When we pass on, so does all we learned. Some good. Some not-so. Some definitely not. But the best part is that it no longer matters. Just love.
Tonight at Cary Hall in Lexington MA you referred to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, saying they were in “their early twenties”. Yes, Buddy was 22, but the Bopper was 28 and Ritchie a mere 17.
Garrison: I appreciate that you’ve shared reflections on departing from NPR. They have caused me to consider times when I’ve judged without knowing the facts or not reached out to someone when I should have.
Recently two of my friends suffered public embarrassment because of their (alleged) actions. I reached out to each of them, without judgement, asking if they wanted to talk and both did. While the conversations had awkward moments, both seemed grateful for our time together. I hope that’s the case, but no matter, I’m glad I did what I did. And it probably wouldn’t have happened if not for you.
Thank you for giving me clearer insight on what it means to be a friend. Jim Lifton
What do you think about the proposed new Minnesota state flag? I like it. It is simpler, depicts the state and all its lakes, and is more elegant even not considering the doubtful elements of the current one.
WanderingSIoux Jul/18/24 There’s “Book Learning” and there’s “WISDOM!” All of the books in the world wouldn’t give you the Natural Instinct you have for “What it means to be Human!” I wouldn’t be surprised if being raised on Biblical parables gave you a “leg up” on the art form! Thanks so much for “Not Hiding Your Light Under a Bushel! Your gift is a bounteous one for all humanity!