Blast from the Past

[bigmacbear]

Back when I was a student at The Ohio State University (fellow alumni will understand why the "The" is so important ;-) I sang in a number of different chorus groups. One year as a member of the Ohio State University Chorus, I participated in a festival put on by the American Society of University Composers, at which Frank Zappa was the keynote speaker.

We performed, with an ensemble of the OSU Concert Band, a piece called "Psalm Of These Days V" by a fellow named Edward London (who also conducted). At the time I thought it a somewhat mischievous piece, the more so when, at dress rehearsal during the third movement of the work (which was scored for the band alone), our regular director asked us to turn around and listen to him give some directions about the logistics of the performance from behind the risers. The composer liked the idea so much that he actually had us all turn our backs to the audience during the third movement in performance. (We were wearing choir robes so that had an effect of its own.)

It so happened that I remembered the title of this piece we'd performed today after hearing gmjambear mention Frank Zappa in another context, so I Googled it and discovered that that very performance was recorded for posterity. I suppose I will have to pick up that CD now so I can play it for people and then tell the story once more.

Small world, innit?

Comments

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

That is cool in that you can do a goodle search and discover a performance you did was recorded and perhaps find a way to get a copy of it.

I love FZ's work, well, I'm more familiar with his earlier works from the late 60's to around 70-71 period the most but do have his 1988 jazz LP where he mocks the Mothers of Prevention (the PMR) over the "decency" bru ha, ha around some women with too much time on their hands trying to bring back decency, or failing that to put advisory stickers etc on records and CD's.