Good news / Bad news (and updated with good news)

As mentioned before, this organist post isn’t just associated with one church but with a number in the local municipality. Yesterday there were 2 services, one in Herøy and the other in Nordvik. It’s a long drive down to Herøy (just under an hour) but the scenery is stunning all the way. There is still a bit of snow lying at the side of the roads and in places there are mini waterfalls as it melts. Had to avoid the temptation to stop every couple of minutes to get a picture.

The first service in Herøy also had a baptism and there were some fabulous traditional dresses worn (not by me I should add!). Like the funeral on Friday I only played the last hymn and postlude - and it also later transpired at the second service that I had missed a couple of responses in the morning service. When everybody started singing unaccompanied in the first service I did have a nagging feeling that I had missed something….. Other than that my first contributions seemed to go okay. The congregations appear to stay seated for the postlude at the services - or they did yesterday at least. I kept my contributions fairly simple - a Fugue on the Magnificat by JSB and as one of the hymns was “Ein’ feste burg” I quickly learned the fugue from William Faulkes’ Festival Prelude as a nice link to the hymns.

Very quickly adjusting to the Kirchekaffe at the end of services here on Dønna/ Herøy. The kaker after the Nordvik service were particularly delicious.

In the evening I was invited across for a bite to eat at Laila and Åsmund’s where a lovely salad and smørbrød were had. Followed by some gentle “encouragement” from Laila to join a local chamber choir.

Today I visited both offices, mainly in a search for some books that I require for a 2-day conference that I’m attending in Mosjøen for priests and church musicians.

Today is also Bach’s 337th birthday so I spent a bit of time trying to put a little programme together. I had hoped to stream it live but I couldn’t get the broadband to work so decided to record it instead. Attempt 1: played rather well but then lost the ability to read so gave up. Attempts 2 & 3: camera slipped so it looked like I was drunk. Attempt 4: managed to get all the way through but then noticed on playback that I’d cut off most of my head. Attempt 5: I can live with. If you do watch, it I hope you’ll enjoy.

And the good news/bad news?

The good news is that the 3 boxes I send in advance (music/ clothes/ books/ X box etc) have been delivered.

The bad news is that I don’t have a scooby where they delivered it to. Some poor soul has probably had these boxes dumped on their doorstep and they’re currently wandering what to do with all this obscure 18th century German and French organ music…..

Further update. The boxes have been traced and are now with me 🙂