The Welcoming Committee, a.k.a. 'The Door Guard'. : )
As promised, I'm posting some long awaited pictures of Grandma's 80th Birthday Concert. This time of honoring Grandma was one of the main reasons for Trip 2008. The concert was about an hour long, and featured singing (barbershop, hymn arrangements, and gospel) and playing (Celtic, classical, popular, and hymns) from a variety of instruments (voice, piano, violin, harp, and flute). It was a smashing success, and most importantly, our Grandma liked it!
All set up: the Cake Table.
The Birthday Girl's Cake.
Early arrivals.
Extra Refreshments ready to go.
Last minute practice before the real concert starts.
Finally, we opened the doors. The crowd grew to around one hundred guests. We were so happy to meet everyone who came and made the evening so special for Grandma.
We all took turns sharing memories about Grandma to introduce each selection. Even the little ones bravely stood up to the microphone and said their piece!
A Celtic Medley.
The twins playing "Heart and Soul".
Sisters playing 'Gavotte' by Gossec.
Lydia fiddling away--look at her hand!
Uncle Carl, a true musician.
The VIP Seating: Grandma was front and center with the balloons marking her chair.
Beth accompanied several times on the harp.
Capturing the event for posterity.
Andrew playing at his first concert: a hymn arrangement of "Nothing But the Blood".
After the official end of the concert, we had everyone wait in their seats to sing "Happy Birthday" to Grandma.
Blowing out the candles: notice the help on the right. : )
A wonderful Birthday to a wonderful Grandma!
Chatting with the guests.
The younger set having refreshments.
9 comments:
Looks like you had a beautiful time!!
God bless,
Sallie
That was quite a birthday party.
Boy, are y'all brave! I'd mess right up. ;)
I really enjoyed all the pictures.
Blessings,
Johanna Kautt
Once again, proof positive you Serven lot really know how to celebrate!!! that is quite the venue for a birthday party, too!! I love the way each one has opportunity to give of their own unique talents.. singing, playing, decorating, portering, preparing the food, recording for posterity....... for one very special Lady who is honored, and most likely knows it but humbly appreciates it. What a legacy she has already! And what a priviledge to enjoy some of the fruit of it.
Oh, and a word for Miss Johanna, who'e "mess right up": the ONLY way to get past that is to go ahead and mess right up.... and find that everyone still lives you and wants you in spite of your messing up!! And soon enough the butterflies will fly off into the sunset and you'll be doing it without messing right up. Oh, and did you ever learn where "grace notes" came from and why they're called that? You'll laugh when you find out.......
What a beautiful picture of honor! Your Grandma must have been delighted:)
Dear Sallie,
It was a very fun project to put together for Grandma. I know we had a lot of fun doing it, and she said that she really enjoyed it too! So, it was a success.
Srl,
Indeed, it was. : )
Dear Johanna,
We did make a number of mess ups. But that is part of sharing music. : ) You just keep trying to do better next time, and be thankful that the Lord is giving you opportunity to share with the people. Glad you enjoyed the pictures!
Mr. Jesch,
Hmm. I'd be interested to know the history of 'grace notes'. I've never heard that before! Very good counsel on 'messing up', too. Thanks for sharing!
Dear Andrea,
The concert was a wonderful project to work on. Since Grandma loves music, we thought it would be a fitting tribute. : )
Resting in His joy,
Rebecca
Dear Rebecca,
Wow! Even though you messed up some, y'all still were very brave. I couldn't play in front of that many people or even three or four people.
It looks like y'all have the musical tallent through your family! ;)
Blessings,
Johanna Kautt
P.S. and to Mr. Jesch,
Thank you for the counsel to me!
It's been a while since I've been able to "visit" here, been in a desparate race with the coming wet weather, trying to get some stuff outside done before the whole place gets so muddy I can't even get the tractor around! (it does seem like I'm winning the major battles, so far, and the rain's held off getting serious, very unlike last year).
So, Miss Rebecca and Miss Johanna, you were asking about grace notes, and so here's the story as explained to me. As anyone who ever plays any musical instrument (or types on a keyboard, too...) knows, from time to time one will by mistake fret/sound/key a note other than the one intended, usually by a half note, sometimes a whole note. Once you've been playing a while you will realise your mistake instantly, so that you can then, without missing a beat in the music, move the duty-bound finger so as to sound the note it ought to have done in the first place. The result, once one is practiced enough to do it quickly enough, is a sort of trill, "slide" into, hammer on, getting round to the correct note before the hearers have had opportunity to realise the error. The intended note will then sound for almost the correct time, the timing of the piece will be unaffected.... and the hearers will often have difficulty deciding whether the "error" was, indeed, an error, or was fully intended. The one playing will count on receiving "grace" from her hearers rather than the error counted against them, it adds "grace" in the sense of style, flavor, interest, to the work played, and, if done well and quickly enough, well be carried off as though intended. According to my "informant", this began in a much simpler "age" of music, and later on composers began to intentionally write them in as part of the piece, taking up the name "grace note" as they did so.
Too bad grace notes can't be effectively used when typing.... it had been so long since I posted that I had to review it to see what I'd actually said. I was very surprised to see how many "typos" I'd left uncorrected..... no "grace noting" them away, eh? But I see you've both extended me grace in overlooking the "mess ups", looking to my intended meaning, not rejecting me, and even asking for further comment.... afording me the opportunity to mess up again, which I likely will do.
One thing I find very interesting is how the Scots use "grace notes", so thoroughly embellishing the melody line with them, trills, triplets, slides, hammers and pulls, slurs, taps... wonderfully complex, very difficult to master, and gives their music (on pipes, fiddle, whistle, even guitar) a most delightful flavor. It is mostly an aural tradition, but seeing a piece written out one sometimes has difficulty discerning which notes commprise the melody of the tune, so lost are they amongst the grace notes. Fun stuff, music. Listening, studying, playing, learning... sharing (the best part)
Mr. Jesch,
Thank you for the 'grace note' information!
~Johanna Kautt
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