h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for that, Gnomon. I've visited Dublin twice but not had time to explore the nearby hills. It's firmly on my list of things to do, now.

[lurk]

Actually, it is a curious thing, the word 'humanist'. The 16th century Humanists were indeed religious, their distinguishing activity being textual analysis. Erasmus is the prime example.

I see there is a short h2g2 entry A147151 on 'Humanistic Theory' but this only deals with the 20th-century kind, portrayed as a movement of positivity in reaction to Freud's reductive if not downright negative view of human motivation.

I've played music for a lot of humanist weddings, but never a funeral. My brothers and I gave the funeral ceremony for our eldest brother a few years back, which I suppose was humanist by default. The undertakers were impressed; it seems they hadn't experienced a satisfactory valediction without any religious input before.

Day 3 - Monday 3rd of November

We had a choir rehearsal tonight for my small choir. We're singing a concert of English pre-Reformation music in about two weeks' time. This includes works by Sheppard, Tallis and Taverner. The main work is a mass by Tye called the "Euge Bone" mass. This apparently is Latin for "Well done, thou good..." which is the start of a Biblical quotation, although we don't sing that phrase anywhere in the mass.

English Pre-Reformation music was quite different from English Post-Reformation, even though a lot of it was written by the same composers. The Reformation imposed new standards so the music had to change. The pre-Reformation music is very polyphonic with lots of counterpoint; the words are in Latin, and there are lots of hymns to Mary, the Mother of God.

After the Reformation, Latin wasn't quite as common, although it was still used, but the polyphonic music gave way to homophonic music, where everybody may not be singing the same notes, but they are singing the same words at the same time. This was considered more correct because the prayers are for the people, whereas before they had been for the glory of God and it didn't matter if the people couldn't hear the individual words. Mary went a bit out of favour as well.

It'll be a lovely concert, in the Lady Chapel of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and we will have the usual glass of wine afterwards included in the entrance fee.

It will be a lovely concert

[Amy P]

Still here.

Did I mention that it will be a lovely concert?

Twice, apparently. I seem to have messed up a few postings in this conversation. It comes of posting late at night. I should really not post after 11:30 and two glasses of wine.

But will it be a lovely concert?

Sounds lovely.

Sure grand.

No, you don't understand. it *will* be a lovely concert...

And when is it?

>>about two weeks' time<< I found that on re-reading.

Sorry, it is Sunday 16th, at 8pm.

Day 4 Tuesday 4th November

I've nothing planned for tonight! No choir rehearsals, no concerts, no walks... You'll see from the rest of my journals as the month progresses that I'm busy most of the time.

So what will I do? Well I'll probably cook dinner, and after dinner I'll do some bouzouki practice. I took some bouzouki lessons while in Greece, and bought a bouzouki when I got home. I'm making some progress, but need to do a lot of practice.

Playing bouzouki in the traditional way is like playing tunes on a guitar using only the top two strings. Except that bouzoukis tend to have more frets - you're not really expected to go up to the 24th fret on a guitar, while it is commonplace on the bouzouki.

Of course I never do anything without starting to write an entry on it, so I'm writing a mass "How to Play the Bouzouki" entry, but it is a long way from finished. It will probably need a lot removed from it before it is acceptable.

Reddit

[Amy P]

I find I cannot post without at least two glasses of wine.

I'll add you to the list when I'm in the right account, pebblederook.

Welcome back to NaJo