Slaying My Monster

One of my ambitious goals for the summer I failed to achieve when I realized I had incorrectly analyzed the amount of time and effort it would take to accomplish this goal. I intended to study and master all 15 of Bach’s two- and three-part inventions. These are, to a pianist, the building blocks of a solid repertoire. Bach originally wrote them for his pupils to prepare them for his master works, such as “The Well-Tempered Clavichord.” Whether in Bach’s century or ours, assiduous practice of these inventions are the key to rising above mediocrity in regards to developing technique and musical taste. What I love about these pieces is how “busy” they are, training the formerly lazy left hand to keep up with the right hand, technically and otherwise! Usually the right hand gets to play the melody, but Bach is of the opinion that the left should get its share of limelight as well. And nothing has challenged me to play contrasting articulation as much as my beloved Bach. So my new goal is to accomplish these pieces before the close of 2006. It is important to achieve a goal, but even more importantly...to achieve it with excellence.

Day in Duluth

Labor day 2006 was spent in good company. Rachel, Liz’s sister, was visiting from Eugene Oregon and we piled in the car to take a short, sweet road trip to Duluth. Ian prefers crawling and ripping up his storybooks to spending a few hours in the car, and we have yet to figure out that one. So we hooked up with some friends of ours who are small group pastors at Hillside Church in Duluth for lunch at a Mexican joint called Little Angie’s Cantina, which is highly recommended (get the fajitas). They led us around town to an impressive overlook called Enger Tower, where our eyes feasted on the marvels of the massive body of water called Lake Superior. We were able to tour their church location, which is housed in a gym with a separate skate park downstairs. It was really something! Thanks to Nick and Jessica for their hospitality.