Beard of the Week XXIV: Jolly Ol' Tom Nast
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This week's beard is a double-header, if you'll pardon the expression: Thomas Nast (1840-1902), German-born American political cartoonist, and Santa Clause (unknown), as drawn by Thomas Nast in 1881 for Harper's Weekly. (The latter link is an interesting essay about how St. Nicholas was transformed in America into the red-suited Santa Clause that is so familiar these days.)
The holiday season is an oddly peaceful yet busy time of year here at Björnslottet. Isaac always has to arrange the traditional three services for the Eve of the holiday itself, and since that falls on a Sunday he has a day filled with a total of 5 services, but only 4 different musical programs to coordinate for services. (Plus a fifth strictly musical program: a handbell intermezzo between evening services one and two — at which, by the way, I will be playing as a substitute for one of the regulars who recently had some surgery on her wrist. This time I will be ringing F and G above middle-C.*)
On Monday we're having a casual dinner with 5 friends attending. For several years it has been my habit to roast a couple of ducks (and make duck broth with the carcasses), but I was in the mood for something different this year so we're planning what we've taken to calling a Ham-Lamb-Spam menu, featuring all three in different guises. We'll also have some yams, but I didn't go as far as insisting clams and there are vegetables that don't rhyme, although cranberries kind of rhymes.
This morning we had an event of some import that was, nevertheless, remarkably low key: we signed a pile of papers and refinanced our home mortgage. It takes a lot less work than when one is actually buying or selling and settlement lawyers get involved, but I'm not sure any fewer signatures were required. Yes, we did manage to lower our interest rate and save some money in monthly payments. Anyway, the notary overseeing the process was nice, and it was a sunny, warmish morning. I played a recording of John Dowland's Lachrimæ or Seaven Teares (1604) to lend a peaceful atmosphere, and because the original Lachrimæ Antiquæ is "our song".
Then, in the week before the New Year, Isaac's office (The Fund for Peace) is closed, and we don't have much in the way of other social or church-music obligations, so we can actually relax some.
I hope that others, most especially my four regular readers, have the chance too for some peaceful relaxation.
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* F & G turn out to be remarkably noticeable in the program, given the number of tunes written in G, where F# is the leading tone, or C where G is the dominant. Also, we're playing at least one piece which, because of modulations and enharmonic spellings, calls on me to ring notes with 5 different names but only 4 physical bells.