Where's that Post?

I try to put up something everyday, but sometimes I just don't have time, like yesterday, and today. This looks like a post, I know, but it's going to be more of a teaser. I just finished writing over 3000 words of program notes for a three-concert guitar festival we are putting on in January. Some of my songs are going to be premiered in one of those concerts. But it took me days to write the notes. You see, I know too much about the guitar repertoire and it is hard for me to keep the notes within reason. It's like asking Dante to jot down a few notes about sin, or Hugh Hefner to just briefly reminisce about his girlfriends. It won't be brief!!

So I'm not going to give you a real post today, no energy left, but I will sketch out what I plan to be doing in the next few days or weeks. First of all, I'm going to finish my set of posts on the Shostakovich symphonies. I've done the first five here, here, here, here and here. Next I'm going to tackle the middle five symphonies from No. 6 to No. 10. These are some of the biggest and most challenging, so will take a bit of work. I'm also going to put up my performance of one of Léo Brouwer's most successful larger works for guitar, his El decameron negro in three movements.

And of course, as opportunity presents, I will offer some aesthetic observations on the good and bad music of the day.

So, keep an eye out. Let's end with a little Bach for fiber and substance! The St. John Passion is less well-known than Bach's St. Matthew Passion or his Mass in B minor. But that's an excellent reason to listen to it! This is just part 1, about 35 minutes.