This weekend, I came to New York City to attend the funeral service of John Scott, who was the organist-choirmaster of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, and who died a month ago of a heart attack, stunning the world of English church music. It was a beautiful, solemn service, and the brand new choir of the school year and the assistant organists did beautiful jobs under trying and sad circumstances. The church was packed.
In a case of interesting timing, New York's Labor Day parade was taking place out on Fifth Avenue at exactly the same time. St. Thomas is no doubt used to these things, and the subway that rumbles under the church during services. However, it was one of the most profound, bittersweet contrasts that I have ever experienced, straining to focus on sung plainsong, and the fragile musical mysteries of Thomas Tallis's "If ye love me" and the Lotti "Crucifixus," to an outside cacophony of horns, bagpipes, piped in music (Rolling Stones), thumping and yelling. Speaking only for myself, I know that at some point in my life, my inner snob would have been distressed by this kind of distraction, preferring the purity of a perfect musical and church/spiritual experience.
And yet at a certain point, I literally had to laugh out loud. Not too audibly, I hope, but I just had to laugh. I mean, the whole thing was such a metaphor for the human experience, and for the impulse to have churches and spiritual places "set apart" in the first place. We need those places. Some of us need them more than others. But quite literally, right outside the door is chaos! People demanding better working conditions, celebrating, dancing, pleading for money, building skyscrapers, shopping and taking part in a wild symphony of life. It is all part of one crazy whole, especially in a city like New York. In a way, it was a grand send off for an Englishman. I loved the fact that as people were streaming out the door at the end, most of the congregation in solemn black clothing, a huge float was going by, and one guy on it was enthusiastically waving to us! After a moment's hesitation, I waved back just as enthusiastically! I mean, why not?
I've learned one thing on this brief trip to New York. As some of you know, I was one of the last people "on my block" to decide to own a computer, and as of now, I still limp through life with a non-smart Tracfone and a rather too big PC laptop. Right before coming down, my computer battery died and another computer issue developed, and then, awaiting a replacement battery charger for my phone, I had to come to the city technologically naked. I'll finally say for the record, "I get it now!" I get that in 2015, if you want to communicate, write a blog, connect with people, travel to Manhattan or the grocery store, find work, find fun, anything, this is no longer the way to operate! Indeed, my online presence is "home" in a way I have not wanted to admit, and in my continuing dialogue on that topic, up-to-date communication technology is now rising to the top of my list!
New York was a joy this weekend. Overwhelming, but a joy. Lots to think about. The contrasts were life in action, and I'm glad I came.
