I have to tell you that I have found myself in an interesting situation. About a month ago I mentioned that we went to lunch with some friends, Kim and Anne. Kim is the director of a renaissance orchestra that performs an annual Christmas concert of renaissance era carols played on renaissance instruments. Kim and I used to play trumpets in band together in high school and he had talked me into playing a cornettino in the concert.
The cornettino is a precursor to the cornet and trumpet used today, but a cornettino looks more like the recorder/flute you played in grade school only with a mouthpiece. Instead of opening and depressing valves to make notes like a trumpet, there are holes which are covered and uncovered by your fingers to make the various notes.
However, I quickly found out that how tight my lips are has much more to do with what notes came out than the finger holes. This may not be a problem for someone who has spent a great deal of time on the cornettino and has an ear for what note is being played. I, on the other hand, had always relied on the trumpet valves to achieve the right note. So, on the cornettino one day my lip will feel most comfortable starting playing at a certain note and then making variations. The next day, I will pick up the instrument, start playing where it feels comfortable and be two notes above or below where I had been the day before. Not good.
So, on Saturday, four of us got together to decide which song or songs(s) we would play for our part of the concert. All of us had instruments that were new to us. There was a soprano and a tenor sackbut (precursors to the trombone), a snake (precursor to the tuba), and the cornettino. We ended the practice session deciding to play one song of the three choices (the simplest) and that the snake and cornettino would each play the same note in rhythm to the tune as a drone base note. (Think of the bagpipe that plays the melody on part of the instrument while the bag plays a droning note in the background.)
I was happy with the decision that I would only have to play the one note. I will be able to tell if I am playing correctly because I can hear and play the same note as the snake. However, it is a little humbling to think that I once considered myself to be a relatively good trumpet player. Now I am reduced to hoping I can play one note well. I guess I am getting in touch with my inner beginner band student.
Oh well, moving on.
In City business this week, on Monday, members of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council, and the Economic Development Task Force met to discuss the new Comprehensive Plan developed for the City.
The meeting was not about what should be in the plan or what changes should be made. Instead, the meeting centered on the purpose of the plan, how it can and should be used, prioritizing goals, implementation, and the responsibility for implementing.
One of the things I want to be sure of, is that the Comprehensive Plan is used as a guide in moving the City forward as change comes about. The plan is in place to offer a road map to development for the City when zoning changes are proposed, when traffic plans are developed, etc. It should be used by prospective developers to know what is expected as they consider projects within the City and the impact area.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to express their desires as the plan was developed. Putting the plan together has taken much more time than was originally anticipated. However, I believe it is now a plan that will be useful, and we can all literally live with.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season! Now I have to go and practice my one note.
You must be logged in to post a comment.