Positively Puzzled

Gregorian Day of Wrath , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . A couple of weeks ago an old friend of mine, Andy, whom I hadn't seen in years, was in town visiting family and friends. He now lives in West Java with his Indonesian wife and their two young girls. While we were figuring out a time, during his short stay, when we might be able to get together, he mentioned a group of men in the community who gather on Sunday mornings to sing Gregorian chant. Andy was planning to attend, and he invited me to come along. I learned of this group more than 20 years ago, and had been intrigued ever since. I was delighted that they were still chanting, and still more delighted that I had been invited to participate, and penetrate this inner sanctum of sorts. As far back as I can remember I have admired the sublime ability of Gregorian chant to invoke calm serenity. When I was in high school I procured a 4-LP Murray Hill* box set of Gregorian chant by mail order. What pure heaven, how sooth...

Winners of Theme of the Week: Book , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . 1st Place:. Herbal Remedy 2nd Place: hotel register from another era 3rd Place: [Untitled] Created with fd's Flickr Toys . From the day's playlist... Händel: Air (Bass): the People That Walked in Darkness─The English Concert & Choir; Trevor Pinnock, conductor─ Händel: Messiah Jagged Little Pill─Alanis Morisette No Count Blues─Sarah Vaughan─ The Essential Sarah Vaughan Morten Lauridsen: Ubi Caritas et Amor─Donald Brinegar Singers; Donald Brinegar, conductor─ Northwest Journey Johannes Brahms: Die Schöne Magelone, Op. 33─Paul Mow, Tenor; Eric Malson, Piano Killing Me Softly─Fugees Not a Second Time─The Beatles─ With the Beatles Birthday─Sugarcubes Palm Grease─Herbie Hancock─ Thrust Call and Answer─Barkenaked Ladies

Early evening in Langdale , originally uploaded by WhiteGoldWielder . "Captured fortuitously, whilst out on my bike...." From the weekend playlist... Rachmaninoff : All-Night Vigil, Op.37: Vespers & Matins─Estonian Philharmonica Chamber Choir; Paul Hillier, conductor Thank You Girl─The Beatles Colonel Panic─Jing Chi I Wish─Fantasia, Patti and Yolanda─ Happy Feet , Music From The Motion Picture Dixit Dominus Domino meo─Tiburtio Massaino/Niederaltaicher Scholaren; Konrad Ruhland, conductor─ Psalmi et Cantica 1400-1600 Gregorian Hymn: "Veni, creator spiritus" and Thomas Tallis: "Spem in Alium"─Rundfunkchor, Berlin; Simon Halsey, conductor─ XL: Rundfunkchor Berlin

hotel register from another era , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . Yo, photographic bibliophile types! The Theme of the Week this week is: book , and this Flickr group could really use your contributions: 1 or 2 photos, taken this week, representing that scintillating concept: book . Please consider making an image donation...you will not regret it. (Check the guidelines for the group, to find out what it's all about. Theme ends on Sunday.) Thanks! [Edit Update: this plea expired yesterday...now we want your huddled food pictures for the week!] From the day's playlist... J.S. Bach: Allegro - Sonate No.4 c-moll BWV 1017─Reinhard Goebel, violin; Robert Hill, harpsichord; Musica Antiqua Köln─ J.S. Bach: Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord I Don't Want to Spoil the Party─The Beatles─ Beatles for Sale The History of Utah─Camper Van Beethoven Crying─Roy Orbison

Slide Terror , originally uploaded by ambrosialove . "Rj stuck him in head first. He wasn't too excited about it. I was laughing too hard to actually ensure all of Drake was in the frame." (Cf., Gabriel's slide trepidation .) From the last couple days of listening... Pictures Of Matchstick Men─Camper Van Beethoven─ Key Lime Pie Golden Slumbers/The End ─k.d. lang─ Happy Feet, Music From The Motion Picture Yer Blues─The Beatles─ The White Album Desolation Row─Bob Dylan─ Highway 61 Revisited Franz Joseph Haydn─Piano Sonata No.33 in C Minor, Hob. XVI:20─Emanuel Ax, piano─ Haydn: Sonatas 33 38 58 60 Schubert: Impromptu D935 No 4 In F Minor - Allegro Scherzando─Albert Ferber, piano Last ten films I watched: Shrek the Third (2007) Lost in Translation (2003) Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) The Blues Brothers (1980) Lady Sings the Blues (1972) Cinderella Man (2005) The Great Race (1965) Fighting Caravans (1931) The Big Night (1996) The Constant Gardener (2005)

alignment , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . From the day's playlist... J.S. Bach: Fantasie & Fuge in A Minor, BWV 561─Gabor Lehotka, organ─Bach: Great Organ Works Astor Piazzolla: Las cuatro estaciones porteñas─Trio Chromos: Ismael Betancor, Trumpet; José Luis Castillo, Piano; Carlos Rivero, Cello─Trumpet Colors Anonymous: Carmina Burana #63: Olim Sudor Herculis─Philip Picket & New London Consort─ Carmina Burana, Volume 1 Flying─The Beatles─ Magical Mystery Tour Johann Joachim Quantz: Trio in C Major─Members of Kamerata Köln: Michael Schneider, recorder; Karl Kaiser, transverse flute; Harald Hoeren, harpsichord─ Florilegium Musicale We Love You─Camper Van Beethoven The King of Spain─Moxy Fruvous Do a Thing─Herbie Hancock─ Death Wish (soundtrack)

treading water is harder than it looks , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . From the day's playlist... Bagatelles: Allegro─Alfred Brendel, piano─ Beethoven Fur Elise Eroica-Variationen If I Could Talk, I’d Tell You─Lemonheads Like A Rolling Stone─Bob Dylan Goodnight And Go─Imogen Heap We Love You─Camper Van Beethoven Mr. Moonlight─The Beatles─ B eatles for Sale New York Town─Cisco Houston & Woody Guthrie─ Pastures of Plenty Deadbeat Club─B-52s

Winners of Theme of the Week: Wheel , originally uploaded by I, Puzzled . 1st Place: Spinning Wheel 2nd Place: Native American Medicine Wheel 3rd Place: Doggles This week's winners at Flickr's Theme of the Week Group . Created with fd's Flickr Toys . From the weekend's playlist... End of the Line─Travelling Wilburys Where Have the Actors Gone─Sunny Wilkinson, vocal; Shelly Berg, piano─ Morten Lauridsen: Northwest Journey In The Summertime─Mungo Jerry Jitterboogie─Michael Hedges Changes─Phil Ochs (live) Borderline─Camper Van Beethoven─ Key Lime Pie Rachmaninov: Concerto #2 In C Minor - Mov't 1. Moderato─Vladimir Ashkenazy, André Previn; London Symphony Orchestra Hard Travelin’─Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (w/Jerry Jeff Walker)─ Friends of Mine America─Simon & Garfunkel─ Almost Famous (soundtrack)

Curiosity , originally uploaded by Troy B Thompson . From the day's playlist... I Like it Like That─Sweet Honey in the Rock─ On the Air: KUSP’s Live Music Sessions Just The Two Of Us─Will Smith─ Radio Disney: Jams Vol. 2 The Sweetest Embrace─Barry Adamson Lady (great bass riffs)─John Mayall & Jeff Beck Day Tripper─The Beatles─ Past Masters Sylvius Leopold Weiss: Lute Suite Nr.17 in F Minor: Sarabande─Konrad Junghänel, lute