“Pablo Picasso was never called… an asshole.”

“Who, for example, has not had occasion to become convinced that what goes on at the present day [1850] in an ordinary synagogue is the merest caricature of Church-song? Who has not been shocked and held to the spot, partly by horror and partly by a sense of their absurdity, at hearing those gurgling, jodeling and babbling sounds confusive of all trace of sense and spirit…?” – Richard Wagner, Judaism in Music

I don’t suppose that any of Wagner’s Jewish friends (for there were indeed many of them) thought to say: “Richard, buddy… you know how our religion has been around for thousands of years longer than yours? Yeah I’m pretty sure your worship music evolved from ours. And honestly, Church-song hasn’t even changed in 300 years. Do you understand the Latin of your service any better than you understand the Hebrew of ours? Asshole.”

But that’s just my opinion.

For the record, it really needs to stop snowing, at least long enough for the lovely Physical Plant employees to shovel the sidewalks around here. Either that or it needs to snow enough that both the Honors Band Festival and the Orchestra Cram Session are cancelled this weekend. The latter situation not looking hopeful, I need to get back to research.

And here are those new hair/glasses photos you all asked for about a month ago…