An Ode for Viva! Viva la Musica! by Duncan Nelson

This is the moment when Duncan Nelson

Is supposed to show up with his cap and bells on,

But your bard, for the nonce called to western Mass,

Must "malheursement" take a pass

On providing lyrical "program note" filler

On Frances Fitch and Jonathan Miller.

None with an ear wearies

Of seriatim attending this series

Of concerts conjured up by Kathleen

To bring drama to our Annisquam scene.

Yet fear not, you won't be left in the lurch

By your laureate at the Village Church,

For not a single beat shall be lost

In the baton being tossed

To Benjamin Franklin John Steel,

Who saying "C'est Moi" will now reveal

A joie de vivre, and elan and eclat

That will put your erstwhile worry at

Not only to shame for have stood

You up but by being at least as good,

If not more so, than your erstwhile bard.

But enough of "preludio," time to regard

With thanksgiving this baroque dance card

We have been treated to today,

As, though pressed into pews, we sashay

To allegro and then to cantabile

As these masters, in their respective fashions,

First arouse and then still our passions,

As an ex-Paganini and ex-Piatti

Cello treats us to lots of Scarlatti,

Vivaldi, and concludes with Bach

Underscored by harpischord leaves us in shock

And awe of a blessedly different sort

Than in time of war. For these two have held court

In the 18th century High Baroque

In such a way as to soak

Us, on this Sunday night occasion,

In a fine art focused on persuasion,

These composers able to disarm

And discompose us with wit and charm

So great that even as the floor

Drops beneath us we cry out "j'adore!"

To Francie and Jonathan, begging for more

Returns to this church on Cape Ann's shore

For encore after encore after encore!

And happily soon "Wood and Wire and Wind" will organically conspire,

At the hands of Andrew and Beverly Soll

Six musical centuries to unroll.

So here at the end let's all raise

A glass to give Jon and Francie high praise.