Only traditional hymns and classical music played on classical instruments were performed in the rural Mormon church of my childhood. "Special musical numbers" that intersperse a sacrament meeting and give the congregation a break from singing may be sung by the ward choir, a family harmonizing a capella, or a nervous girl accompanied by the piano, a violin, or even a flute. Anything raucous or modern as percussion, guitars, and most music written after the 19th century is still forbidden, as is applause.
One winter Sabbath, old Brother Humphries sat in a chair in front of family-filled pews and slowly opened a battered violin case. He tightened and rosined the bow and bent an ordinary handsaw on his knee.
dusting of rosin
the saw's quivering
Abide with Me
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1 comment:
Cutting songs out of the silence,
a saw crafts the sounds.
__So much more I could say (hear?)here, but it's best to simply add: "a very effective and well posed haibun, Nora!" _m
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