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Stephen R Ward's avatar

The sooner this book gets published, the better… – I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to read a book so much in my autistic/musical life! Thanks, John, for writing it; and thank you, James, for inspiring it!

PS: Once walked into the chapel at New College, Oxford, and Tallis’ ‘Spem in alium’ was being rehearsed: all the constituent mini-choirs hidden in various places. Even having sung it many times myself, it gave me some of the biggest goosebumps of my life. I can only imagine that the encounter in Wells (coincidentally the last place I heard the Tallis) had a similar effect.

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John Harris's avatar

Wow. Thank you! It really did

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Stephen R Ward's avatar

Started reading Brian Eno and Bette Adriaanse’s book ‘what art does’ after your post: and one of the statements in there is “Art is a way of making feelings happen”. Seems extremely apposite.

Good luck with the book launch!

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Clare Stevens's avatar

Well this is amazing ... cathedral music is the world I write about, among other genres of classical and choral music, and I have literally just this afternoon submitted an article about the visiting choirs that sing in cathedrals when their resident professional choirs are on holiday – I think this must have been one of them rehearsing in Wells. Thank you for expressing so perectly why church music matters, not just to aficionados and people who hear it every week or day, but because it can provide that sense of transcendence that you and your family experienced even for those who are jusr passing through and may be or different faiths or none. What a beautiful piece of writing. I can't wait to read your book!

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John Harris's avatar

Wow. Thank you! Where can I read your writing?

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Clare Stevens's avatar

This article has a long lead time; it’s for the Summer issue of The Cathedral Music Trust’s magazine. I occasionally write for BBC Music magazine, and had a piece on conductor training in their Feb issue; I’m also in the Spring issue of Choir and Organ magazine with a piece on Glasgow-based Bearsden Choir and an opinion piece on how amateur choirs are changing. Various other music mags but those are the main ones. I would provide links but I’m on a ferry to Ireland and even though I’ve paid £15 for their highest spec wifi it’s not letting me access very much at all. Sorry! But you should be able to Google them, they do have digital editions available as single copies.

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John Harris's avatar

Thank you! Really appreciated

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Donna Covello's avatar

Sweet Child in Time, Deep Purple, and Ian Gillan's vocals on this song are powerful. When I played this song with my autistic children with auditory processing disorders during occupational therapy, it was a perfect pitch. It starts slowly with Jon Lord's keyboard, then moves up to Ian Gillian's voice (really screaming), but it does not frighten the child. The child adapts and can focus and complete a task.

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Anthony Pape's avatar

Looking forward to the Rough Trade event to hear you speak and pick up the book.

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John Harris's avatar

See you there, and thanks

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Anthony Pape's avatar

I missed your talk. I got ill, better now. Are you doing anymore soon?

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