A rant
Can’t help thinking we expend disproportionate effort composing preces compared to actually writing new prayers. I mean, some people think I’m like this already, but suppose I went up to you in Hall, every day, and had exactly the same conversation, regardless of what you said to me? It just doesn’t really make sense to pursue variation so much in the music when it’s not clear why the words have to be the same each time. Also, do you hate it when people find out you’re a something or other (mathmo, Wagner-lover, Christian, woman, etc) and talk down to you, or in a funny voice? Four years of doing it to God, and I still can’t get over the weirdness of treating him like he’s some temporally-retarded seventeenth century guy we have to speak a little bit slower to, and in language he’ll understand, poor dear. Oops, I’m in a church; shouldn’t do that here, or talk like that (like he’s not quite in touch with touch with lunch queue banter a few yards away). It’s like, Oops, mummie’s not meant to say rude words in the nursery, goo goo ga.