December 29 '07
Volume 604


Pianos And More December 27, 2007
Some Of The PianistsPatricia Young Henry may possibly have achieved the impossible; she successfully directed a diverse group of talented pianists and other musicians in a performance that exceeded the expectations of everyone present. Many of us may have had our doubts that her latest presentation could possibly rival that of the group she directed about a year and a half ago, but those doubts were erased well before the final musical number was performed Thursday evening, December 27th, at First Baptist Church, Pontotoc.

Admirably, in her opening remarks, Patricia dedicated the program to her former teacher, Miss Vera Salmon, whom Patricia described as, "the backbone to the music of our community."

For a small town, Pontotoc has been blessed with a large number of gifted pianists, so certainly Patricia’s assessment of the role of Miss Vera is appropriate. In my estimation, the seeds of music sown by Miss Vera, have multiplied a hundred-fold and much more, but to date the most fertile ground in which those seed were sown have been in the life of Patricia Henry, who is in her fifty-seventh year as a piano teacher. Of the performers Thursday night, forty-one were either present students or former students of Patricia.

I don’t have the musical training to judge the difficulty of the pieces played last Thursday against those in the prior program, nor can I say that those who played this year were more technically correct in their playing, but I can say the more recent performance was more grandiose of the two. More instruments were used on this occasion: six pianos, six keyboards, two flutes, a pipe organ, a clarinet and some percussion instruments. More performers spanning multiple generations were engaged, amounting to a total of sixty-five individuals. And, the musicians played to a packed house with standing room only, after extra chairs were placed in the balcony and on the main floor.

The program entitled, "Christmas Celebration on Pianos and More," was comprised of eleven holiday themed selections and two numbers Patricia described as "not Christmas music, but we liked them."

Additionally, prior to the main program, many of the more junior of the talented players set the tone for the evening with renditions of Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells. Working from this base, Patricia masterfully wove these and others into the thirteen musical selections and rotated the performers among the many pianos and keyboards. On most selections, there were two players on each piano and often two on each of the larger keyboards, but for a few numbers as many as three players shared a piano or keyboard.

Patricia noted on the program a group called the Grande Ensemble (fifteen pianists: Rayanne Adams*, Maggie Arnold, Terri Blissard, Lynn Brady, Beverly Clement*, Alma Jo Henry, Patricia Henry, Ginger Holland, Jerri Lamar Kantack, Terrena Kyle, Littie Long, Stephanie Long, Mitzi Russell, Jenae Weeks, and Mignon Williamson*; asterisk denotes guest performers not living in Pontotoc).

At the end of the rehearsal on Wednesday, Patricia asked me my favorite selection.

"I have two or three favorites," I replied, glancing at the program draft Rayanne had given me. "I liked this Brazileira or whatever it’s called, and Sleighride and of course Christmas Chopsticks."

Christmas Chopsticks is a medley of Christmas tunes that’s fun to both hear and watch being played. Patricia told the Thursday night audience that she first heard the selection at the Christmas program presented by First Baptist Church, Jackson, MS, in 2006. And, remembering how everyone who heard the program she presented a year and a half ago had asked, "When are you going to do another one?" she was inspired.

"It took me six months and the help of First Baptist Pontotoc’s very first educational director, Clarice Mooney, to track down the person who had the music," Patricia shared.

A dozen pianists played Christmas Chopsticks on six pianos, maintaining impeccable timing and precision with their respective parts. And, tossing in a bit of showmanship by each pair of pianists exchanging bench positions twice during the performance, this added all the more excitement for the audience, who stood and applauded long and loudly and were rewarded with a short encore of the final selection. It was an evening that won’t soon be forgotten by the six hundred or so in attendance.

The Pontotoc Music Study Club, with the help of member Patricia Henry, is to be commended for its efforts in providing a fitting finale for Pontotoc’s many Christmas programs, this holiday season. First Baptist Church was kind enough to provide their sanctuary to accommodate the expected large crowd, and they also broadcast the performance on their cable TV channel.

In an earlier article encouraging the readership of this newsletter to make plans to attend this special music program, I stated, "There are a number of music programs scheduled in churches prior to Christmas that are sure to please…us, but I have the feeling the best can be seen at FBC, Pontotoc on December 27," and for my part, Thursday’s program was the best.


Belmont Turnout To Hear Rayanne Play
The folks at First Baptist Church, Belmont, MS, are supportive of their church’s music ministry, which includes a strong and vocally powerful Adult Choir and a budding hand-bell program. My daughter, Rayanne Adams, has served for the past few years as organist and occasionally fills in for the pianist. From what I hear, the small church is quite proud of its organist, and I wasn’t surprised to learn the church planned to provide its church van to transport a group who wanted to hear the Pontotoc piano program in which their organist would be playing.

A few weeks ago, Rayanne phoned her mother to ask about possibly using our home to entertain those traveling to Pontotoc from Belmont to hear her play.

"I just thought about it," she shared. "They won’t have time to eat anything before they leave Belmont, and rather than having to stop somewhere to eat on the way home, I think it would be a good idea to invite them over to Mama and Daddy’s after the program."

Poor Barbara, she was caught between a rock and a hard place, not wanting to disappoint Rayanne and getting our house ready immediately after the anticipated wreck it would be in after Christmas Day when all our family would be at home. Rayanne didn’t get an okay, immediately, but after considerable thought, Barbara relented, or was it more that she became resigned to the fact that our hosting the troop from Belmont would go on with or without her approval? After all, we’ve seldom been to a program at FBC, Belmont, where we were not also fed afterwards. It seemed our chance to return the favor.

I took a bad cold a week before Christmas and was knocked out of work for three days prior to starting my Christmas Vacation. Luckily, mine was a head cold, and it didn’t go to my chest. However, after eight days I still felt awful and all the last minute shopping I normally do was set aside. Over the weekend prior to Christmas, I had enough energy to help clean some long neglected areas, such as light fixtures and ceiling fans. I even dusted the furniture and bookcases in our bedroom and polished several pieces of brass.

My efforts were dramatic but minimal compared to all that Rayanne did starting Christmas Day and lasting until almost time for the piano program Thursday evening. She vacuumed, dusted, and rearranged the living room, completely reorganized the kitchen pantry (something I had on my list, but she got to it first), added Christmas decorations to the dining room, including a spectacular centerpiece, and arranged a display in the top of the antique Victrola.

A menu was established that included "fixins" for croissant sandwiches, a vegetable tray with dip, smoked sausages, various party crackers and dips, plenty of Christmas cakes, wassail and other beverages.

In the final days, I continued to ask Rayanne for updates on the expected turnout.

"I don’t know how many to expect, Daddy," she usually stated. "The church van holds nine and others are planning to come in their vehicles."

Then, on the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, she reported there could be as many as sixteen from Belmont. Imagine her surprise and mine when we arrived at six-thirty for the program that started at seven and found the pews on the main floor almost completely filled and two rows of pews were occupied by her friends from Belmont.

Some Sat Where They CouldWe soon learned that more were in the balcony. Had I known exactly how many out of town folks were there to support Rayanne, I might have worried over whether we had prepared enough food for everyone.

I had printed Google maps with directions from the church to our house, which Anson distributed prior to the start of the program. I had driven Rayanne to the church in order for us to arrive earlier than the rest of our family, but I gave Barbara my keys at the end of the program so she and Sarah could leave early to get the refrigerated foods on the table. Somehow I managed to locate Anson and caught a ride home with him.

"Oh me," I stated as we entered Dogwood circle and saw a half-dozen or more vehicles parked in front of my house. "We may run a little short."

Entering the backdoor, I found myself standing in a house full of folks and for the first time was worried more about space than food. Because time was important for out-of-town guests, I hastened to gain their attention and welcome them to our home. I asked them to make themselves at home as they were free to sit or stand anywhere they could find a place and instructed them to get their drinks in the kitchen.

Looking around the rooms filled with people, all friends or family of Rayanne, I could sense they were as proud of her accomplishments as her mother and I were. Many expressed their appreciation of her service to their church and of her musical talent. I did my best to play the role of "proud parent," without overdoing it, as it was Rayanne’s night to shine, not mine.

The crowd started thinning out shortly after nine o’clock. After our guests had departed, I asked Rayanne to make a list of her family and friends who had attended the program and/or came by our house.

Here are the results: Belmont – 29; Pontotoc – 7; Booneville – 4; Senatobia – 3; Oxford – 2; Total – 45

Of this number forty-two were at the reception at our house (includes my immediate family). Of course, I’m not certain, but I have a good idea that, apart from Patricia Henry, few musical performers had greater family/ friend support present for the program than Rayanne.

I don’t know what the Belmont folks had expected in the way of musical entertainment, but I’m certain they left with a greater appreciation of their organist and the talents of the other musicians with Pontotoc roots. And, I’d like to think they found Rayanne’s parents hospitable. 


New Year By Carl Wayne Hardeman

RRN’s friend and fellow scribe, Carl Wayne Hardeman shared the following:

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." ~Benjamin Franklin

It's cold out in the wind, but much warmer than I remember it being in mid winter in my younger days. I remember having snow every year and walking barefoot five miles to and from school uphill and the wind blowing in my face both ways.

Scientists claim global warming is causing weather extremes. That's good when it means milder winters and lower utility bills, but not good when we have hot dry summers with higher utility bills for water and air conditioning.

Today the cold wind is blowing off Smoke Top, the local high point on the Pontotoc ridge system, across the wide fertile bottom land, originally called

Flatwoods, to Longview and the ridges which define the western edge of the plain the Chickasaws once called home. The high point is 474 above sea level.

My in-laws, Ralph and Opal Graham, are snug in their warm home next to their space heaters, staying warm and saving money. Growing up in the Great

Depression made them respect the value of each and every dime.

The dog house is on the south side of the house out of the wind and catching the warm southern rays of sunshine. Their cats Tom and Snow are nestled in warm blankets in the dog house. Lucky, their feist terrier, is either curled up with Tom and Snow or in his bed in the living room near the heater.

Ralph and I have already begun this year's garden in our minds. The seed catalogs have begun to arrive, tempting us with color pictures of giant tomatoes, pumpkins and flowers. They never seem to live up to their promises. We have decided on Better Boy, Early Girl, and BHN 640 tomatoes, with a few Marglobes for old time flavor.

As with each of the last several years, we are planning to cut back, but will set out more than we need just in case some don't do well. Again I will order far more zinnia and sunflower seeds than I need, just in case. I want at least one of every variety, especially Envy zinnias and giant red sunflowers.

It's a new year and I hope to be a better husband, father, son-in-law, brother, citizen, employee, and gardener. The resolutions I have this year are the same as the last few years: the Beatitudes. I seem to stumble on the one about being meek. Maybe I can just be proud of my humility.


Bodock Beau A Blonde's Year In Review

Happy New Year to all, and may your have a more successful one than one blonde.

January – Took new scarf back to store because it was too tight.

February –Fired from pharmacy job for failing to print labels...Helllloooo...bottles won't fit in printer!

March – Got really excited...finished jigsaw puzzle in 6 months....box said "2-4 years!"

April – Trapped on escalator for hours...power went out!

May – Tried to make Kool-Aid...wrong instructions. 8 cups of water won't fit into those little packets!

June – Tried to go water skiing...couldn't find a lake with a slope.

July – Lost breast stroke swimming competition ...learned later, the other swimmers cheated, they used their arms!

August – Got locked out of my car in rain storm...car swamped because soft-top was open.

September – The capital of California is "C"...isn't it?

October – Hate M & M's...they are so hard to peel.

November – Baked turkey for 4 1/2 days. Instructions said 1 hour per pound and I weigh 108!!

December – Couldn't call 911…"duh".....there's no "eleven" button on the stupid phone!

Contributed by Ralph Jones.


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