Welcome to my blog about LDS Music print. This will give a very personal glimpse into life at Jackman Music Corporation—behind the scene. These are my actual journal entries.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012 - The Fear of Bad News
I turned 64 yesterday. The song going through my head all day: Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? When I'm sixty-four?
Carole's first question to me today: Has your driver's license expired?
I took it out (jaw drops): Exp. 9-24-12—It expired yesterday—No warning—just (turn the page)—Poof! I am a criminal just driving to work.
I fear that my eyes may have experienced a downgrade over the past ten years. It is an eye test that I dread—What is it called when you have the Fear of Bad News?
Steady...steady...
7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. [Psalms 112: 7]
So, okay—where is that eye test? Bring it on!
I am so proud of my sweetheart, Carole. She took the electronic graphic files I had left in our I.T. department last night and by herself, she posted them onto www.jackmanmusic.com for a sister in Australia to download. Then she tested it by downloading the file herself from the web site. And it worked!
Hurrah! Good job, Honey.
The following is from the printer's web site. It shows the projects we have in process over there at the moment—mostly new Easter materials. You will notice that Precious Savior (Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring) and the new edition of the Hallelujah Chorus are both on the presses—also, that the Thematic Catalog is printed and is being delivered to direct mail place for packaging and bulk mailing. That project is just waiting for the compact disc which they use to insert before sealing in plastic mailing sleeves.
TODAY'S PRODUCTION FOR JACKMAN MUSIC CORPORATION
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| Thematic Catalog 2013/New project with a compact disc |
Come O Thou King of Kings - SSAATTBB - Kasen /Reprint
#00175 Thanksgiving: A Hymn Medley - SATB Thompson /Reprint
#01395 Where Can I Turn For Peace - SATB - Wilberg /Reprint
#00148 Hallelujah Chorus /New project
#00324 Messiah Christmas Sampler Cantata - Allen / Reprint with a new cover
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| #00324 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Medley - SATB Halversen /New project |
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
I am still working on Jackie Halversen's Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Medley. I am thinking I will have to cut back the page length severely. I am engraving page 20 already, and we're still a few pages out. If this goes on, it will price out like a cantata. My first option is to cut out the synthesizer part, and to show the violin segments as cue-size notes in the piano score. That would cut it back by a third. We could offer the violin part as a free download. The final layout shouldn't have more then eleven pages of music—$1.60 retail. At fifteen pages, the retail price would be $1.95.
Thursday, 28 Sept 2012
At work in the morning, I finally finished Jackie Halversen's Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Medley. I sent her a proof, suggesting that we reduce this work page-wise as I described yesterday. She called me back and we discussed it for some time. She was gracious. She agreed to reconfigure the piece for choir, piano, and violin obbligato—with no synthesizer.
I prepared reprints for three old chorals. One, Christmas Bells Are Ringing - Manookin was a direct reorder through the Internet. The other two When He Comes Again, arranged by Ann Kapp Andersen, and Bethlehem, words and music by David Naylor required assembly from scans with new cover art. Those I have now finished and have sent to Meridith, my Associate Editor for final review.
I have just been called as Ward Music Chairman for the first time. I attended a Stake Music Training tonight at the Canyon View Stake Center. Presiding was Pres. Keven Stratton. I directed the hymn singing with Marcie Bare playing the organ. Officiating was our new Stake Music Chair, Truann Oaks Boulter.
I sat next to my ward bishopric advisor in the tiny break-out session held in the High Council Room. A couple of folks banged away on what I thought were less significant issues; for example, how much time before a sacrament meeting should the bishopric get the theme topic to the Ward Music Chairman; whether we should program lesser-known hymns systematically to make the ward members learn them; and, should we screen youth from participating as soloists.
My concept relative to these and all other sacrament meeting issues is expressed in Moroni, Chapter 6. Rather than developing the topic of a meeting, we should be working on conditioning our hearts to hear the voice of the Spirit.
9 And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done.
Friday, 28 Sept 2012
I worked at the office doing corrections and ordering stock, until 8:00 p.m. I have changed the name on Jackie Halversen's Easter Medley to He Lives! With a violin obbligato and without the synthesizer part, it is now reduced to eleven pages. It fits beautifully as a $1.60 choral octavo. Though it is difficult, I think it may be the best of our submissions this year for Easter.
Saturday, 29 September 2012
My 16 year old grandson, Brayden and I worked this afternoon on an orchestral arrangement of Crawford Gates’ hymn Ring Out Wild Bells. Brayden created the project for the Maple Mountain High School orchestra. The piece is scored for chimes, harp, and strings; and it is surprisingly whimsical and fun. It won't be offered for sale, it's just a Grandson with his Grandpa project.
My grandfather, Golden L. Jackman taught me about music theory when I was Brayden’s age. I had such a vivid interest in it. Remembering him now as I spend time with my own grandson who is so interested in Music Theory is an unexpected delight for me.
We have a bit of polishing work to do on in the inner voices before he takes the score to Mrs. Dunford to see if she can use it for the holiday concert.
Monday, 1 October 2012
I have decided I really don't like being called “Uncle Jer”—and I don't enjoy the name “U. J.”—the label which my brother Stephen has glued to me for decades.
My full given first name, Jerry, IS, after all, usually a nick name. It is undignified enough. Why would I need nick-nick-name like U.J.?
For fun, I play bass in a ten piece jazz band called Mississippi Mood. We had a gig at Thanksgiving Point this morning—the groundbreaking for the new Museum of Natural Curiosity. We played sixteen tunes—eight before the speakers, and eight during the turning of the earth by the children. The weather couldn't have been more perfect.
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| The children wearing yellow hard hats for the groundbreaking of Thanksgiving Point's Museum of Natural Curiosity. |
I finally finished the Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Medley and sent a final proof to Meridith, our Associate Editor to check. I have changed the title back to Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Medley. We have other pieces in our catalog called: 1) He Lives, 2) He Lives He Lives, and 3) He Is Risen. It seemed best to give this new piece a name of its own.
Hey, really though, if I were to have a simpler, more undignified nick name, what would it be? I am thinking Burk, Brick, Beek, Beeselhonk—anything starting with a B...and ending witgh a K? Not Bunky—I am saving that for my former missionary companion Steven Hill.
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