Musical Whimsy

Parish meets parody in Will Duchon's Musical Whimsy: The Incomplete Edition of Music Notes, a fun and fanciful review of the musical repertoire and social scene of a small town New England church.

In Connecticut, the land of steady habits, the little white colonial church on the green is an iconic town landmark and a social center with its own quirky traditions and personalities. As Director of Music at an historic Congregational church, Duchon plans, prepares, and presents the choral and keyboard music that accompanies Sunday services. Most weeks, the printed church bulletin includes Will's Music Notes and short descriptions to inform the spiritual experience with background and commentary on the day's musical selections. The Music Notes often shift unpredictably and inexplicably from history to fictional anecdotes peopled by a cast of local characters like a Yankee version of Lake Wobegon.

Whether you read it cover to cover, or keep it in a place where you like to read a few pages at a time, Duchon's Musical Whimsy: The Incomplete Edition of Music Notes makes church music and musicians accessible, sometimes absurd, and unfailingly entertaining.

- Dave Walker, Monroe, CT