[Magdalen] Friend Gone.

[cantor03 at aol.com]

There is an ad on the current AGO NE PA organization to which I belong (Believe it ornot, I used to play the organ regularly in my hometown Methodist Church).  Let mehasten to add that you would not want to hear me play the organ nowadays.
The ad is for an organist to accompany a local Presbyterian choir singing theVivaldi Gloria.
This reminds me of one of the friends I have lost.  The commonly used world-wideedition of the Vivaldi Gloria is that of my deceased friend, Mason Martens.  Masonhad a small church music publishing business that brought in enough profit forhim to live in the "gay ghetto" on north Broadway near the Ansonia Building in
New York City.  I met him originally through national music events in TEC, and, yes,he was gay.
He was a personality for the ages.  He gave an annual Christmas party in hisapartment at 72nd and Broadway, which was a sought after invitation.  However,as interesting as the many luminaries who attended this party, the most interestingperson was Mason himself.
He acquired AIDS in the early 80's, when there weren't the treatments availablethat there are now.  He was buried out of his parish, Saint Christopher's in-the-Fieldin Manhattan in what I would say was easily the most beautiful Requiem Mass I
have ever experienced.
He left us much before his time and whenever and wherever the Vivaldi Gloria
is sung, it is a tribute to his life.




D.