Must and dust

A letter in The Australian today:

Our cosmic instant

Three cheers for Andrew Smith (Letters, 29/6) for reminding us that in the vastness of space and the immensity of time, it is our privilege to share our instant together. On our flag we have the magnificent Southern Cross constellation, to remind us that we can adapt to a future we cannot know, while concentrating on our brief and only opportunity to get along with one another during a cosmic instant in which the stars shine. We all possess between our ears a sample of the most complex known matter in the universe, a product of 13.8 billion years of evolution. We must learn to make better use of it.

John O’Connor, Cottles Bridge, Vic

My comment, in the on-line comments place:

I'm entertained by John O'Connor's waxing lyrical about the universe, then, without any logic, introducing "must". All I can say is 'must we'? Why? There is no imperative in dust.

Music

As I was listening to ABC Classic's 'countdown' of the 100 most favoured vocal works, it came to no. 5: Gregorio Allegri's Miserere: wonderful work, and I mused about the differing musical traditions in Roman and Anglican churches compared to 'non-conformist' and reformed churches: the latter dull, the former exaulted.

I would that there was a tradition of musical excellence in performance and composition in such churches, but not so.

As it is, I content myself with recordings and the occasional visits to my old parish of St James, Sydney and Christ Church St Lawrence.