I remember excruciating delight when, disguised in some un-PC costume, (hobo? witch? pirate? how disrespectful to the homeless/wiccans/privateers! was I hobophobic?) when a householder, in answer to my cry of “trick or treat!” would offer me a choice.
Skor or Goodbar?
Circus Peanuts or Candy Corn?
Sugar Babies or Reeses Pieces?
It was simply too hard to choose, to have such an embarrassment of riches arayed before me yet not able to have them all.
Life was so cruel when I was a child.
Every June, I feel a bit the same way, when the repertory for the CMAA Collquium is finalized- I want it all!
Morse or Hughes?
Kwasniewski or Mawby?
Wilko or Horst?
And as for the break-out sessions – I can’t even.
There is a difference, though, from Trick or Treat. At Halloween, ghosts went around seeking to play a trick upon someone, unless that person paid them off with a treat. So the question "Trick or treat?" gave them the alternative not which treat they got, but whether to play a trick or not. We used to go to an early morning Mass on All Saints' Day, and we had the fun of being the first to see the tricks, windows marked up with soap, garbage cans overturned, bales of hay in the middle of the street, cars moved to positions impossible to retrieve, etc.
Today, no one knows this side of the day. I don't mind that they dress up as angels or saints, perhaps just as well, but originally they were not these. One year, I tried answering to the question "Trick or treat?" by saying "I'll take the trick" They hadn't the slightest idea of what I meant.
Thank you G. Hildreth for describing the glee that I certainly feel as a newcomer to the Colloquium. Definitely, looking forward to the experience. And, thank you Professor Mahrt for the perspective. Many today shrink from the trick or treat aspects of what is now a national preoccupation. Though a cradle Catholic, and a confirmed church singer, I feel like I am just now fully immersed in my incredible Catholic Faith. Much has been written about how we were robbed of our heritage. I am immensely grateful to be part of returning that heritage back to our Sunday Masses, and great blessings, the beautiful feast days that we are able to celebrate. Let the Colloquium bring us deeply to Him and may all of our study, efforts, and voices praise Him into eternity. Best of all, may our love for this incredible musical heritage allow us to be ambassadors, evangelists, for our Faith. Amen. Alleluia. Amen.