Music Has Been My Big

My mother played piano. She studied it many years. She played by ear and reading music. Mostly classical, she loved contemporary songs of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Those were the days of love songs with lyrics easily understood. The melodies were enticing and sweet. Memorable for her. Instantly, she sat at the piano and picked out the melodies, added harmonies in a jiff and soon was singing along with them.

Music on the radio as I grew up was always classical. Phonograph records, too, were classical. When the folks left me alone to attend a social event or concert, I played the records on my own and listened to them over and over again.

Years later after moving to New England, we attended local college recitals and concerts. During the summer it was the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. And then I studied piano for 8 years and violin for two. Along the way were many years of church choirs.

It is no surprise then, that my musical choice is mainly classical. Still is.

Over the years I have learned to listen carefully. Nuance of artist performance is much more acute. I hear their emotional connection with the music. Their phrasing, timing and movements have an effect on perceiving the meaning of the music. They know it and understand it. They interpret it. They share such with the audience. It is there for us to perceive. And enjoy.

I used to do school homework to classical music. The order of it helped me concentrate on Latin and German translations. Math problems, too, came easier with Bach and Mozart ringing in my ears. And moods? I could lighten or deepen them with the right music. Chief among such music is Mozart’s Requiem. A masterpiece of feeling and meaning. It helped me through depressions and moments of discovery. Of understanding something fresh.

Knowing this about me should demonstrate I am not a classical music snob. No, I am a devotee of classical music. It is a huge part of my mental state of being. Still is. A superb companion over all these years.

Well now; it is time for a dose of Mozart, or maybe Brahms?

September 25, 2024

 

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