Classical Music Has Been in My Blood for over 60 Years

[Satzaroo]

 
My earliest exposure to classical music started in kindergarten. At that time, my father (who was an amateur violinist) taught me how to recognize all the instruments in a symphony orchestra. Every time we listened to the BSO on the radio, he quizzed me until I made no mistakes. When I was growing up, it became a family ritual to listen to as many BSO radio broadcasts as possible. In the meantime, my father and I collected and reveled in recordings of mostly classic romantic works—especially Puccini operas. When I was in high school, my father religiously took me to the BSO open rehearsals at the acoustically flawless Symphony Hall where we—eight rows back—particularly relished the fine-tuned interplay between the violist Joseph de Pasquale and the cellist Samuel Mayes. Nor will I ever forget the usually imperturbable conductor Charles Munch who once got so worked up at the end of Schubert's "Great Symphony" that he started to hyperventilate. And I will always be grateful to the BSO for introducing me to Mahler's first and second symphonies. 

After leaving home, I tremendously enjoyed going to concerts featuring Isaac Stern, Gary Graffman, Rudolf Serkin, Peter Serkin, Jorges Bolet, Ruth Laredo, Joseph Silverstein, and Lynn Harrell. As an adult, I amassed and made sure to listen to a variety of classical music, whether on records, reel-to-reel tapes, cassette tapes, or Cds.

At times, I got so carried away that I conducted my favorites requiems in front of my cat. She seemed to be as entranced as I was.

Although I was brought up to love the Romantic era, I am now more fond of period instrument Baroque chamber works like Schmeltzer's violin sonatas performed by Romanesca and Matteis' "Ayres for the Violin" performed by the Arcadian Academy. 

At home, I listen to music on my Bose sound system. In Hawaii, my MP3, filled to capacity with my baroque Cds, entertains me at the beach.

Without classical music, my life would be impoverished (but my pocketbook would be fuller). 

[MN Dave]

Yeah, we listen to classical too.

[Bulldog]

Yeah, we listen to classical too.

What's your problem?  We have in the past had threads devoted to how members got into classical music and also how this love evolved up to present time.  Perhaps I'm missing something because of my connection to Schlomo.  If so, please clear it up for me.

As an aside, this thread should be in the "General Classical Music" board.

[MN Dave]

As an aside, this thread should be in the "General Classical Music" board.

QFT

[MN Dave]

What's your problem?

Where do I begin?

[Bulldog]

Where do I begin?

Wherever you want.  I'm not looking for any sanitized response.  I respect you and hope you will offer your true feelings.

[MN Dave]

Wherever you want.  I'm not looking for any sanitized response.  I respect you and hope you will offer your true feelings.

I don't know. Now I feel bad and want to take back my post. Please forgive me. It's a free Diner. May he blog away freely without further interference from me...

[bhodges]

As an aside, this thread should be in the "General Classical Music" board.

Done.

--Bruce

[DavidW]

Schlomo you've been to some awesome concerts!  Though personally if I grew up with my dad quizzing me on cm, I wouldn't be a fan!

Like you I started with the Romantic era, but more and more I find myself drawn to the baroque era, especially Bach.   If you'll look around you will find some interesting threads on baroque era composers, not just the usual three (we have those threads too)!

[greg]

Yeah, we listen to classical too.

[Mirror Image]

I didn't know you liked classical music Schlomo given as much as you hangout in The Diner section of GMG.

[Florestan]

Thanks for sharing your classical history with us. I also want to apologize if I looked like a jerk in the other thread. I sometimes get overheated but basically I'm a peaceful guy. 

Matteis' "Ayres for the Violin" performed by the Arcadian Academy.

You should also try Amandine Beyer's performance, it's superb!

[The new erato]

Thanks for sharing your classical history with us. I also want to apologize if I looked like a jerk in the other thread. I sometimes get overheated but basically I'm a peaceful guy. 

I think that's the Eusebius side of you!

[Florestan]

I think that's the Eusebius side of you!

Exactly! 

[Satzaroo]

I didn't know you liked classical music Schlomo given as much as you hangout in The Diner section of GMG.

Over the past year, I've contributed a few other classical music posts from Fux to Shostakovich.