I've been unable to post for the last hour

[Tom]

I guess eminem is lucky to have the accolades of classical musicians.  His talents  should provide him with plenty of stuff to whistle in his old age.

I'm sure his lyrics are intended to enlighten and train the youth of America toward making them better citizens, parents and leaders in Government.  Not that all music provides those things, but, the rap I've heard certainly pinpoints the faults of humanity in America.  Should all of our children be incited to cause harm to the police or another race?  Perhaps it's the only way that this kind of talk could ever be condoned, call it art.

[DanG]

I'm not going to get into the Rap argument, except to say that there are some interesting rythmic intricacies there, like Paschale said.  Try to think about it non-politically and you'll find that it ain't a whole lot different from Eephing(sp) or playing the spoons.

Now, with that commentary out of the way, I was hoping to draw Paschale out on this one.  Wait! Let me rephrase and say that my post was straight from the heart, but I hoped to garner some comment from Paschale.

Let me also acknowledge that Fat Olde Elf was exactly right.  I did mean Pete Fountain.  I was envisioning him, but called him by the wrong name.  BTW, do y'all remember when Fountain was a regular member of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra?   That was back in the fifties, and I can remember that all of us kids laughed at him because he was bald but had a beard. BOY is my face ever red now!

I have a story of the very beginning of my love for "classical", or what I call Fine Music.  Back in the Fall of 1959, my Grandfather became desperately ill, up in S. Carolina, and we went up there because he wasn't expected to survive.  Well, he hung on for a while, and while he was in the VA Hospital, my baby Sister also came down with a life-threatening illness and was put in another hospital.  As desperate as the situation was, my Dad just had to come home and take care of his business, so I came back with him.  Now, my older Sister had been given a season pass to the local concert series, but she had stayed in SC to help with Baby Sis, so I got to use her pass to see and hear the Navy Band in concert.  As it turned out, my Grandpa slipped away from us the afternoon of that concert.  I was staying with my Aunt and Uncle while my Dad caught up on his work, so it fell to my Uncle to break the news to me that my Grandpa had passed.  I wondered if I should still go to the concert, and he wisely counselled that I certainly should, because my Grandpa would have wanted me to.  I did, and it turned into one of the most incredible days of my life.  I had lost so much, then gained so much, all in a time span too short for a 13 year old to comprehend!  I was totally blown away by the music, the power of it, and the amazing accomplishment of the musicians.  I had heard that music before, on recordings, but I guess that was the first time I fully realized that humans were actually doing all those things to make it come together, all at the same time.  I suppose the emotions of the day might have had something to do with the impact it had on me, but I'll forever be grateful to my Uncle for advising me so wisely.

A few weeks later, there was an opera singer on the slate for the series, and I was the recipient of a ticket from someone who didn't think they could like opera.  The artist, as it turned out was an up and coming young star by the name of Beverly Sills.  Once again, I was just totally blown away, and that is how a stingy, stinky old redneck curmudgeon comes to love Fine Music.

[Roxie]

That's a wonderful, and bittersweet story DanG. 

My parents always had classical music playing on the record player.  This was back in the early 1960's, and the quality of sound from those records wasn't so great, but I remember cleaning the house on Saturday morning to the thrill of the William Tell Overture, and doing the ironing listening to Claire De Lune.  We had a 78 RPM recording of Wonderbar, and we'd waltz around the house with our dust rags in our hand.  Those were good memories.  I had a best friend at school that was an only child, and her parents often included me in what they called, "educational excursions".   Most times we went to museums and such, but this one Fourth of July, they took us to Longwood Gardens for an outdoor concert.  We sat on the grass and listened to the Philadelphia Orchestra playing.  It was transforming, and then they played the grande finale.  It was the 1812 Overture accompanied by the firing of actual Civil War Cannons and ringing of the bells at the end.  It's a moment I will never forget. 

[metalspinner]

As a "gigging" musician, it is easy to overlook the effect that music may have on an audience.  Especially the younger members of the crowd.  It's all too easy to just show up for work and look for the check afterwards. 

Dang, you just reminded me of the reason I wanted to be in this line of work.   Even though sometimes there is no check at the end.

The only music I listen to while driving is "classical" music.  Mostly the big romantic era stuff.  The boys love it.  Especially when I tell them the story behind a particular piece of music.  Sometimes one of their friends ride along with us.  More than once I've seen funny looking faces in the rearview mirror when the music starts.   But after a brief commentary and discussion they become willing listeners and often enjoy the ride.   I point out that much of the movie music they enjoy so much is "classical" music.  You just need to imagine the pictures in your head.

[woodbowl]

I point out that much of the movie music they enjoy so much is "classical" music.  You just need to imagine the pictures in your head.

   All jokes aside, I really do have the pictures in my head when I hear certain songs. The visual is bugs bunny singing camptown gals and other southern songs. The big guy is singing an opra tune and the words sound something like pickle loaf. He's annoyed, but tries to sing anyway ............ pic el loaf.....pic el loaf ..... pickleloaf pickleloaf pickleloaf (real fast). Finally, he storms out to find bugs bunny to put an end to his music so he can sing without the background. Bugs bunny plays it cool, says what's up doc and picks a tune on his banjo. Big guy is not amused and tries to get  Bugs bunny. He does a lot of  running and hiding and somehow gets big guy to drink some alum, I think, and it makes his head shrink and his voice goes real high while singing pickle loaf. pickleloaf pickleloaf pickleloaf  Hee hee hee hee, that's one of my favorites.

Hey, maybe I do like opra. 

[Radar67]

  I remember that particular show.

[clif]

I don't know how this thread got past me . Pavarotti is my favorite, but I like Willie too.  Pavarotti sings every single note with such intensity and perfection it is awesome.  I have him on a dvd in that tabernacle singing with the choir and just thinking about him singing O Holy Night gives me goose bumps. Most of his Pavarotti and friends or Benefit albums are great.  I remember one time he was finishing up one of his great songs and a member of one of the groups singing back up was really getting into it and Pavarotti hands him the mike to finish the song and the guy is stunned but gives it his best ( definitely not Pavarotti but he gave his all) and I thought what class Pavarotti had to do that with one of his best songs.

I kind of put up with some classical music then one winter in Colorado I was living in a house and had no tv or radio but the lady I was renting from left her record player and some records being very bored I started playing some of her records and when I came to Greig's Peer Gynt I thought I was in the fjord's of Norway and I would follow the story line on the cover.  I believe that is one of the reasons I have stayed in Alaska, much of the scenery reminds me of that time.   Clif