Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Friday, May 16, 2008

...but you don't really?



do you?


I often have Yahoo Messenger up and running while I'm at work. It's quite simple: we have offices in multiple states. I work at corporate. Therefore there are times when it's easiest -- and best -- to communicate with the branch offices via IM rather than email or phone.

The downside to this is the trolls that sometimes wander up on YIM.

Often I get the typical "hello gorgeous" (which is funny because my profile doesn't have a picture) or "whachooo doin" (working) or any number of ordinary pickup lines. However the braver ones try to get an entre by commenting on the music I listen to (which is reflected on messenger). Most often it's highly critical.

Most common is the argument of "but you don't really listen to that do you?" "No really?" "Nobody listens to classical music."

I do.

I find it soothing to listen to at work. Yes sometimes I have classic rock and sometimes smooth jazz but the most often is yes - classical.

Maybe that is what separates the men from the boys - or in this case, the true music lovers from those who just want background noise. You'll find that those of us who love music, those of us who love it enough to minor in it in college and take classes, listen to the masters often. We enjoy the beauty, the peace, the magic of the great works. Some of us prefer opera. Others of us prefer Baroque but not opera, rather symphonies. Some prefer chamber music, others embrace the Russian composers. I have a strong leaning toward the Sturm and Drang movement of the Classical era. In fact The Classical Era is my favorite era of music as well as some of the Late Baroque and Early Romantic Eras.

Bonus? I've found a great way to rid myself of the trolls. They tend to rapidly retreat, no doubt licking their confused wounds, when I attempt to explain to them that Ave Maria is not "Classical" music but is in fact Baroque signified by the .... and that's about the time they chime in with Thank you bye !

hehehe

SCORE !
*****
the photo taken above is one of the follies at the Pennsylvania Fairie Festival.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Sharing a memory




sometimes things just happen - I prefer to think they're more than coincidence.

Yesterday evening Jon and I went to Team Wench's 2008 Privateer Feast (for breast cancer research) which is basically where a bunch of us dress up like pirates, eat food, drink whatever we brought, share stuff, hug, cry, and listen to some great music. It is all for a great cause and one that we're very happy to help support

It just so happened as I was wandering through the raffle room - seeing what I might want to purchase tickets for - that I heard this song:






Of course this will probably not mean much to most of you but for me it was a memory of Mom's portable record player and the boxes and boxes of 45s. The man singing the song (Son of Strum - John Durant Jr.) was rather baffled by my mouthing allll the words. But then again this was one I knew very well as it was one of Mom's favorites. It gave me a happy moment. Those have been so very few and far between recently.

I just wish I would've thought to phone her during the performance and had her listen -- she would've loved it.
the photo above was taken at the last song when all the acts get on stage to sing at once.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Nourising the body/nourishing the soul


Home sick today.

I don't know how much is sick and how much is sick.

Either way, a little Todd Rundgren, a little Gilbert O'Sullivan, a little Stephen Bishop and all is feeling better.

I just wish I knew an easy effective way to upload my ITunes purchases to imeem ... I'd love to share my favorite playlists.

For now just take my word for it -- they're perfect for whatever ails.

The photo above is of a wonderful stone bridge in DC. It was taken during the Duck's Tour summer 2006. I'm not familiar with which bridge it is though.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

End of an era



Actually that's a little harsh - let's call it the changes that time makes.

In a couple of weeks I will be contacting a friend of mine who operates a music store in Takoma Park. The reason for this is to enlist his help in donating my percussion stuff: the mallets, the sticks, the auxillary equipment. I have 2 large bags of different chime mallets and orchestral bell mallets, drum sticks and timpani mallets, jingle bells, woodblocks, a kabassa, latin shakers, triangles and so much more.

These are things I accumulated over the many many years of playing with the local symphony, community band, community jazz band, and college bands.

I will never come to the emotional realization that that part of my life is over while I still have these. I've known for quite some time that my hearing isn't good enough to play anymore. It was going south over 5 years ago. I've been deluding myself that I prefer to watch television upstairs when in reality that's where it is set on closed caption. I don't go to movies because in crowded noisy areas I can't hear specific sounds -- it's all a roar.

I will never play again. Not percussion. Not with a group. Not in front of people.

Wow that was hard to write.

I *do* have a lovely digital piano that has earphones. It's not the same rush as the 32 measure roll from Russian Christmas or the gong crash in Fanfare for the Common Man -- it's definitely not timpani nor crash cymbals but it *is* music.

Maybe I can conquer my love/hate relationship with it? Only time will tell I guess.


The picture is a sculpture by Alexander Calder that is in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden in Washington DC. I noticed as I moved here and didn't play, my muse was drawn towards art and photography. I'm just hoping that Harold likes the piano as well. I know he'll miss the cymbals.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

:) coincidence?




I'm not one for glaring coincidences. However you have to wonder about this one. This was one of my favorite songs ever --- yet I was from Kansas. I had no clue where Easton was.

I know now.

Coincidence? You be the judge....



the person who did this video quite correctly used images from Ocean City, Maryland. Easton is on the Eastern Shore and the areas mentioned in the song are either Eastern Shore or Baltimore.

My photo is of Kent Island Maryland on the way to The Eastern Shore taken from the Bay Bridge across the Chesapeake Bay ;)

Monday, October 22, 2007

Later a full update



...but for now a blip from yesterday.

Call it a 'captured memory'.

On the latest Pyrates Royale CD is a song called "Our Boat". It's a take off of "Our House" by The Beatles. So during the bridge (where everyone sings la la lalalala la la) Skivvee sings something else.

What could this be?

I couldn't hear because although he has a wonderfully deep voice, the higher tones are drowning him out.

So - in my most alluring pose (and voice) I ask him what it would 'take' to get him to tell me what he sings at the bridge.

You would've thought I asked a 5 year old to show me his toy car collection. The seductive pose was blatantly ignored (I'll tease him about that later) and I heard more about the book Two Years Before The Mast (by William Henry Daley) than I'd EVER heard.

(funny side note - yes Jon has read it. I'm surrounded by geeks *snicker*)

Anyway ... he sings this part where the captain is dressing down a crew member who was asleep on the watch and denies it.

Yes he proudly sang it for me.

All I can say is - in all honesty - THAT'S SKIVEE .........

Friday, October 19, 2007

From the annals of Harold


I have to smile sometimes.

When I"m just bone weary tired - dragging to the point that going on seems rather pointless - music is my sole refuge.

Today Harold's rather eclectic mix included:

Love Grows (where my Rosemary goes)//Edison Lighthouse
Everytime I Think Of You //The Babys
Southern Cross//Crosby Stills & Nash
Please Go All The Way//The Raspberries
Frankenstein//Edgar Winter Group
Wishin You Were Here//Chicago
Layla//Eric Clapton
Thunder Island//Jay Ferguson
Baby I Love Your Way//Peter Frampton
Feels Like The First Time//Foreigner
The Stroke//Billy Squier
Don't Fear The Reaper//Blue Oyster Cult
Take Another Piece Of My Heart//Big Brother and The Holding Company

....yeah - Harold is nothing if he's not eclectic.

Oddly it helps. After the last month I need all the non alcoholic help I can get.