Good Music And Heavy Lifting

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. - Thelonious Monk.

When working, I really like listening to our local public radio station. As background noise goes it's very relaxing and can make work somewhat tolerable. The odd thing is that when some people approach me they ask why I'm listening to a lullaby. In their experience maybe all the classical music they have heard is around Christmas or indeed in some lullaby they have their children listen to before bed. It never occured to me that classical music may not be a part of everyone's life as it has to my own.

My parents have always listened to classical music. Some of my oldest memories are of listening to Bach, Chopin, and Brahms. It was always on. These blissful sounds were only punctuated by sounds of All Things Considered, and the Prairie Home Companion. I just thought this was normal. My brother and I also played the violin for awhile. This was an unsuccessful attempt to expose us to music. We also had a very important role in our former church's handbell choir. My uncle was the music director; he had only women in the choir which created a problem. None of them could ring the two heaviest set of bells. So we were recruited, my uncle knowing full well that we could not read music. So we had quite a few performances and eventually got to where my brother and I did not have to count out loud or nod our heads to keep pace with the music that we were playing. Good times with really heavy bells to ring (imagine a hand bell the size of a medium pail). But that's my exposure to playing music. Sports came a calling and then I was required to hate all things band. It was policy.

As I grew up and out of the folk's house I really did not listent to that much classical. But with onset of children and working in office enviroments I've found myself listening to it much more. It's funny how we turn into our parents and emulate what they've been doing for years. All of this without consciously thinking about doing it. I hope that my kids will do the same. Of all the music I've heard, classical touches me on a so many levels. It's comforting, inspiring, and calming. It can make me sad or motivate me. Below you will find a list of some of my favorite classical pieces of music and why I love them so. If you have not heard them, call into your local public radio station and request them, dedicate the request to Will theThrill - public radio DJ's love repeating zany names on the air.

Pachabel's Canon in D - I asked my wife to marry me with this piece playing on the stereo in our dinkly little apartment. I also was played during her precession at our wedding. Listening to this always takes me back to those time, when we where young and not yet being exhausted by our children.

Vivaldi - Four Seasons - The first time I heard all of this music was actually during a movie called, not surprisingly, The Four Seasons. It's a great movie accentuated by great music. If you've never seen the movie it's worth the rent.

J.S. Bach -Toccata and Fugue in D minor - You know, I've always associated this piece of music with Dracula. But when I looked into it(mostly for the spelling) there is no connection to the Bram Stoker novel at all, either through plays or movies. I remember my uncle playing the Toccata on the organ at our family's church on Halloween night. Our church had a carillon in the tower and I can remember being kind of freaked out walking at night with that music playing.

Tchaikovsky - The 1812 Overture - it has cannons. Enough said.

Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - This piece of music was used extensively in the movie Somewhere In Time with Christopher Reeve. A haunting piece of music which fits perfectly into the elation and tragedy that takes place in this film. Let me expound on that by saying that the end of this movie is the biggest BUMMER in the history of film.

Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries - not sure if you've heard this or not? Remember the Illinois Nazis in the Blues Brothers? This is the theme of the car chase leading up to the proclamation of love and their eventual demise. Great use of a often parodied piece of music.

Handel - Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major - this was the theme music for the greatest cooking show of all time. The Frugal Gourmet. Before the Food Network had cooking on all the time, tuning in to watch Jeff Smith cook was alot of fun. Turns out he was accused of trying to diddle some people working for him and he was forced to retire. Too bad, it was a great show to kill an afternoon with.

There are others to be sure. Honestly - there are so many pieces of classical music that I love and don't really know what they are. Most of my favorites have to do with a movie where I first heard them. Oh well, whatever gets you the exposure I guess. Please post about a favorite piece of classical music of your own. If you don't know the name, post where you heard it and I'll see if I can find it. Just don't ask for a reunion tour of the handbell choir, most of those ladies are dead and my brother and I have been dodging heavy lifting for years...