LaDiDa

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Tchaikovsky: 5th Symphony, L. Bernstein

I have never paid much attention to the conductor. Oh, I’ve heard the names of the Big Boys, Toscanini, von Karajan, Seiji Ozawa – but I must say that I’m now hooked on Bernstein. His passion is visible; and when combined with the passionate work of Tchaikovsky, you have here a truly triumphant combination.

“I’ll Be Seeing You” M. Buble

Why do I love old Wartime songs? Too young. And yet, I’m moved to the core.

Antonio Carlos Jobim and Sinatra – Quiet Nights, and others

Oh, my! Two superlatives together.

Cole Porter “Begin the Beguine” by M. Buble

Another of my favorite songs. He improvised on a word (days instead of nights), but with a velvety voice like his, I suppose it’s forgivable. Take a listen.

Cry Me A River, M. Buble

What can I say – this is one of my favorite songs. And Michael Buble has a gorgeous baritone, as good as Sinatra in the early years.

Mahler by Bernstein

As some readers may have been following my comments on LinkedIn, I recently experienced an “Alzheimer’s moment” with a very recognizable musical theme.  After searching online through several “Name That Tune” engines, even enlisting the aid of my uncle, a musician par excellence with whom I used to play name-that-tune games, I came up short.  Could not identify that tune.  I stayed awake at night playing and replaying it in my mind, searching the memory banks.  Nada.  Silence.  Not a clue.  I wrote of my frustrtions on LinkedIn, and a brave soul offered to let me sing it to him, and voilà! He identified it! It was the finale to Mahler’ First Symphony, the Titan. 

I pulled up several recordings of the 4th movement of the Titan on YouTube, but the one of which I am writing now is the one conducted by Leonard Bernstein.  I’m so glad that man doesn’t use hair spray! He is one of the most expressive conductors out there! The entire clip is as much about him as it is about Mahler! Every note seems etched on Bernstein’s face, every anticpated switch in tempo, every climactic crescendo – it’s a pleasure to watch!

The Music Instinct

Is there such a thing?  Instincts, after all, are those behaviors which are unlearned and happen automatically, as a form of survival.  For example, the sucking instinct, to ensure that the infant obtain nourishment from its mother; or the instinct to run almost immediately after birth, to escape hungry lions; or even more primitive, the instinct to start breathing soon after birth.  But is there such a thing as the music instinct?

If we peel away some layers, we see that music consists of tones and rhythm.  Certainly, rhythm might well be part of instinct if we liken it to a primordial reminder of a mother’s heartbeat.  Sound, too, might be instinctive.  We don’t need to learn to hear; and nature is full of all kinds of sounds – birds communicate by sound, as do other creatures.  Man has used the sound of beating on various objects (tree trunks, stretched skins) to communicate over vast distances.  In fact, sound itself is a vibration that physically strikes the ear drum, and the cochlea is tuned to certain frequencies.  So it is not too far fetched to think that sounds may well reside in our reptilian brains as instincts of some sort.  We may have to sharpen our senses at a hissing sound or a growling sound; we certainly would have to identify the direction and distance of sounds, and take protective measures as necessary.  Primitive man discovered that certain sticks and stones made pleasing sounds that appealed to potential mates, and developed those instruments as an aid to courtship.  These examples may well point to an instinctive well that inspired the creation of music in the evolving human being.

That Darned Melody!

I had downloaded some music to CD’s, and was playing one of them in the car.  Problem was, I failed to list the contents of the CD.  Soon, a wonderfully energizing piece of music was playing, rousing trumpets, trombones and cymbals.  I was in heaven!  Wow, no wonder I downloaded this – it’s wonderful.  I was singing; my husband was humming; I was conducting madly, my hair flying à la Seiji Ozawa.  But what is that tune?  I know it.  I can sing it.  My husband knows it.  It’s familiar … on the tip of my tongue … no.  Nothing.  Alzheimer’s.

That was five days ago.  That melody has been rattling around in my brain ever since.  I even called my uncle, a venerated member of my family who knows everything about music.  We used to challenge each other with Name That Tune in classical music in times past.  Surely, he would know?  No.  Sadly, he said he had never even heard it.  Now that’s impossible.  It’s too popular a theme!

Despair, frustration, agitation, I finally resorted to downloading one of those apps from the internet, where you sing a few bars, and poof! out comes The Melody with Name and Social Security Number, all nicely wrapped with a ribbon.  I used four such gizmos.  Sang my throat out to each one.  Sang it again, more melodiously this time.  Nada.  They produced a few names, but nothing remotely in the ball park.  Oh, what shall I do?  This is not possible!

Finally, in desperation, I turned to the Classical Music Group on LinkedIn.  I poured my heart out for all to see.  I told my story, expressed my chagrin, and begged for relief.

Lo and behold, someone appeared from the ether, much more musically educated than I, and together we put a name to that forlorn melody. 

The finale to Mahler’s First Symphony.  I can sleep now.