My favourite music

I did not write any more to my story FANTASY OF A GERIATRIC DJ as I intended yesterday.

Our central character is about to receive a shock when he starts his new job at Golden Gate Radio when he is told he will be presenting a classical music show. He knows absolutely NOTHING at all about classical music. Fortunately I do, it is my favourite genre of music so I will educate him.

I am going to indulge myself on today's blog with a collection of my favourite classical tracks.

This is the first movement of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - A little bit of night music.

At the age of ten I taught myself how to read music, it is not difficult. At secondary school I was taught how to score read, to simultaneously read all the parts of the orchestra at the same time. I was taught using this piece. There are only five parts:First Violin, Second Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass so it was an easy way to start.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is written in what is called sonata form.

Let's have the second movement.

Sonata form is INTRODUCTION - a musical theme is introduced. It is then DEVELOPED. RECAPITULATION follows where the composer goes over some of the theme before ending with the CODA.

Isn't this a beautiful piece of music. Go to YouTube and listen to the other two movements.

This is the opening movement of Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto, not to be confused with his Fifth Symphony, two different pieces.

As a teenager I would buy and LP, then go to the main library in Birmingham City Centre, borrow the score and conduct my record player at home.

A composer uses music to tell a story or paint a picture. Listen to how Johann Strauss Junior takes the listener through a thunder storm. I am actually conducting the laptop as I write this.

There was not one composer called Strauss, it was a family. This next piece is by the father of the composer of Thunder and Lighting Polka.

The Radetzky March. This piece was composed in 1848 and dedicated to Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz. When it was first performed the army officers broke out into clapping and stamping their feet. From this grew the tradition to clap at certain times during the performance.

Another tradition.

When the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah is performed it is tradition for the audience to stand. This comes from the King standing when he first heard it. Nobody sits in the king's presence so the audience stood and the tradition was born.

Now for some opera:

The Toreador's Song from Carmen by Bizet. I do not speak the language of the opera but the music transcends language so tells what is happening.

Another piece of opera, The Brindisi or Drinking Song from La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) by Verdi.

The deputy headmaster at my school was a great musician. he conduced the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society and introduced me to their work. Ever since I have been a great lover of G and S.

Many a musical snob will tell you that Gilbert and Sullivan is not opera - RUBBISH. Many call it light opera, I used to say it is giggle opera. Whatever, it is great.

That was A WANDERING MINSTREL from The Mikado.

The very first Gilbert and Sullivan opera I saw was Trial By Jury. This comes from that opera, The Judges Song.

Ballet is my favourite, I could write a very long blog on that love.

That comes from my favorite ballet, The Nutcrtacker as does this.....

By far my favourite dance in my favourite ballet is The Russian Dance.

I look forward to educating my central character in my new book to the joys of classical music.

The music he has been playing on Radio Jolly Roger and is about to play on Golden Gate Radio is POP. Today it is RETRO pop to us and the style of music I play on my CRMK Let's Inspire MK show. I'll let you into a secret, I have one or two classical pieces on the play lists for the next two shows !

The musical snobs tend to scorn HOOKED ON CLASSICS as a musical form but I love listening to a compilation of my favourite pieces played in this style.

There is no room for snobbery in music of any form.

The snob will not like Andre Rieu but he has done so much to bring the love of music to so many people.

Another piece of Strauss, Tales From The Vienna Woods. This is the only orchestral piece to feature the zither.

Not classical, not even RETRO pop but retro, retro pop Andre brings us The Thirds Man with the zither.

One last piece. What shall it be ?  How about The William Tell Overture taken here from the film Brassed Off.

Have a fantastic day and remember to listen to Radio CRMK, there are some fantastic shows on today's schedule.

Simply go to www.crmk.co.uk and click on LISTEN.

ENJOY.............................