This why I love classical music

I was sixteen years old and working towards my GCE O Level Music when I first saw a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Our school headmaster was conducting The Solihull Gilbert and Sullivan Society as they performed Pirates of Penzance, he took we teenagers along to watch a performance.

Immediately I fell in love with Gilbert and Sullivan.  The sense of humour coincided exactly with my own, I loved the music and thought the amateur interpretation was so much fun.

This is NOT the Solihull Gilbert and Sullivan Society but watch this clip and see what I mean.

Was that fun or was that fun ?

In preparing play lists for my new WAKE UP WITH THE CLASSICS radio show I am including what I am calling

Dipping Into G & S each week.    Yes, I am a great fan of retro pop but my knowledge and love of classical music are greater.  I guess when Gilbert and and Sullivan were at their height the likes of Mozart and Beethoven were retro pop to them ! (YES, I know there should have been a paragraph break there but the Google Geeks are YET AGAIN screwing up the page formatting. Perhaps they need to be added to the list of The Lord High Executioner in The Mikado !

Here's something from retro pop master Mozart.

I taught myself to read music but I was taught at school to score read, to simultaneously read the different orchestra parts and merge them into one. I learned using this piece of music by Mozart.

Presenting LET'S INSPIRE MK I am known to tap my feet under the broadcast desk but when I play Mozart and Beethoven I will conduct the broadcast desk.

During my early love of classical music I would buy an LP of a specific work then go to the central lending library in Birmingham, borrow the score and conduct my record player.

This is one work I loved to conduct.

Remember the film Billy Elliot ?  This is something my grandson Adam and I made a few years ago.

It was The Royal Ballet School where Billy Elliott won a place.  A great fan of the ballet I love the way students from the school are included in performances.  I guess it will soon be time for me to book my ticket for the coming Christmas performance of The Nutcracker.

Without a doubt the best ballet company in the world is Moscow's Bolshoi. Here's their performance of The Russian Dance from The Nutcracker.

That is my favourite piece of ballet music so I will indulge myself, here it is again performed by The Royal Ballet.

I discovered ballet quite late in life. I wish I had found it as a teenager, I would have been tempted to try out that dance !

There never was a teenage opera. I was seventeen years old when this song by Keith West was a hit. I loved it then and now it is retro pop I listen to it all the time.  I wish there had been a teenage opera and wish I could have been a part of it.

Here's my favourite song from my favourite opera.

I was sorting through my vinyl collection yesterday ahead of

preparing playlists for a third show I will start presenting in December when I found something by my great friend Freddie Mercury.

Is this retro pop or is it opera ?

What ever classification you may care to give this truly is a fantastic piece of music.

Freddie was singing there with Montserrat Caballé and here she is singing something from Madam Butterfly.

Was that beautiful or was that beautiful ?

Can you see why I love classical music ?

From Montserrat Caballé to this fun interpretation of Gilbert and Sullivan.

The Australians are particularly good when it comes to having fun with G & S. Almost approaching Ballet.

Look at the spectacular finale for the opera this company has put together.

I LOVE classical music and look forward so much to presenting this new show.

You will be able to tune in at 6am on Thursday. Simply go to www.crmk.co.uk and click on LISTEN.

My show LET'S INSPIRE MK continues every Wednesday at 6am.

You can catch up with podcasts - CLICK HERE.

I guest that this is the place to end today's page BUT I must mention something I posted on Facebook yesterday........

Just witnessed something so kind and wonderful.

While shopping the lady, an elderly person, found she had left her money at home. Distressed and close to tears she begged to leave the shopping, go home with money and collect it later.

A total stranger walked up and paid for it !

Amazingly I was thinking this morning about an edition of Let's Inspire MK where I shared stories of smiles and kindness in between the music. I have just found my first story !

Thank you to the amazing number of people who LIKED the post.  I hope as many will like my new show WAKE UP WITH THE CLASSICS and learn to love my love of Classical Music.