I once met Messiaen.

I love Russian Orthodox ecclesiastical chant. Here’s a wonderful example, from of all places, Australia.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv0n...

My wife told me years ago that her Dad told her that the great value of popular songs is that they evoke memories of youth—you hear a song from when you were young and it takes you back.

I agree.

Music makes one young, no matter one’s age.

A magnificent performance of Beethoven’s 7th, featuring one of the world’s great orchestras, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw, led by Bernard Haitink, who gives a master class in conducting technique.

youtu.be/Rd0HnxWm5CY

The magnificent overture to my favorite “stand alone” Wagner opera, his longest and his only comedy.

youtu.be/ZVO5s9zAqAQ

Here’s some topnotch jazz for y’all, featuring a short chord-only guitar solo from one of my heroes, Freddie Greene.

youtu.be/fVwB7_CS6rk

A great performance of a Finnosh symphony by a wonderful Finnish conductor:

youtu.be/iXU8EXL7a_4

I was recently asked by a close friend, who prefaced the question by saying he knew it was a silly one, who my favorite conductor was. I told him it depended on the repertoire. Karajan for Johann Strauss, Szell for classical period music, Boehm for Richard Strauss, Solti for Wagner, etc.

Happy birthday, Ludwig van Beethoven! In his day, birthdays weren’t celebrated as often as the feast day of the saint for whom the child was named.

youtu.be/aMMzrItCBP4

My latest set of cufflinks, given to me by David Morgan Trauring, who knows my love for watches and French cuffs.

Way back in the 20th century, there were two great coloratura soprano divas who dominated opera. One was Maria Callas. The other was Renata Tebaldi.

youtu.be/xsLV5Ibzoq4

I love this video. The Amsterdam Concertgebouw is one of the best orchestras in the world, and Blomstadt, the conductor, is a treasure.

www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

Karina Callenakis is an American conductor who is the principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic.

But I picked this particular video is because it features a wonderful Brahms choral score. Brahms was an accomplished choral
conductor himself.

youtu.be/XFe2hbw1FRo

Howdy, y’all.

Glad to see so many of my mystery fiction colleagues here!