To be able to explain how I love classical music, need to go back to the very beginning with my Father.
To begin with, he didn’t like any genre of music. A friend bought him a copy of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no 1. He refused to listen but his friend made him. Dad kept telling him that it was awful, horrible and made any excuse he could to justify not liking it. Eventually, he succumbed, started to like it, gradually wanted to hear more and became addicted.
When I was six years old, remember being on holiday, staying in a caravan at Withernsea, North Yorkshire. The third movement of Tchaikovsky Symphony no 6 (Pathetique) was going round in my head. Found myself humming it, and think that was the start of my interest in classical music.
Was listening intently with my father until I reached my teens when I discovered Pop Music. Unfortunately, that genre took over until my late twenties when became bored with the same old songs and started to listen to classical again.
Because my friends weren’t so keen, only had the opportunity to listen to it occasionally, which looking back, was a shame.
Around February 2014, took up Classical Music seriously after going to see a Chamber Orchestra performing
Bach Violin Concerto in A Minor
Mozart Violin Concerto in A Major
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Gave me a “wake up call”. Kept going over and over what was missing all these years and thinking that I wasn’t getting any younger.
Started by listening to small amounts of music, but then along came “You Tube” and found myself enjoying concerts on there and decided to attend live performances.
I had a small collection of vinyl records but started to build my music library. Made it easier with box-sets of CDs becoming accessible, as I was able to buy whole symphony and concerto collections.
Around this time, musicians and orchestras began to stand out, was able to recognise different interpretations and having an opinion about them to the point of following some of them.
Well, with the invention of “social media” found it easier to communicate with other like-minded people who helped me to broaden my knowledge, develop my passion and through going to concerts, made some new friends.
Have come to a point now where I can never let “classical music” go. Although sadly, Dad is no longer here, feel as though he has encouraged me to come this far and will never let him down.