Music

Have I listened to anything that has changed my life? Where do I start? As in, so many things, I would never get through them all if I stayed writing this until midnight – a week from now!!

In no particular order, but ...

In 1973, I heard/bought an album called Cyborg by Klaus Schulze – absolutely mind-blowing. German electronic music. The original and the best. An early Schulze work - an amazing concept. Then followed his best albums – Mirage and Body Love (and then Body Love II). I still listen to these albums, transported into another universe (that old cliche - tried and true).

And everything, but everything, that David Bowie has ever done. Once again, I listen to his music all the time - on constant rotation on my MP3 player.

And Brian Eno – all his early stuff. "Before And After Science" is an absolute classic. And his work with Bowie was phenomenal.

Then there is Patti Smith – the rock-punk singer (not the now unknown disco artist). Patti is the greatest poet that is alive today – all set to the greatest music. The passion that she embeds and engenders in her music is uplifting (to say the least).

And J. S. Bach – everything he has done, but, particularly, for instance, the Christmas Oratorio (the most joyous life affirming music you could ever hear in your life) and his Violin Concertos (BWV 1041, 1042 and 1043). I recently heard Bach’s Easter Oratorio again, and the Aria for Mary Jacobi (Soprano) and Violin is the most sublime piece of music you could hear. The performance by the solo violin is gorgeous.

Damn, there are so many more. Loreena McKennit for instance. Her albums “The Mask & Mirror” and “The Book of Secrets” are so listenable, so deep and complex. One must listen to them again and again.

For your performance background music – listen to the Bach Violin Concertos. There are movements in there that have fabulous rhythm and great melodies.

And I recently downloaded a “album” called “100 Chansons Francaises de Legende Volume 5” – which, as the name implies is full of French Songs – original classics. I subscribe to www.emusic.com which gives me 90 songs to download each month for a small fee. There is some fabulous stuff on there. For instance, I recently got albums by a band called Calexico, out of Arizona – a combination of Latino and Indie music – very very good. I just love these little surprises I discover on there. In fact, I look forward to the anticipation of the new - of finding some wonderful band, a great new piece of music.

And then there is the music by Jacques Brel.

He is another that has been life-changing for me. I listen to “Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris” all the time – it is also part of the main rotation on my MP3 player. He wrote some absolute classic pieces. Inventive and fantastical lyrics. Great tunes. The guy was a genius.

For the classical, some pieces by Debussy, such as “Preludes - Livre I - Les sons et les parfums tournrnt dans l'air du soir” is achingly beautiful.

Then there is Beethoven – that guy is a monster. Get anything by Beethoven.

Or Mendelssohn – his Scottish Symphony, or his Italian Symphony, are both fabulous. And "From The Hebrides" is wonderful - so memorable.

Don’t get me started on Wagner – a bit of an acquired taste, but once you are bitten – god help you. The final aria from Tristan und Isolde where Isolde sings of her love and dies is soul destroying and life affirming all at the same time.

In fact, all of this is barely encompassing the extent of the eclectic taste in music that I have cultivated over the years - a cultivation of joy, growing in appreciation and wonder at how glorious humanity is, what it is capable of in its most sublime expression.