Music, soothe my savage soul

I've long had a passion for music, starting with learning the clarinet in 5th grade.  I've also tried trombone (jr high jazz band failed experiment), baritone sax, which is one whole octave similar to clarinet (a more successful high school jazz band experiment), and as an adult I even took piano lessons (thanks Kurt, best piano teacher ever!)  While I'm not terribly good in practice, I certainly worked to inspire a similar love for this art form in my children.  Isaac is proficient at the baritone and took several years of piano, although I'm sure he claims ability in neither.

Bella is definitely our resident house musician, with a focus on piano and cello.  I've noticed as she has become steadily better at her craft, my own musical choices have drifted to classical music as a go-to when we travel in the car together.  I also tend to switch to classical when I need to do some focused work, as there are no lyrics distracting me and the music tends to put my brain on "alert".

I actually think that lots of people say they hate classical music, without having really listened to it.  The reality is if you have watched a good movie, your emotional response has been subtly influenced by the movie's soundtrack and most movies will feature some classical music in their score.  There are many benefits associated with listening to classical music, here's just a few:

• Decreases Stress
• Improves Memory
• Fights Depression
• Puts you to sleep, in a good way :o)

So why don't more folks listen to classical music?  I think part of this is because its a daunting category to open up, like drinking fine wine.  Where to even start?  Well, just like wine drinking, everyone's palate is unique to them, so you kind of just need to jump in and try some!  A low cost method of entrance is listening to your local classical station on the radio.  I find commuting times to often carry the kinds of music I most like to listen to.  Another idea is to check out a compilation CD from your local library (yep, had to get a library pitch in here!)  If you want to step up your game and really experience the music, I recommend attending a live performance (Brucemore anyone??)  

Here's a few of my all-time favorites that you can access with a mouse click if you are ready to dip your toes into classical! 

• Gymnopedie by Erik Satie ~ I first heard this on HBO classical baby DVDs that I got for my kids and its been a favorite of mine for 15 years now!
• Clair de lune by Debussy ~ this was THE song I learned to play piano for...  I still suck at playing it, but I have never stopped loving listening to it, even when I miss half the notes!
• Barcarolle by Offenbach ~ the life is beautiful soundtrack is amazing, but this song and this breathtaking duet is why I bought the cd.
• Flower Duet by Delibes ~ I confess, I have a thing for women duets...  Plus, these women look fiercely beautiful, which matches their powerful voices.  Listen at least through the chorus which starts at minute 1:20, I'm sure you've heard this song before!  And those notes around minute 2 pierce my heart!
• Largo, New World Symphony by Dvorak ~ another one I fell in love with courtesy of my Kurt Buhr piano lessons.  We used this song as a study in emotion and the importance of dynamics when playing.  He asked me what I thought of when I heard this song to help me shape how to tell the story through my fingers.  I thought of a new dawn on a crisp fall day, a wide open meadow overlooking a beautiful landscape.  So I found it interesting the score was composed while Dvorak was visiting the US, influenced by Native American and African music.

Feel free to share some of your favorites as a comment for others to try!