This is one of those prompts at The Daily Post at Word Press, which
reads, "A song comes on the radio and instantly, you’re transported
to a different time and place. Which song(s) bring back memories for you and why? Be sure
to mention the song, and describe the memory it evokes."
There are a handful of pieces of music which instantly catapult me
back to a certain time and a certain place. They aren't necessarily my favorites,
but the memories embedded with them are very strong.
1. I'll start with the opening chorus to the second act of Die
Fledermaus. Alison and I were doing research for Book I of the Lamplighters
history and decided we needed to see a real rehearsal. Later, rehearsals would
become ho-hum, but this was the very first time that we would be kind of backstage,
watching how a show is put together and we were feeling very privileged indeed.
We arrived at the Presentation Theater when rehearsal was in
progress. They were rehearsing that opening chorus (What a JOY to be here at
this wonderful occasion... went the lyrics in the Ruth and Thomas Martin
translation). We quietly slid into seats in the middle of the theater and watched
the chorus being rehearsed over and over again until the blocking was perfect. To
this day, I can't hear that chorus without remembering how special we felt on that night.
2. A song that transports me back to a place and time is
"You Are My Sunshine." Every summer I spent two weeks visiting with Peach
at her house in Citrus Heights and then she came and spent two weeks visiting me in San
Francisco. This particular year, I guess she had been singing in a school chorus or
something, but she taught me the alto part to "You Are My Sunshine." I
discovered that I loved singing harmony to her soprano and we would sit out in
front her house, under the beautiful weeping willow tree growing there, and we would sing.
I actually drive her nuts with it to the point where she finally refused to sing it
with me any more.
3. People would think that a Judy Garland song that would bring
back vivid memories of a place and time would be something like "Over the
Rainbow," but people would be wrong. The Judy Garland song that always
transports me to a place is "Stormy Weather." It's on her Carnegie Hall
album. I was living by myself in the apartment I lived in before Walt and I got
married. I loved to put the album on, lie on the floor as close to the speaker as I
could, and play "Stormy Weather" over and over again. (Thinking about it
now, I'll bet I drove some neighbors crazy doing that!)
4. "Scarlet Ribbons" always reminds me of when Jeri
was a little girl. I would put her to bed, sit by her side and sing that song to
her. It was her "good night" song and if I could not for whatever reason
sing the song, Walt would sing it to her. She probably doesn't remember it, but
there were lots and lots and lots of parental performances of "Scarlet Ribbons"
sung to her, starting when she was a toddler, before Ned was born.
5. There is a part at the beginning of the first movement of
Beethoven's 8th symphony where I am transported instantly to the classroom where I was
taking a class in the 9 symphonies. Maestro Josef Kripps was the guest lecturer who
gave the talk on the 8th symphony, where he demonstrated to us that this symphony was
"Beethoven's Joke." I have not heard that symphony since when I have not
thought of Krips and that class.
6. The old song "There's a Long, Long Trail
a-Winding" takes me back to 1953, when my mother was taking instructions to become a
Catholic. She was meeting with Father Joe O'Looney (henceforth always called nothing
but "Father Joe"), at Old St. Mary's Church in San Francisco. Fr, Joe had a
group that got together for parties frequently (often at our house) and, as he had a
wonderful singing voice. he would always choose the songs and invariably they sang
"Long, Long Trail" before the night was over. Whether Karen and I were
allowed to stay up for the singing or lay in our beds listening to it, I loved hearing
that song.
7. Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are" reminds me of a party
I attended in high school. All I remember is that the lights were dim and some of us
were dancing (I don't think I was one of them). I don't really remember anything
else about it, but all I know is that when that song comes on, I'm back at that party
again.
8. Finally I'll mention one by John Denver. It's a song
called "The Flower that Shattered the Stone." I had never heard it before,
but Peggy and I were driving around Lake Tahoe and it came on the radio and she mentioned
how much she liked it. I can still picture exactly where we were, turning
onto Hwy 89 on our way to Emerald Lake. To this day, whenever I play a Denver CD
that has that song on it, I am instantly again in the car driving past the place where
they carve tree trunks into bear statues and sell them to tourists.
Music, of all kinds, has been a part of my life since birth, since I
grew up in a home where there was always music playing. I love that I have so many
happy memories connected with so many pieces of music, whether popular or classical.
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