Sunday, January 03, 2010

Beethoven's 9th

When I was young, living in Boise, there was one spot in the middle of the living room floor that would have the square of sunlight on it from the front window. On a Sunday afternoon, I would lie in that square of sunshine with Blacky next to me reading the funny papers and listening to the old console stereo. I remember listening to Beethoven's 9th symphony on many a Sunday afternoon in this position on the living room floor.

Last night, the DH and I went to hear the Seattle Symphony and Chorale perform Beethoven's 9th. It brought back that memory quite vividly. What also struck me, was that I must have heard the first side of the record more often than the second side. The first and second movements were very familiar to me, but the third and forth not quite as much. I just love the way that music rises and falls with so much emotion. The quiet making you listen for more and the loud reminding you that you're alive.

1 comment:

PJMcD said...

The old fart sitting behind us who kept snoring through the show was a particular pain. The more rousing parts seemed perfectly German and brought to mind a bunch of drunken hauf brau patrons singing up a storm. Good stuff, that Beethoven guy might just catch on.