The Life of a Canadian Composer Wolf (original) (raw)

9:28p

Radio One thing I have decided to start doing again is listening to CBC Radio Two. I find that it exposes me to a VERY wide variety of classical music from composers I might not otherwise know of. That and I get to listen to some fantastic musical performances. A few weeks ago, I tuned in as I was headed out to meet Lycan after work, and I heard Johann Sebastian Bach's "Mass in B minor". I love this work and it's supreme power. The performance was radiant and I was blown away. A nice treat.

This Saturday, I was headed again to get Lycan after work, and I was treated to an English-language family version of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (aka The Magic Flute). All the songs and text were translated into English, and it was quite honestly, the most hysterical thing I've ever heard. I never thought I'd enjoy listening to Papageno the Bird-Catcher singing how he would like a big, blond, buxom beauty of a girl for his wife (in the translation of the aria "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen"). Among all the other slightly dirty jokes that were woven in. It was a scream and a half.

And today, I was coming home on the bus and I was treated to a thrilling performance of the First Symphony of Johannes Brahms, as performed by Sir Georg Solti directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Quite the powerful work. Now I remember why I like Brahms.