Musical Tastes

Filling out some of the lists of likes (something I hadn’t done since a college course a long, long while ago …) on my blog profile got me thinkin’. I listed seven music likes, though in fact, there’s probably three or four times as many, but these are the major ones. At one time in my life, they dominated what I listened to. Some still do. So, I asked myself this: What one piece of music, or what one album/CD, would I recommend to someone or justify to a similar fan? For what it's worth, here’re my thoughts.

Sibelius. Easy. Symphony No. 2 in D. But there’s lots others. Karelia Suite and Finlandia, of course, but also Swan of Tuonela, and Symphonies 3 and 5. His music is, simply, the auditory equivalent of majestic glaciers and frozen tundra, cold, crystal-clear and beautiful.

Dvorak. Little more difficult. I’d say Symphony 8 in G over the more popular Symphony 9 “New World.” I love all the symphonies, though, as well as the Slavonic Dances, the tone poems (“The Noonday Witch”) and the “American Suite” string quartet. His music has equal measures power and melody. Whereas Sibelius gives goose bumps, Antonin shakes your body.

Pavarotti. Lots to choose from, but I’d say the Turandot recording with Joan Sutherland. When Pavarotti is singing “Turandot!” at the end of Act I and then bangs the gong and the whole chorus comes in … incredible. Pav and Puccini can’t be beat.

Sinatra. Like his singing or not, his acting or not, his politics or not, Sinatra was the coolest of the cool. The definition of cool. For me an acquired taste, thanks to my wife. He even sings our wedding song. I’d probably recommend Songs for Swingin’ Lovers (which had a quite different meaning back in the '50s than it does today). Best track: “Old Devil Moon.”

Coltrane. To me the most melodic and moving saxophonist, yet one who could burn when necessary. A musician who, after you hear his work, becomes the yardstick others are measured against. Haven’t explored everything of his, yet, but I prefer either A Love Supreme or Giant Steps, depending on my mood.

Led Zeppelin. There’s nothing I can add to the revolutionary creative genius of Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham. Each a phenomenon on his respective instrument. I’d say The Song Remains the Same (not the remaster but the original recording!) is the best overall representation of the Zeppelin experience.

Rush. My college band. All through the late-eighties and consistently through the nineties. Also an acquired taste, usually acquired by nerdy white males. At least according to the girlfriends I had. Anyway – each album a unique sound and a unique theme, thus a different experience for each CD. There are no bests, only favorites. And mine? A tie between A Farewell to Kings and Signals.

AC/DC. Ah, the definitive band from my teenage years. Always preferred Bon Scott over Brian Johnson, always preferred the band’s bluesier over their hard rock side. But not by all that much. Still, I’d recommend Highway to Hell. The perfect snapshot of AC/DC near perfection.

King’s X. From late-1990 to about '96 or so this was the group I listened to most, hands down. They struck me as upbeat at the time, but when I listen to them now, I hear an undercurrent of sadness (despair?) that I didn’t detect back then. Earlier CDs are best, and the best of the best is Faith Love Hope, slightly edging out Gretchen Goes to Nebraska.

This post was a guilty pleasure; I haven’t done this type of thinking since I was a teenager, spending hours with buddies, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer (both of which I no longer advocate!) and talking music as if it was the most important thing in the world …