Musically Musing
Whenever I am at home, the radio is my constant companion. There are two programmes I particularly like and listen too.
Desert Island Discs is one of Radio 4’s most popular and enduring programmes. It was created by Roy Plomley back in 1942. To date there have only been four presenters: Roy Plomley, Michael Parkinson, Sue Lawley & presently Kirsty Young. The format is simple, each week a guest is invited to choose eight records, a book and a luxury to take with them to the mythical desert island.
The other is a magazine programme called Saturday Live, presented by Sian Williams and the Rev Richard Coles. It has one regular item - Inheritance Tracks - when an invited guest is asked to share with us a piece of music that played a special place in their past and another current piece they would like to bestow on future generations.
Now which format will I follow…….?
I’ll do it my way and pick three pieces that trigger warm feelings.
‘Pepsicola’ as my father used to call it, was kinda special. That was of course only his pet name for the piece, I wonder if you can guess what it was?
My two older brothers were once boy sopranos in a choir – gosh, that was a lonnnng time ago. This is about the only piece of music from that time that I remember them singing at home or on long car journeys. It didn’t take long before we would all join in. Have you guessed which piece of music it was yet?
‘Pepsicola’ it may have been to us, but everyone else would know it as “Va pensiero” a chorus from the third act of Nabucco (1842) by Giuseppe Verdi. In English we know it as the Hebrew Slaves Chorus.
This is a scene from a live performance of “Va, pensiero (”Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves”) from “Nabucco” by Giuseppe Verdi, the singers are members of the Metropolitan Opera chorus.
My second choice is Pussycat singing Mississipi, it seemed to be on every turntable back at Halloween in 1976 when I met Jack, it drifted from every doorway, café or nightclub and once we returned to Irish shores again, it had taken over the radio stations North and South of the border.
Pussycat singing Mississipi 1975
My final choice comes from Elly’s middle teens. She was part of a youth group and decided to put on a small stage production. It was all built round one song. She wrote the playlet, produced, directed and I think stage managed the whole thing.
The song she based the production on was Love Changes Everything sung by Michael Ball. Back then we had the song was on cassette tape and it was played on a red radio cassette player, from breakfast to bedtime, when Elly was at home. Our only respite was when the R/C player went to rehearsals.
Live performance by Michael Ball and The Company. Taken from ‘Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration’.
Each rehearsal evening another bagful of items was smuggled out of the house!! I do admit to going along on the opening night to see how much of my home would appear on stage! 
It was a great night. All those taking part sung their hearts out and gave their all to the production. There were many proud parents in the audience that evening, but none more so than Jack and I. In fact I wondered if she would change track and follow the smell of the crowd and the roar of the greasepaint!
Our topic Music was chosen for us today by Shackman, I bet his toes are tapping as he shares some favourites, so why not dance on over and have a listen before soft shoe shuffling round the floor to visit the other active members: Anu, Delirious, Maxi, Maria/Gaelikaa, Maria SilverFox, OCD writer, Padmum, Paul, Ramana, Rohit Shackman speaks, The Old Fossil, Will Knott.
gigi-hawaii said,
December 7, 2012 at 11:32 am
I used to study music (violin) in New York City and Hawaii, but sold my violins in 1991 and no longer listen to music on the radio or stereo. However, David and I still attend 3 operas per year. And that’s the extent of it.
Elly said,
December 7, 2012 at 12:06 pm
I’ve not heard “Mississippi” in years - that was played a lot in our house when I was growing up, brought back some good memories.
Maxi said,
December 7, 2012 at 12:57 pm
This music is not familiar to me, but I love the song “Love Changes Everything.”
The “Mississippi” video was blocked for copyright reasons.
Blessings ~ Maxi
Rummuser said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:08 pm
I had not heard any of the songs but the way you have brought them forward is informative and inspiring. Thanks.
As I am writing this, Ranjan is hearing his system upstairs and it is playing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv5zKd1rqcM A song that used to get Urmeela to sway and enjoy!
shackman said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Looks like what I envisioned has happened when I suggested this topic - I love hearing the music choices
Barbara said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:33 pm
lol! I didn’t know dad was a boy soprano!!!!
Pepsicola
He won’t read your post… but have you sent him the video?
xxx
Barbara said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:34 pm
…. he sings it all the time still
Grannymar said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Right - Hands washed here I am…. Today last shall be first.
Barbara - No I didn’t send the video to your dad, Good to know he is still singing - BUT, not as a soprano, I hope!!
Please don’t tell I said so, but the other fella had the sweeter voice and I believe he still sings it too.
Barbara said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:43 pm
actually maybe don’t… i’ve got him a copy for christmas xx
Grannymar said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Barbara - I’ll say nothing.
Grannymar said,
December 7, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Shackman - It was difficult to reduce it down to three, but reading Barbara & Elly’s ’s comments made my choice worthwhile.
Ramana - That music had my toes tapping.
Maxi - You might be able to listen to “Mississippi” on YouTube.
Elly - Good! <3 You!
Gigi - I could not live without listening to some music every day. Something with a good beat to get me up and moving in the morning, James Last to help me dust and polish, then I like something to calm me down and relax. It makes a change from politics and gloom of the news.
Dianne said,
December 7, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I love the Slaves Chorus and the staging is magnificent.
Grannymar said,
December 7, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Dianne - I thought it was a good version.
blackwatertown said,
December 7, 2012 at 7:46 pm
As always - good stories and interesting selection. I’m going to be late with this one. But you and Shackman have got me thinking.
The Old Fossil said,
December 7, 2012 at 10:30 pm
First, I salute your taste in music. Second, I had the same problem with Mississippi that Maxi did. How odd, you can listen to Mississippi in Ireland but we can’t in America. I mean, Mississippi is practically IN America!
Padmini Natarajan said,
December 8, 2012 at 4:19 am
At any given time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF2KTeb_m0E
this is my number one Hindi favourite! I don’t know why, but it is!
In English I have many fav’s–Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Julie Andrews and Barbara Streisand’s ‘People’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9yepsv842U
Debra said,
December 8, 2012 at 8:49 am
The radio is my constant companion, too. I mix in a lot of “talk radio” with music, and lately I’ve been listening to more stations via the Internet. I have found some very interesting international programming. I also couldn’t access “Mississippi”–but I’m curious. The name caught my attention first. My grandmother was born in Mississippi…
Grannymar said,
December 8, 2012 at 6:40 pm
BWT - I look forward (as always) to your offering when it comes!
Fossie - I am sorry that You, Maxi & Debra had trouble with listening to Mississippi, it is a catchy little number that brings back happy times for me.
Padmini - I watched both video’s, alas I lost a lot in not understing the language in the first, but I know the other one well. I was always a fan of Barbara Streisand.
Maria from 'gaelikaa's diary' said,
December 8, 2012 at 7:00 pm
I remember Mississippi and the best part about it was that none of the band had ever been anywhere near the Mississippi. They were all Dutch. I have an author friend who writes historical romances set in the wild west and she’s never been to the USA either.
wisewebwoman said,
December 9, 2012 at 5:35 am
I don’t know how I missed Mississipi when it came out, busy with babies probably.
Love the Slaves chorus, love opera of course.
I would have loved to have seen Elly’s show!
XO
WWW
Grannymar said,
December 9, 2012 at 8:59 am
Maria G - I found you in the bin round the back, for some reason. Yes I knew that the group were Dutch, and that prior to forming the band, the three sisters (like me) were telephone operators.
WWW - Mississippi reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in October 1976, the group Pussycat had about six other numbers, but none of them caught my attention in the same way as the first.
You would have enjoyed Elly’s mini production, from beginning to end.
The Old Fossil said,
December 9, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Got it on YouTube and glad I did. You know I like country and that song was beautiful!
Grannymar said,
December 10, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Fossie - Glad you found it.
blackwatertown said,
December 12, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Done it.
Grannymar said,
December 13, 2012 at 4:33 am
BWT - On my way!