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Marilyn Armstrong — Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth

Tag Archives: music


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Daily Prompt: The Little Things – Music to My Ears

The issues of the world … the problems between our government and the governed, hostility between nations. Terrifying and potentially calamitous environmental and economic crises everywhere you look. Bombarded by the woes of humankind and a myriad of looming catastrophes. Besieged by forces over which we have no control.

Indeed we have little control over many things. Our destinies lie in the hands of other people, Fate and God. Tossed hither and yon by the winds of chance, buffeted by challenges that seem unconquerable, we can take comfort in small joys, little things, simple gifts.

I didn’t expect acquiring an uncomplicated, modestly priced, nice-sounding CD player would present a major challenge. How hard could it be to buy something on which to play music as I fall asleep at night? It has been a while since we had the wherewithal to play music without complicated reconfiguration of speakers and various connected computerized equipment. I know MP3 players are all the rage, but I don’t want to use a teeny tiny device I can barely see and which requires either auxiliary speakers or earphones. I want music to fill the room. And I want it to be a simple thing. Put the CD in, press play. Music!

It turned out to be a lot more difficult to satisfy my criteria than I imagined possible. If I was willing to spend a lot of money — much more than I have — I could get something amazing. But I’m not looking for a stereo system. I’m sure Bose equipment is terrific, but it’s way beyond our budget. All I wanted was something simple. With a nice sound. At a reasonable price.

I actually found it. Sometimes, you get lucky.

Meet the PHILCO AM and FM Clock Radio with CD Player

Searching for my simple solution to playing CDs in the bedroom without buying a full stereo setup I finally saw this odd old-fashioned clock radio with a CD player built into it. I was about to give up, and there it was: this amazing retro style radio and CD player designed to look like an old Philco television set.

Philco CD player

The Amazon reviews were all five stars. You don’t see that very often. Like never. Usually someone has a complaint. Not for this, though. With a price just under $50 and a size that would fit on the shelf behind my bed, it looked to be exactly what I wanted. I could drift into slumber to my favorite Beethoven string quartets.

I remained skeptical. Too often I’ve been seduced by great reviews only to be disappointed.

In a strange happy moment, I got exactly what I sought. The reviews were dead on. It’s an amazing little unit. Wonderful rich, big sound. It fits on top of the headboard bookcase. It’s got a vintage look I like. It’s heavy for its size, has a solid feel, not flimsy or plasticky. I like it so much I got a second one for the living room. In theory our DVD player plays CDs, but it’s not a simple “pop the CD in and voilà music” sort of DVD player. It’s a very fine DVD player, but it’s got dozens of functions I have yet to figure out and in which I have no interest at all.

Philco Clock Radio CD

I am strongly in favor of simplicity. Easy to use stuff get used. The more complicated the equipment, the more likely it is to become a dust catcher, another great idea that didn’t work out.

And so we welcomed music back into our lives after a long absence. Surprisingly, radio reception is good too, remarkable for this area renowned for poor reception.

It is a small thing, but I smile every time I look at it. I sigh with contentment every night when I wrap myself in music. Sweet dreams guaranteed. For just under $50. Life is good.

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There’s Music In the Air

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I grew up playing the piano. My brother started lessons, but it was obvious he didn’t have an ear for music. I was four. When he finished a lesson, I would sit down and play it with 2 fingers. My mother let Matt go out to play and gave me lessons.

I was pretty good, but never good enough. I got to that frustrating place in the classical music world where I was “almost concert quality.” Almost is surprisingly far from “good enough.”

For my first 18 years, classical music was my world. I played it, hummed it, studied it, listened to it. My friends played instruments, we talked music and went to concerts. When finally knew I would never bridge the gap between concert and “playing well,” I stopped playing at all. For a long time, I just listened to the music of my generation and it was good. The 1960s, the years of Baez and Dylan, the Stones, Beatles, Woodstock … A great time to be young and I joined the party.

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Decades passed. Sometimes I had a piano and would start to practice, get my hands back. I would remember how much I had loved classical music. Then life would close in and more years passed. One day, I heard in my mind’s ear a melody. A theme. Where did I remember that? Oh, I know … that’s the second movement of Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. I bought a boxed set of the symphonies. But didn’t get to listen except in the car. The television was always on, no time for music … and I can’t listen to symphonies while driving. They sweep me away.

Music was tucked away again until last autumn, I got my new Kindle Fire HD. For $6.99 (and I had discount coupons too, so thank you Amazon) with instant delivery by WiFi, I got all of Beethoven‘s symphonies. Every night since, I have drifted off to sleep to the infinitely perfect harmonies of that symphony, floating with the swelling of the orchestra and becoming part of the music. Beethoven’s 6th Symphony. Just click on the video and listen. You might just like it.

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Animusic – Fiber Bundle

More from Animusic because quite simply, I love it. To be able to hear and see music makes my spine go all tingly. Resonant Chamber remains my favorite, but I think this is a close second. The quality isn’t quite as sharp, but if you don’t have a huge monitor, you can go full screen on this. Turn up the speaker and let it take you away.

 


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ANIMUSIC — Resonant Chamber

See on Scoop.it – In and About the News

I published this a while back, but I thought it deserved another appearance. I find the music haunting. There’s just something about it. It is amazing and beautiful. Turn up your speakers, then watch, listen and be awestruck!

Click on the graphic (above) to see the entire production.

Animusic specializes in the 3D visualization of MIDI-based music. Founded by Wayne Lytle, it was originally called Visual Music. It became Animusic in 1995.

The company is famous for its futuristic computer animations in which the music actually drives the animation so that the visual and the music precisely correspond. This is as close to “seeing music” as you can come.

Although other musical animation productions exists, there are differences. The models for Animusic are created first, then are programmed to do what the music “tells them.” Instruments appear to be playing themselves …  instruments that could never exist yet somehow seem entirely plausible. Many people, on first seeing an Animusic production ask if the instrument or instruments really exist. They are startlingly realistic.

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The Symphony Stop

Christmas Pops

Christmas Pops

Not the oldest part of the city. That honor goes to Beacon Hill, but much of this area dates to the 1800s, some of it a bit earlier. A mix of commercial, cultural, and residential, it provides an interesting look at the architecture of the times.

On the street

On the street

Boston University Theatre

Boston University Theatre

The area is now known as “Symphony” since it is dominated by Symphony Hall. The Berkeley School of Music is here, music store, other smaller concert and performance venues. It’s very music-centric.

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Horticultural Hall

Horticultural Hall

Side door

Side door


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First snow, just a dusting …

It’s like an early warning system. It’s not really cold enough for snow to stick around, though it’s cold enough after the sun goes down to cling to tree branches and  unpaved surfaces.

Like powdered sugar dropped on our cake, the world is lightly covered in white. It’s not the real thing and it will be gone by afternoon. Not enough to shovel or even to disrupt traffic, but it’s a bell ringing that says “winter is on the way … ” Shake out the sweaters, find last year’s boots and coats. It’s coming … but for now, it’s just a nudge, a suggestion, a hint of what lies ahead.

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St. Olaf’s Choir – Led by Anton Armstrong aka Garry’s kid brother

Just to give you a bit of perspective, Garry is the oldest of three brothers. Dr. Anton Armstrong, known affectionately around here as ‘the professor,” is the youngest brother. Billy (William) is in the middle and Garry is the senior member of the trio and these days, senior guy in the family.

This selection, Beautiful Savior, is one of two hymns with which Anton closes ever concert, in honor of their mother whose favorite hymn this was. It’s a wonderful piece of music and as always, a magnificent performance by this world-class traveling choir.

And this, obviously from a cell phone recording, is just a personal favorite of mine. Yes, the singers sway. Anton believe that music and movement are natural companions.

When my son was very small, I was playing some blue grass music and he looked at me, very seriously, and said “Mommy, this music  makes my feet move.”

“Yes,” I said, “It’s supposed to do that.”

It’s supposed to move your soul and everything else, too.

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