The next topic is PICK TWO Throwaway, Flight, Once more with passion!, Blood pressure, Engine, Roast
RICHARD
– Mr Dobbs –
I first encountered classical music in primary school. As we gathered together for morning assembly, Mr Dobbs – one of the teachers – would play something from his own collection to accompany us.
The name of the piece, composer and date were always written on a flipchart on the stage, and I soon knew a bunch by heart.
As for Mr Dobbs: We derived endless pleasure, watching him bob about to the music, humming along to the tunes, oblivious to our stares.
These days, if I hear one of those pieces. I picture Mr Dobbs, and I bob along, just like him.
LIZZIE
She couldn’t find her violin. She shuffled through the pile of bags waiting to be placed in the train. Where’s the violin? Where is it? She ran around like a lunatic, grabbing people’s arms and repeating the question over and over again. In the distance, a man walked away with a violin case. Why not? She had rejected him. She had mocked him, saying she had played him like a fiddle. Really? So, he was taking the fiddle. No more fiddling with people’s feelings. She would have to face the music, and it wouldn’t be the classical version of it.
TOM
By far the best piano movement
I tend to like more modern Classic music. And I am partial to works with piano and full orchestra. Wedding Day at Troldhaugen by Edvard Grieg. Erik Satie Gymnopédie No. 1. Aquarium by Camille Saint-Saëns. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Liszt Les Préludes, symphonic poem No 3, S 97 1. Hans Zimmer’s Time from Inception. All excellent works, but for me the work that moves be the deepest is Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major, Op. 10. The first movement is like a runaway train. It sores upward taking my soul with it. Pure Bliss.
SERENDIPIDY
It’s a fact that music can influence the manner in which we approach activities.
I’m told that many surgeons like to have classical music piped into theatre when they’re conducting surgery. Apparently it promotes calm and helps them to focus on the job at hand.
Athletes train to upbeat, motivational songs, and we’re advised to avoid playing loud, heavy rock music when driving, since it promotes speed and risk-taking.
Personally, I like to listen to thrash metal, when I’m conducting surgery.
Not because I like it, or I’m a sloppy worker.
But it’s perfect for drowning out the screams!
NORVAL JOE
The gravel crunched beneath Billbert’s feet as he walked from the road to the Withybottom’s mansion. He could see from the steps that the front door stood slightly open.
At the doorstep Billbert heard classical music filtering down from the upper floor. He poked his head inside and called, “Mandi. Are you here?”
Rapid footsteps hurried down the stairs and Linoliamanda was shooshing Billbert with a finger to her lips. “Daddy’s asleep and mother doesn’t want us to wake him.”
Billbert shook his head. “I can’t believe you still have him at home. He needs to be in the hospital.”
PLANET Z
The terraforming vessels landed and remade the planet, taking centuries to clear the alien landscape and chemistry, replacing it with the species and oceans and forests of home.
Fabrication vessels landed, mining ores, building machinery and housing.
A sleeper vessel landed next.
Environment-suited experts tested the atmosphere and soil to confirm habitability.
Confirmed. Success.
The rest of the colony ships landed, and the new population set about populating their new home.
One administrator went to his terminal and requested Bach.
But all that played was static.
It would be decades before the request was received, and many more for fulfillment.