Tales of LP and LPs

Good morning! Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend?

One highlight of my weekend was that on Saturday I went to the Salvation Army with my mom. The atmosphere was really obnoxious with the sound system blasting static-filled Bon Jovi, but hey, I knew I wasn't at Lord and Taylor. And here is the good news: I scored a great dress which I was able to wear that very night to go hear Jackie Jocko. Jocko told me into the microphone in front of everyone: "That dress fits your body perfectly." Thank you, Jocko! Thank you, Salvation Army!

Also, while my mom wasn't looking I was able to scope out the records department. My mother always yells at me for buying records because I have so many already and I know it's stupid, but she has actually prevented me from buying a few things that now I wish I had bought. Saturday, I slipped from her grasp and somehow I even managed to check out my purchases without her seeing.

Here is a picture of my mother.



The records I bought were so geeky as to boggle the mind but here they are anyway:

1. Two LPs of "Erich Kunz Sings German University Songs." Besides having my name, Kunz was a great baritone -- his version of "The Merry Widow" with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was considered the definitive. He was also a great Beckmesser in "Die Meistersinger." He belts these drinking songs and they're a riot. We had records of them when I was a kid. This was the kind of household I grew up in and why I turned out the way I did.

Wow, check out that You Tube link! Can't beat those graphics.

2. A Vox box set of Ambrosian Chants, sung by the Choir of the Polifonica Ambrosiana. The priest at my church, Father Secondo, is from Milan and he has told me that he would like to do Ambrosian chant at the Latin Mass I go to. Now, when he does that, I will be ready!

3. I saved the best for last. I found the soundtrack to "Song Without End: The Fabulous Life, Loves and Music of Franz Liszt." For 99 cents! This is a foldout album with pictures and everything. I am poring over it right now. Dirk Bogarde played Liszt. Genevieve Page plays Marie, who I am assuming is the Countess Marie d'Agoult. One of the pictures is captioned: "Liszt finds he is bored with Marie." This is great! I will have to see this movie. Jorge Bolet plays the piano. I wish Leonard Pennario was around so I could tell him about this find and we could laugh about it.

Incidentally I have yet to find a Pennario album at a thrift shop! I used to tell Pennario that and we would gloat together about it. Howard says that Pennario albums are heirlooms and people do not throw them out. I think that is right. Of course, if I found one, I would happily grab it.

I had a good weekend for music. Not only did I hear Jocko but I got to go out with my friend Michelle on Friday night and hear Beethoven's "Harp" Quartet. I love the slow movement of that quartet and looked forward to hearing it so much that I even dreamed about it the night before! Ate falafel before that at Byblos, washed down with a glass of box red wine. Life is good!

Today is the day I interview the soprano Leigh Munro about Pennario. They were very good friends and went all kinds of places together. Miss Munro is known for her starring roles at the New York City Opera and she also sang extensively on Broadway, including in "Phantom" (I believe she played the witchy soprano, not Christine).
I got a little sick of hearing from Pennario all about how great looking she is but I am looking forward to talking to her just the same.

Anyhow, welcome, work week!

What better way to begin it than by listening to this?