From time to time I think about the changes that have taken place in the world since I was a child. I’m specifically thinking today about how much easier it is to listen to the music of our choice, and whenever we want to do so. We have the internet, mp3 players, CDs, and seemingly hundreds of music channels on television and satellite radio. In fact, we can go to YouTube and both hear AND see almost any musical performance that can be imagined (whether or not it should be is not the case). I contrast all that to my listening possibilities as a child and young teenager. I played old 78s found in our attic of musicians such as Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, 45s of Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson, and 33 LPs of my favorite choral groups (Robert Shaw, Roger Wagner, and Norman Luboff). Yes, I’m afraid I was a choral nerd at the age of 10! Yet, even with that number of listening possibilities, it couldn’t even begin to compare with what we have today. Why, I didn’t even have my first FM radio until I was 13, and it only picked up one station.
So, as I’m feeling nostalgic today, I’m interested in hearing from those in my age group (above 50) what your listening experiences and possibilities were as a child or youth. If nothing else, your responses should provide entertainment for our younger readers!
Filed under: Choral experiences Tagged: | Elvis, Jeanette MacDonald, LPs, Nelson Eddy, Norman Luboff, Ricky Nelson, robert shaw, Roger Wagner, YouTube
Although I shouldn’t claim to be nearly as old as you, Michael, my mother’s collection of 78 RPM record “albums” and the Victrola retained from her childhood home provided my earliest exposure to recordings of serious music. (She and her brother had quite a collection.)
Of course in the late 50′s of my early years there were the ubiquitous pop tunes via the late night drifting AM signal of WLS and John Records Landecker, then my aunt’s seemingly endless collection of 45′s (American Graffiti era). I was too cheap to buy many records as a teenager – mostly listened to the family FM stereo console radio after everyone else went to bed.
I wonder if the ease with which today’s youth are privileged to access good recordings of great music diminishes appreciation of its grandeur, or if the plethora of tunes is as amazing and mind-expanding for them as it is for an old goat like me?
I like that Clay mentioned the radio signal. It was fascinating for me as a kid to pick up the stations far away after dark. (Still do in the car sometimes.) I even took a radio/cassette recorder overseas and got call signs from Bahrain, Finland, and others over the years. At home, my older sister had Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, An American in Paris, the odd Elvis and Ricky Nelson 45. Luckily, everyone in my family was musical to some degree. Both my sister and mother played piano; sister took voice. Younger sister and Dad could sing. There were no 78s per se but a fair amount of LPs. And 45s were ubiquitous as my peer group was growing up. Leaning against a juke box probably contributed to my becoming a bass player, with its nice low frequency response. And if we had squeaky voices and sang the tenor parts, we could easily find lower cycles to be appealing and “manly.” Very often the bass players in rock and roll bands sing the highest parts!
Oops, wandered off the main topic–yes, as they say of modern TV, a zillion channels and nothing (good) to watch. An oversimplification, to be sure. When could any era enjoy multiple centuries of its best music so easily as we can? Would Vivaldi or Palestrina care to arm-wrestle Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift??