Music Helps Me

Music is relaxing for most of us. It is an artistic medium that soothes and inspires. When it comes to music, I like most of it! Jazz, classical, rock, church music. What venues do you enjoy most? Concert halls, symphonies, jazz clubs?

Will you share your favorite music with us?

@hopeful33250 I played bass and guitar in a bluegrass gospel group for 20 years. I really enjoy all bluegrass music, old hymns, country and classic rock. I sit in my basement and play music 3 or 4 times a week. There are a lot of outdoor bluegrass festivals in the summer time. I am currently taking banjo lessons (although tonight's class has been canceled due to the coronavirus).

@hopeful33250 I played bass and guitar in a bluegrass gospel group for 20 years. I really enjoy all bluegrass music, old hymns, country and classic rock. I sit in my basement and play music 3 or 4 times a week. There are a lot of outdoor bluegrass festivals in the summer time. I am currently taking banjo lessons (although tonight's class has been canceled due to the coronavirus).

@hopeful33250 I played bass and guitar in a bluegrass gospel group for 20 years. I really enjoy all bluegrass music, old hymns, country and classic rock. I sit in my basement and play music 3 or 4 times a week. There are a lot of outdoor bluegrass festivals in the summer time. I am currently taking banjo lessons (although tonight's class has been canceled due to the coronavirus).

Piano has always been my weapon of choice. For playing, I love church music, classical music and jazz. Mozart has been a favorite of mine both for listening and playing. I have vibes stored in the garage that I haven't played for around 5 years, and a big pump organ next to the vibes. Some day my wife will clean up her section of the garage so I can access the organ. I'm just hoping that the mice haven't nested in it.

Jim

Piano is great but a pipe organ transports to a different place.. for me it is MarcelDupree, Langlais, Messian, etc.
Hope I have the spelling correct. It has been a long time since I studied (in college)

music changes the entire body. the nerves, attitude, muscles relax, your body bounces to the rhythm, (even if only in your mind) old lyrics come into the mind and your thoughts change for the better. old events take over, good memories come back to mind and if you let it, a smile comes to your face and whether you want to or not there is an enjoyment even with the pains. we humans are very inventive. good wishes to all and with plenty of love. peach

@helenfrances I miss playing the pipe organ. I've played them in several churches for weddings, and the church in San Francisco where I was the music director had a cool old Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that I had restored while I was there. It was great fun. Originally someone would sit backstage and pump it by hand. I didn't care to return it to its pre-electrical state. The louvers to the pipe chambers opened and closed by the volume pedals. The mechanism that did the moving was tied to leather which did the work. I had to have a lot of the leather work redone.

It was cool to see in the chambers actual drums and marimba and other instruments that were struck or sounded by air at the organ console.

When my sister was being married to #2, she asked me to play a Widor Toccata. I wasn't able to attend the wedding, but I enjoyed the challenge mastering that very difficult piece.

Our current church doesn't have an organ, but it does have a nice 9' Steinway piano that needs an overhaul but is a pleasure to play as is. I don't play it very often, and it's only played occasionally by the worship band. Unfortunately the guys who play it are more accustomed to a keyboard. So, any time I do get to play it, many people approach me after the service to express their appreciation of hearing it played the way it deserves to be played. One opportunity to play is the annual Christmas Eve service, when we sing a bunch of carols. They're so diverse, from Silent Night to Joy to the World. It's fun and a pleasure.

I've worn out my welcome once again. When I write I tend to gather up inertia that can be hard to stop.

Jim

@helenfrances I miss playing the pipe organ. I've played them in several churches for weddings, and the church in San Francisco where I was the music director had a cool old Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that I had restored while I was there. It was great fun. Originally someone would sit backstage and pump it by hand. I didn't care to return it to its pre-electrical state. The louvers to the pipe chambers opened and closed by the volume pedals. The mechanism that did the moving was tied to leather which did the work. I had to have a lot of the leather work redone.

It was cool to see in the chambers actual drums and marimba and other instruments that were struck or sounded by air at the organ console.

When my sister was being married to #2, she asked me to play a Widor Toccata. I wasn't able to attend the wedding, but I enjoyed the challenge mastering that very difficult piece.

Our current church doesn't have an organ, but it does have a nice 9' Steinway piano that needs an overhaul but is a pleasure to play as is. I don't play it very often, and it's only played occasionally by the worship band. Unfortunately the guys who play it are more accustomed to a keyboard. So, any time I do get to play it, many people approach me after the service to express their appreciation of hearing it played the way it deserves to be played. One opportunity to play is the annual Christmas Eve service, when we sing a bunch of carols. They're so diverse, from Silent Night to Joy to the World. It's fun and a pleasure.

I've worn out my welcome once again. When I write I tend to gather up inertia that can be hard to stop.

Jim