Turbulent times and the calm we all hope for

In my turbulent times as a child, loud music, usually operatic tenors Mario Lanza or Enrico Caruso, was used to hide any other noises, your imagination should fill in the blanks, if it doesn’t; lucky you.

So as an adult I wasn’t a big fan as you hopefully hopefully also imagined.   I am a voracious reader, have been since I can remember, and this story begins in that old time; when books were books, awkward, occasionally heavy and when you finished reading, you had to find another one!

So we swapped books with anyone, bought second hand books etc, at one point I had over 2,000 books, no lie.  Given my lack of memory I am fortunate enough to be able to re-read books a number of times, especially if I considered them good reads or favourites.   Back to the story:

I was about forty when I met Bill, also an avid reader it turns out, and eventually he invited me to his home, to bring some books and to see if he had any I might enjoy.   Whilst browsing he was messing around with a record player and he turned and said to me “You have to hear this“.   That was true as I was stuck there reading book spines.

It was “The Pearl Fishers duet” or “Au fond du temple saint” from Bizet’s opera “Les pêcheurs de perles“, featuring Jussi Björling [tenor] and Robert Merrill [Baritone].   It was stunning, I just stood there enthralled by the two voices, especially Björling, we ended up listening to it several times and my walk home was filled with that sound playing in my head.

So I started buying Björling albums, loved every one of them.   I avoided Lanza and Caruso, but also bought albums by other tenors, including Beniamino Gigli, Bruno Prevedi, Carlo Bergonzi,  Giuseppe di Stefano etc.

Then I came across an old film, “The Student Prince” which featured the voice of Mario Lanza.   I discovered the sound of his singing no longer hurt but lifted up my spirits, just like Björling.  A test proved Enrico Caruso was now the same as Lanza, totally beautiful to hear.  So they and many others have joined my collection of operatic tenors.  I close the door, sit and close my eyes, and the music takes me.  Björling is still my favourite, and I love listening to all sorts of music from many genres. but it is him I frequently turn to, both in remembrance of Bill and to restore my mind.