Past Imperfect

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Ah Tosca!
When I was a child my Dad bought from an old farmer for ten shillings, an ancient album of vinyl records which was the complete Tosca with photos of the Italian artristes. If you can imagine all those records encased in a heavy book-like cover- fraying at the edges ingrained with dust.
I played it endlessly and not knowing the story made it up in my mind's eye.
When evertually I saw Maria Callas - on TV alas- my story wasn't far out. Just listen tothe music.

7 comments:

OldLady Of The Hills said...: I LOVE "TOSCA".....And particularly seeing, (like you---not in person) Callas singing this great and beautiful Opera....I have seen 'Tosca' any number of times, as I'm sure you have---One never tires of this very dramatic piece---Puccini is my favorite anyway....How WONDERFUL that you were introduced to it so young and got to play it over and over and over.....!; 7:18 PM
GYPSYWOMAN said...: ah, tosca is so right! what can one say! ~ sigh ~

and just fyi, when i began playing it just now, my 5 yr old grandson who is sitting beside me at my desk picked up one speaker and put it on his artwork box where he's working - he then went over to the other speaker and turned the sound up! and then, began humming! FABulous!!!

thanks so much, pat! you know how i love tosca!!; 9:54 PM
Pat said...: Naomi: it illustrates how uplifting music and the human vice can be. Like you I never tire of it.

Gypsywoman: your grandson obviously has impeccable taste - and why wouldn't he with Grandma's poetry and paintings?; 8:39 AM
Anonymous said...: Beautiful.

Cheers.; 12:41 PM
CreoleBeBop said...: Hello Ms. Pat

Such memories! My mother had several collections in those great cardboard and paper sleeve binders. One of my favorite parts of the day as a child was curled up in front of the RCA record player listening to Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi and then hours of Jimmy Lunceford, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Half the fun was going through all the notes - so much more intimate somehow than MP3 sound files.

Thank you for your lovely vignette. And yes, I agree, we paint pictures with our imagination as we listen - I know I do.; 1:21 PM
Eryl said...: What a lovely story. I remember those large, heavy covered albums, and being very drawn to them as a child. I was never allowed near my father's record collection, mind, far too precious for children!; 6:22 PM
Pat said...: Randall: isn't it? Another excuse for me to listen to it again.

MITM: that's what I'm talking about:)
Our first gramaphone you had to turn a handle vigorously. Then you could curl up and listen:)

Eryl: Looking back I wonder: did Dad buy it just for me? I don't remember anyone else listening to it.; 4:05 PM