Beethoven Eroica Symphony #3 & #1 – played by the Dresden Philharmonic, Conductor Herbert Kegel

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3

Generally I try to keep my emotions under control. Well, I'm a bloke – right, John? Some emotions emerge from time to time from the mental vault where I store them, usually the blind rage and physical fury variety. A pity, but true.

180 degrees away though, I do feel very strong emotions about music. Now’s not the time to discuss my musical ‘blind spots’. However I have a deep love and a frustrating ignorance about many aspects of classical music. And like so many like me, who love the music of The Who, Hendrix, Richard Thompson, Iain Mathews, Buddy Guy and so much more and love classical music too, my response is usually along the lines of 'don't know much about how it's done, or wot it means, but I like it okay!?”. You get the idea I'm sure. And the point of this preamble is, err what precisely Howard you are no doubt wondering?

Well if you’re sitting comfortably, I’ll tell you a short story. Yesterday, just by chance I was exposed and then absorbed by this piece of music; Beethoven Eroica Symphony #3 & #1 – played by the Dresden Philharmonic, Conductor Herbert Kegel.

I'm not sure if it was something to do with the mood (damn odd if it was though, because I wasn’t conscious of it) or what – but the sheer magic, majesty, wonder and so much more that is beyond my powers of description grabbed me and took me into its heart and soul. Yes, yes – all a bit melodramatic I know, but it’s the truth. If ever there was a justification for the sheer wonder and privilege of listening to music artificially reproduced in the home, then this is it. Really .

I asked the customer who brought this if he’d chosen it through luck, by chance or what. He was not very forthcoming but reading between his lines, it was a very specific purchase and very far from random. Very far! And clearly, given that together we sat in silence for at least 30 mins, twice, as we absorbed the music, it meant a lot to him too.

And so without any qualification whatsoever, I commend it to you. If you have a soul, and even if to date it’s been deeply buried, this music will reveal it. If not, you might well be a ghost e.g dead without knowing it!

As for the idea that only vinyl can reveal true musical emotion, my response is this; "A pair spherical objects"

Meanwhile, more info HERE

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