Saturday Evening Concert

Welcome to the Weekend and this special Valentine Edition of the Evening Concert.  Valentine's Day is of course in celebration of St. Valentine, the Patron Saint of Lovers Everywhere.  When one thinks of Classic Romances, several come to mind.  Antony and Cleopatra, Lancelot and Guinevere and, of course, Romeo and Juliet.  Ah the star crossed lovers of William Shakespeare's tragic love story have inspired many over the  years with several movie iterations and some really great Classical Music.  Shakespeare's play inspired two Russian Romantic Composers in particular who produced two wholly different musical interpretations of this classic love story.  I am talking about Sergei Prokofiev and Piotr Tchaikovsky, both of whom are masters of the Russian Romantic era of Classical Music.  

Your featured selection for tonight's Fabulous Live Performance therefore is Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.  Tonight's performance is by the World Symphony under the baton of Josep Vicent in a Durban City Hall Symphony Concert.  For a great presentation of Russian Maestro Valery Gergiev with the London Symphony Orchestra as they perform Tchaikovsky's  Overture to his Ballet, Romeo & Juliet at the BBC Proms in 2007 head on over to my tumblr.  While there you will also find your Valentine Lovers, the Hotties of the Day!  Don't forget to cruise by the Naked Valentines in the post down below.  Thanks for sharing part of your Weekend with me.  See you again on Monday for another week of Music Men & More!  Until next time as always, Enjoy!

Naked Valentines

Valentine's Day

My Mother called me the other night, she had misplaced my address and wanted to send me a Valentine's card.  After I gave here my address, she said "I want to tell you something".  At age 83, my Mother has had her fair share of health problems, so my first thought was 'what life threatening thing is happening now?'.  Fortunately, my fears were unfounded, in fact she had happy news to share with me.  She began by telling me about the boy she dated in her sophomore and junior years in high school.  After his graduation, he joined the merchant marines and she never heard from him again until 2010 when they ran into each other somehow.  They again ran into each other in 2011.  Although my Mother was a widow, the man was married when they renewed their friendship.  The  man in question now lives in Amarillo, up in the Texas panhandle.  About a year and a half ago, his wife died after a long illness.  Then about a month ago, the man came to Fort Worth and again looked up my Mother.  What she said next was really sweet yet surprising nonetheless.  She said "I never thought there would be another man in my life other than your father...".  She then proceeded to tell me how they were such good friends back in the day and that they had now renewed that friendship and were now dating.  I told her I was really happy for her, and that I did not feel she was being disloyal to my Dad.  He would have wanted her to be happy and have some companionship in her later years.  So at 83, my Mother has a boyfriend, just in time for Valentine's Day.  Who'd a thunk it?  I guess that means there is still some hope for the hopeless romantic in me to meet the man of my dreams.  One can only hope....

Your Valentine's Musical Moment brings together the most romantic classical music in the universe!!! These sensual and seductive interpretations of classical masterpieces are ideal for cozy nights and romantic dinners.  Included in this play list (although not necessarily in this order) are Claire de Lune - Debussy; Piano Sonato no.8 - Beethoven; Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven; Air On a G String - Bach; Liebestraume -Liszt; Etude no.3 in E Major - Chopin; Gymnopedie - Erik Satie; The Flower Duet - Delibes; Canon in D Major - Pachelbel; Nocturne in E Flat - Opus 9 no.2 - Chopin and Fur Elise -Beethoven.  You may also hear the top 10 romantic solo piano works over on my tumblr.

Then for your viewing pleasure, I dove into my archives to dig up some of my favorite depictions of lovers and other couples which you will find on display below the play list.  You can also find a Valentine's Hottie of the Day! on my tumblr.  Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me, have a fabulous weekend.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!