When I was four years old we lived upstairs from my grandparents. The house had a three season porch where my grandparents kept a floor standing Victrola. I was too small to reach the top of it, so I stood on a chair to play my favorite record.
I would wind up the spring mechanism and drop the needle on “The Ride of the Valkyries” which was a recording of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski, Conductor. I asked my grandmother what the music was about, but she was not schooled in classical music, and told me it was about horses from the fire brigade rushing to a fire. It was only when I was an adult that I found out the real story about the music, which incidentally is not from “Apocalypse Now”. I still have the record from the Victor Talking Machine Co. and keep it as a fond memory of my childhood.
Later, when I was in my early 20’s, someone gave me an LP of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s, Stone Flower. I fell in love with his music, and Bossa Nova in general. This introduced me to artists like Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd, and later Dave Brubeck. While I still enjoy classical music, I especially like a wide variety of Jazz, and am happy to see that the future of Jazz is bright with even the very young talent of those like Emily Bear and Joey Alexander.
This is music that moves me.
My name is Bill Hupper. I am happily retired and live in Brewer.