Musicians: The good, the bad, the ugly

David and I like to discuss music from time to time, especially since we both are musicians. He plays the clarinet; I play the violin.

David mentioned that Gustav Mahler applied for a conducting job in anti-Jewish Germany and was told to drop his pants to see if he was circumcised. Well, sure enough, he was circumcised and, therefore, a Jew. He didn’t get the job because of it. Mahler is David’s favorite composer, even though his symphonies sometimes last 1.5 hours. Too long for me.

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911):

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Mozart rose from being a child prodigy in Austria to being the greatest composer on earth. Yet, despite his fame and his prolific output, he died a pauper and nobody knows where he is buried. A world famous composer with no tombstone. Mozart is my kind of guy: Quick and witty. I love his “Haffner” Symphony.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791):

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Then, we discussed Jacqueline du Pre, the famous French concert cellist, who was popular during the 1960s. She would sometimes appear half-nude on stage, showing off her breasts partially covered by her long hair. What the hell was Jacqueline du Pre trying to prove by doing that?

Jacqueline du Pre (1945-1987) and her husband, Daniel Barenboim:

Then, she later developed multiple sclerosis and could no longer perform. Her husband, Daniel Barenboim, was a Jewish conductor and supported his wife by going on long tours. Well, guess what, he was also having an affair with a Russian pianist and fathered several children. He managed to keep this a secret, and his wife never discovered the truth. After Jacqueline du Pre died, her husband married his mistress, and they now live happily together with their children.

Conductor Daniel Barenboim (1942-):

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The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison):

Album cover of “Double Fantasy,” composed and sung by John Lennon and Yoko Ono:

Then, there’s the rock band, The Beatles, who lasted 10 years, 1960-1970. I remember hearing their “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which is kind of a dumb song, but very catchy. That song made The Beatles famous and started “Beatle Mania.” Most people attribute the Beatles’ demise in 1970 to Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s wife. She was a very strong, very opinionated woman, who loved avant-garde art and music. When Lennon was murdered in 1980, I immediately bought “Double Fantasy,” composed and sung by Lennon and Ono. I absolutely loved Lennon’s songs, but felt that Ono’s songs were inferior. You can definitely tell who is the more talented of the two. Anyway, that era is over and done. They’re not coming back.

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Musicians: The good, the bad, the ugly.

This is the type of conversation we sometimes have during dinner. We don’t watch TV while dining.

I enjoy discussing music. It certainly beats talking about politics. Politics makes my blood boil. Music doesn’t.