Musical memories

Life is full of firsts - 1st day of school, 1st trip to the ocean, 1st date, etc. These "firsts" often are very memorable and it's fun when those moments are remembered years later. Yesterday, I was doing chores around the house and had a classical music feed going on Spotify. I heard several pieces of music that I distinctly remember the 1st time I ever heard them. I think it's really cool that God created music in such a way that it often leaves indelible marks on us. The following is the story of how I became acquainted with 1 such piece of music,  a piano concerto by a 19th century Norwegian composer.

Edvard Grieg's "Piano Concerto in A Minor"

When I was in elementary school, my Dad asked me one day if I wanted to go to the Cedar Rapids Symphony with him. I don't remember my exact age, but I think I was around 7 or 8 years old. I said yes, and so I got into slacks and a dress shirt and off we went downtown to the Paramount Theater. We parked several blocks away, and the weather was cold, so I remember us walking briskly into the theater. We had tickets on the main floor, and when we got there, the musicians were out on stage warming up. I thought it was fascinating. There were all of these chairs and music stands and people in tuxedos and black dresses with their musical instruments. There was a big grand piano in the middle of the stage, and soon the lights went down, the orchestra tuned to A-440 (a beautiful sound), and then applause erupted as the conductor and the pianist came out on stage and took a bow.

There was silence for 5 or 10 seconds and then the most dramatic opening to a piece of music I had ever heard. There was a 2 second drum roll, the pianist played a loud chord, and then 5-10 seconds of flashy music with the pianist's fingers scampering down the piano. I was hooked! After the beginning technical fireworks, the music settles down into a haunting melody in a minor key, and the piece goes on for 3 movements and for about 25 minutes. I had a blast that night, and I love that my Dad took me to the concert. We bonded that night and have continued to bond for the next 25 years over classical music. I was hooked on orchestral music from that time on, and I'm grateful I still remember my trip to the symphony, and the special memories that Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor brings back to mind.