It’s Fleet Week in San Francisco, on the heels of the recently concluded KDFC “Love at First Listen,” where hundreds of radio stations fans shared their experiences shaping their deep affection for classical music.
Here’s mine.
We were on a U.S. Naval intelligence gathering mission aboard a polar icebreaker during midsummer thaw in Antarctica when I was first introduced to the music of Paul Dukas.
While the great French composer is chiefly known for “A Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” we had an LP recording of his “Sonata in E-Flat Major” in the officer’s mess.
Our tired old record player with its lone speaker made the piece’s Andante especially haunting.
When another ensign recognized that my name (Duclos) bears some resemblance to Dukas, he ribbed me during the entire voyage about that, cursing me in French at every opportunity.
Anchors away!
Meanwhile Cultural Currents readers may wish to reacquaint themselves with our Bay Crossings profile of KDFC’s Dianne Nicolini.
Her While You Work program is followed at noon by her ever-popular “Requests” format.