As a form of penance or atonement for introducing that last gloomy topic ('Reintroduction of Capital Punishment'), I thought I'd try something a little nicer, more uplifting if I may ? Music that we each like that captures our souls. Music that can literally make the hair at the back of your neck rise ?

There're are two operatic performances that 'push all my buttons', one being that classic last act of Puccini's 'Turandot' the incomparable, 'Nessun Dorma' and the second is in, Verdi's 'Nabucco', the evocative and hauntingly beautiful, 'Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves'.

As an uneducated 'clod', I rather like Opera, though I haven't the remotest clue about the technical components, or the musicology these brilliant composers bring to the table ? Rather I like what I hear and what I see. I suppose that's all the composer would wish for ?

I'm of the same generation as the Beatles, of whom I enjoy immensely, as I do ABBA, the 'ageless' Rolling Stones. One of my favourite more contemporary singers, is the late great Ms Whitney HUSTON and her beautiful rendition; 'I will always love you'. I will admit to having a long term love affair with a beautiful French singer, Mlle. Mireille MATHIEU who has a similar singing style to the incomparable Edith PIEF. I was fortunate enough to have seen her 'Live' in London and at the Olympia, in Paris about a hundred years ago now ?

Johnny CASH and his indubitable, 'A boy named Sue' and 'Folsom Prison' were marvellous too I thought ? As was Andy WILLIAMS and many others of his genre ?

But for that utterly poignant and dramatic experience, of feeling the hair at the back of your neck rise...well it's got to be something very similar to Maria CALLAS singing, 'Ava Maria' or PAVAROTTI'S rendition of 'Nessun Dorma' , that are really needed I believe ?

Dear O Sung Wu,

There's so many that can capture one's soul,
depending on one's mood - and the occasion.

And the variety is so vast.
I went nuts when "Fame" first came out.
And there was also - "What a feeling!"

Operas I love, but again it's a difficult choice -
from Aida, to Nabucco, to Carmen, its a wide choice.

Then there's Latin American music which I also love,
from dance music (tangos), to the three tenors, to
Dean Martin, to Mario Lanza,
to Ricky Martin.

There is of course Abba, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel,
The Rolling Stones, and even Rod Stewart (Do you think I'm sexy?)
and many, many more.

Then there's what I call "Church Music," - "Amazing
Grace", and so on - which can bring a tear to my eye.

cont'd ...

Fancy my forgetting to mention - The King.

Elvis of course.

That guy's music still rocks - even today!

The ones that move me particularly are your two favorites, OSW, along with 'The Coulin' played on the Uillean pipes and 'Mise Eire', by full orchestra.

Good evening to you FOXY...

Of course Elvis with his lovely rendition of 'American Trilogy'. His life was far too short, like many people, I recall exactly where I was when I heard of his death. A real tragedy.

I agree with you when it comes to Latin American music especially their dancing, the samba and other very 'erotic' style dancing.

FOXY there was this one tune back in the late sixties, which somehow has always resonated with me with poignancy and desolation ? I somehow regress back to those incalculable days in South Vietnam ? It was titled, 'MacArthur Park' a quite lengthy song, but for the life of me I can't remember who sang it ? Though every time I hear it, I become quite capricious and quiet, I have no idea why ?

And Hi to you too, IS MISE...

Yes (our) two favourites are hard acts to follow for sure IS MISE. Composers like Puccini, Verdi and many others of their genre, are musical geniuses. I must admit I don't think I know 'The Coulin' ? There again perhaps if I heard it, I'd more than likely recognise it ?

There's something about quality music that tends to soothe the 'savage beast' in us all I reckon. I'd come home from a particularly hard shift with the car radio tuned to 'Classic FM' and when the right score was playing you'd feel all the tension drain from you almost immediately ? I'm afraid 'hard rock' just doesn't do it for me actually ? It's more like 'noise' than a quality musical score ? To each his own I guess ?