Yesterday was a wet and sleety day… although it is my vacation, there will be no fishing for trout, no camping outside, etc. Yes, I decided to buy plastic shelves for the basement.
A few days ago, I got the music of Italian master Nino Rota’s music for Frederico Fellini’s film. I put it on my device, and drove out looking for that place that is a chain that sells those kind of things.

It was an amazing nostalgic event; all of a sudden I was that skinny college kid, working a college job where this cute, young Italo-file gives me a cassette with this music. It was fascinating from the first sound. It was the early 80’s and I don’t even know what was popular then. I was beginning my love affair with jazz-and had returned to the piano. I was also going to college, trying to study elementary education.

I finally did see a few Felillini’s movies, I did not love them as much as the music. Is it possible to be nostalgic for something you did not experience?
I never made it to Europe with a backpack. I stayed here and watched the foreign films. I fell in love with a German girl, a painter, but we became friends instead. The images from this music are entirely personal., and probably do not mean the same to you.

So I drove around, lost in the suburbs, lost in thought. Ended up in another store, got my cheap shelves, as well as some onion bulbs to plant. If spring ever comes. I bought the medicine at the other store- realize how much I hate shopping. But what about Nino Rota?

It is still great music to listen to. I am not a big fan of nostalgia.. it tends to keep one focused on the past, instead of creating the future. Nostalgia is dangerous to a music person. Nostalgia and senility are close cousins.

It is still amazing music to listen to. Rota was a master orchestrator, skillfully weaving themes in and out, contrasting rhythmic sensibilities of waltzes, latin, polka/marches, and rubato-/timeless. He swings in that “Euro way”, and is a master of variations. I am going to learn some of these tunes on piano.

Yes, I am remembering Nino Rota, thanking him. He has influenced me so much, and yet is not the only sound to turn my head. What are we but a sum total of all that we love, plus the 1-2% that is our own filter?

I have been also blown away buy a recent aquistition: Uri Caine’s take on Mahler. Yaozhu! That’s a whole ‘nother post; see you on Friday if I can.
Drop me a line” give me a shout.

In music
Yer pal
todd