# I never know my grandpa liked classical - found some cool records in his collection



## Minor Sixthist (Apr 21, 2017)

*** I never KNEW. If only you could change titles. Oh well, I'll try to learn my past tense one of these days. *
I'm staying with my grandmother and discovered my late grandfather's record collection today. He owned a substantial variety of records, including popular music of the 50's and 60's, jazz, swing, Glenn Miller, the Beatles, Ray Charles, and some Christmas music - plus some really cool classical picks, including a proportionally large amount of renaissance and chamber music.

I posted some of the interesting classical finds below.





























Of course, I could never be sure how much he enjoyed listening to the music above, or any of it in his collection. There's a chance some of these could have been given to him, or that he could've bought them without necessarily having been familiar with them. But all the same, considering the vast amount of classical music he owned - between the renaissance, choral, solo piano, symphonic, or chamber - I'm going to guess he must've enjoyed at least a handful of his collection!

I had no idea my grandfather owned these before today. I knew he was a bookworm - he owns a large library, including lots of books on art and politics, and a whole lot on the Civil War, a topic he never tired of - and I knew he enjoyed Frank Sinatra and the Beatles (who doesn't?) but I guess I never considered that he could've enjoyed classical. The reason for that really just lies in the fact that I didn't become interested enough in classical music in his lifetime to have held a discussion with him about it, or to have explored his vinyls, because my objective in looking through them was to see if he owned a symphony or two.

He passed two Octobers ago, when I was in ninth grade. He was nearly 82. About a year prior to that, he begun his steady deterioration into sickness. I only became interested in any kind of classical music a good ways into that deterioration, and it really became a part of my daily life in the year after his death, so chances were not in favor of a conversation about classical music occurring between us.

Still, I feel like if we could've had a conversation about music, it really would've been an amazing thing for our relationship, giving it a deeper level than it ever had. We had a great relationship, for sure - but it was the kind of great relationship a kid has with his grandfather because, I mean, I was a kid all throughout his life, and still barely a teenager at the very end of it. By typical kid-grandparent relationship, I mean it didn't involve a whole lot of intellectual crusades.

I feel like there comes a time, around high school, where you gain the maturity to realize that people like your grandparents, who you view as lovely old folk who you may underestimate due to their age, are people who could actually relate to you in ways you never could've anticipated. He was an amazing guy - incredibly smart and always willing to share his knowledge with us. And he loved music. He loved hearing me play tuba even when all I could do was warble out Hot Cross Buns as a 9 year old, and hearing my sister play that one Mozart piano piece that every young player learns, but with this jazzy flair she would add (he'd always howl in joy at the jazzy flair.) my sister and I played Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring at his funeral.

Anyway... anybody own any of these specific recordings? Suggestions? I'm familiar with all of it except the Des Prez and some of the French organ pieces in that last record (sorry if you can't see all the specifics in the photo.) On top of that, I'd have to own a record player before I could actually listen to these, which I don't, but I hope to be able to use one in the future. Maybe some of you record experts could point me int he right direction... my knowledge of vinyls is true to most of my generation z cohorts

Edit: My grandma told me regarding the records that 'he loved everything he owned.' I guess there's no more doubt about whether he was big on the music he owned. She told me affectionately that apparently before they had kids he would drag her around to casual downtown NYC jazz concerts... like Dizzy Gillespie before he was cool. :lol:


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

I have the Gabrielli brass LP. It has been transferred to CD I believe. It was unique because the brass sections of the Philadelphia, Chicago and Cleveland Orchestras all gathered together to make it.

Half of the other LPs are Nonesuch and were pretty cheap (think Naxos CDs type of cheap) and readily available.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Your grandpa liked some good music! Respighi, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, Telemann, Mozart, Beethoven, and so forth! As Vasks says, there's a lot of Nonesuch records in there. I do see a couple of Philips ones. They may not be valuable collectables, but I'd keep them if you can. I was fortunate enough to inherit my father's CD/Cassette/record collection. He was an early adopter of the CD format, but he mainly brought those cheap Pilz and LaserLight type classical CDs in the 1980s. They aren't special recordings by any means objectively speaking, but they mean a lot to me. I listen to them all the time.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Just seeing this wonderful covers and you sharing them with us makes my day.


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## cimirro (Sep 6, 2016)

Hey Minor Sixthist
Yes it is indeed something quite interesting to discover!
If I may add, I would suggest you one more thing to "try to find" in your grandfather's collections - his stories - asking your grandmother (if she is ok for doing so, and your parents too)
Often I'm proud of speaking about my researches on interesting composers, scores and recordings, but none of them give me the same happiness of the knowledge from the "tree" I was born - and what a joy and pleasure is to our grandparents if we have real interest in them.
This is my experience, often my grandparents histories are not related to my work, but they helped me to solve problems no one in my work would be able to solve if focusing only in the work itself.
Well, I'm 34 now, I'm speaking like a 80 years old man for some people, I'm not dying as far as I know, and I speak this since I was 15 or 16 years old... anyway I really think it is always good remember and repeat this...
Enjoy your listenings and share some discovers! :tiphat:
Artur Cimirro


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## Minor Sixthist (Apr 21, 2017)

Klassik said:


> Your grandpa liked some good music! Respighi, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, Telemann, Mozart, Beethoven, and so forth! As Vasks says, there's a lot of Nonesuch records in there. I do see a couple of Philips ones. They may not be valuable collectables, but I'd keep them if you can. I was fortunate enough to inherit my father's CD/Cassette/record collection. He was an early adopter of the CD format, but he mainly brought those cheap Pilz and LaserLight type classical CDs in the 1980s. They aren't special recordings by any means objectively speaking, but they mean a lot to me. I listen to them all the time.


Oh yeah, it definitely wasn't an inquiry about selling, really just the anecdote. I hope to get my hands on a record player to listen because I'm sure it would feel more special. I'll definitely try to keep them. :tiphat:


Pugg said:


> Just seeing this wonderful covers and you sharing them with us makes my day.


I'm so glad it did!!  I also enjoy the covers so much - they're so aesthetically pleasing (especially the firebird!)


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Precious reminders of your grandfather indeed, I hope you get as much pleasure out of them as he did. I can never hear Beethoven's Violin Concerto without being reminded of my late grandfather. It was his favourite piece.


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## Minor Sixthist (Apr 21, 2017)

cimirro said:


> Hey Minor Sixthist
> Yes it is indeed something quite interesting to discover!
> If I may add, I would suggest you one more thing to "try to find" in your grandfather's collections - his stories - asking your grandmother (if she is ok for doing so, and your parents too)
> Often I'm proud of speaking about my researches on interesting composers, scores and recordings, but none of them give me the same happiness of the knowledge from the "tree" I was born - and what a joy and pleasure is to our grandparents if we have real interest in them.
> ...


Thanks a lot for this, I couldn't agree more. I'm glad you would agree that it's so important to try to make discoveries about your own stories, no matter how familiar they already feel, just like it's important to explore the boundaries and cross into foreign territory. It could end up feeling so enriching and genuine when it's your mom or grandpa, and all of a sudden you learn some interest you viewed as your own is shared with them. It's a really cool thing to feel.

I promise you I'll take your advice and keep asking my grandma about my grandpa'a interests in music, because that's how he'll live on along with all the music he loves, and I'll let you know if I find anything really cool.

It's always a good talk, Mr. Cimirro :tiphat:


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## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

You're very lucky to have had a good relationship with your grand father, I never really did and now I never will...

Make sure you clean those records up before you play them! You will definitely enjoy them, I can guarantee this.

That Mahler's first with the colorful cover is one that I thrifted not too long ago. Haven't actually played it yet though because the copy I found is quite scummy.. Going to need some serious cleaning before my needle touches it.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

> I'm so glad it did!! I also enjoy the covers so much - they're so aesthetically pleasing (especially the firebird!)


 My grandfather was also very careful with his vinyl, most of it is in my house now since he passed away. He told me how to handle records and let me see the beauty from libretto's in opera boxes.
Miss him still .


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## Ralphus (Nov 13, 2016)

My love of classical music began with finding my grandfather's records, too!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Lucky!! My grandparents were as "musically dead" as any people could be. One of them bought me a car as a graduation present, so it wasn't a total loss.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

hpowders said:


> Lucky!! My grandparents were as "musically dead" as any people could be. One of them bought me a car as a graduation present, so it wasn't a total loss.


My grandparents, at least on my father's side, have literally been dead my whole life! I guess that makes them musically dead too!  I only met my grandparents on my mother's side 2-3 times before they passed. I can remember seeing their old console radio, but I have no recollection of what they listened to (if anything).


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Ralphus said:


> My love of classical music began with finding my grandfather's records, too!


And I guess you still cherish those like most of us?


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

Interesting - his chief loves are either baroque/choral or big bang romantic orch pieces.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

stomanek said:


> Interesting - his chief loves are either baroque/choral or big bang romantic orch pieces.


While not all the albums listed above are albums I would be interested in, I've been known to spend an evening listening to some Baroque era music (Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Lawes, Jenkins, etc.) and then some in your face orchestral music from the likes of Respighi or Tchaikovsky. I guess Minor Sixthist's grandpa and I are both weird like that! :lol:

You never know what oddball tastes someone has. My father had a big classical music collection. I don't think that would be a big surprise to anyone who knew him. OTOH, he also owned several different recordings of the soundtrack to the movie _Shaft_.  I actually like the Shaft theme (perhaps that's not a surprise to people here :lol, but it really does not seem like the type of music (or movie) that my father would have been a big fan of!


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

My parents have a small collection of classical LPs, some admittedly in less than perfect condition, along with some others (like the Mills Brothers), and in trying to give them away were told that they basically had negative value (meaning that they would have to pay to dispose of them). A sad fate.

Edit: I suddenly remember the somewhat larger collection of LPs that were owned by older friends of mine, who both died within about a year of each other a decade or so ago. The dealer took several Beatles albums, and consigned the rest to the dumpster.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Don't _ever_ underestimate Grandpap! 
And I speak with "I am there" authority.


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## Dave Whitmore (Oct 3, 2014)

Minor Sixthist said:


> *** I never KNEW. If only you could change titles. Oh well, I'll try to learn my past tense one of these days. *
> I'm staying with my grandmother and discovered my late grandfather's record collection today. He owned a substantial variety of records, including popular music of the 50's and 60's, jazz, swing, Glenn Miller, the Beatles, Ray Charles, and some Christmas music - plus some really cool classical picks, including a proportionally large amount of renaissance and chamber music.
> 
> I posted some of the interesting classical finds below.
> ...


I can identify. My dad liked classical music. I knew that. He had several LP's. But when I was a kid I just wanted interested in the music. Dad used to listen with this headphones so I never really heard classical growing up. He passed when I was 14 and a family friend helped my mum clear out most of his stuff. Which sadly included all his music and his camera gear. I don't even know what period of classical music he liked or which composers. And now here I am some 35 years after he passed with his passion for classical and for photography. Neither of which we shared when he was alive. It's comforting to know how much like him I have become as he was a good man. But I feel sad I don't even know if we share the same taste in era and composers.


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## Minor Sixthist (Apr 21, 2017)

Dave Whitmore said:


> I can identify. My dad liked classical music. I knew that. He had several LP's. But when I was a kid I just wanted interested in the music. Dad used to listen with this headphones so I never really heard classical growing up. He passed when I was 14 and a family friend helped my mum clear out most of his stuff. Which sadly included all his music and his camera gear. I don't even know what period of classical music he liked or which composers. And now here I am some 35 years after he passed with his passion for classical and for photography. Neither of which we shared when he was alive. It's comforting to know how much like him I have become as he was a good man. But I feel sad I don't even know if we share the same taste in era and composers.


Sorry for your loss, first off. But it's good to hear you've grown into a man like he was. Though there may not be means to know what his exact preferences were, his music does live on in you just as he lives on in you yourself. Just as the music of my grandpa's playing downstairs right now (yes, we got a record player today!) is a manifestation of my gramp's spirit in the thing he loved most. I wish you the best.


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