The power of music, from over seventy years ago...

Brahm's Hungarian Dances comes to mind .
I had a very pretty embroidered costume and wore Russian style boots .
That was the good bit - I remember having to dance to it over and over again !

My parents loved to remind me how I always answered, ‘Yes’ when asked ‘ Are you sitting comfortably?’.
I remember I met a young man I had taught in nursery telling me he had heard Rachmaninoff’s ‘ Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini’, and wanted to pretend to be a wee seed growing into a tree, and blowing in the wind!

For the sake of accuracy, the piece is the berceuse (lullaby) from The Dolly Suite by Gabriel Faure

When I hear this music I’m instantly back in my grandmothers little parlour in her two up two down house. The big wooden chair my granddad always sat in when he came home from work, my grans sewing machine by the door to the stairs that led to the two small bedrooms. We would listen to listen with mother then I would have to have a sleep for an hour or two. Then I would wait for my granddad to come home from work, how I loved him.

I love Classic FM and I'm lucky to hear my granddaughter's partner playing music too. One of my favourites is the music of Claude Debussy - it puts me in another zone.

Musicgirl

@Witzend, it is the Berceuse (lullaby) from the Dolly Suite by Faure.

Thank you!

Such happy memories this thread brought back, I was 6years old when my twin brother and sister were born June 1953, Mum would have the washing machine on , I remember sitting at the table colouring in a book , underneath two drying racks , the pulley ones up to the ceiling , both filled with washed white terry nappies, Listen with Mother on the wireless, a” Are you sitting comfortably, “ then I will begin,
Life was happy , innocent and I was safe and cared for, sadly Mum passed away 5 years later with Breast cancer, and sadly life changed forever ,

Some lovely happy memories of my childhood when I read a lot of the above contributions. It also reminds me of a, perhaps a one-off book I read a few years ago which took me back with glowing memories. It is a poetry book written by Five Sisters who had 50s and 60s childhoods. Each contributed about everyday life in a happy home, early school days, Christmases and even pets they had plus loads of other topics. I was a little surprised how their thoughts and memories brought mine flooding back! Think I got it from Amazon - the title 'Say Kangaroo' by Five Sisters. Some of you I'm sure would enjoy - I certainly did and still do.

The Dolly Suite. I love it. It takes me back more than 70 years.

Thx Madeleine -- the article lists hits from the particular issue month, but back in the day. And they stick to tens of years, so 30/40/50/60 years ago? I guess they could pick a hit from that month in any year, but there would be masses to think about?

Helen Shapiro did indeed have that song, Walking Back To Happiness was #1 in Sept 61.

Checking July and Aug 64 for you, I see that several great or annoying #1 hits (!) are on the list, A Hard Day's Night, Doo Wah Diddy Diddy, Have I the Right (Honeycombs --- oh no!), plus As Tears Go By (minor hit), You Really Got Me, and I'm Into Something Good. Try a couple of those instead of Chuck Berry?!

Ah yes DrWatson, remember many of the songs you mentioned . What about Helen Shapiro "walking back to happiness"? Cant remember the date of this but can even see in my mind a picture of Helen on the front of the record. Having read your message I now have "No particular place to go" as my earworm for this evening!

Yes the sleepy lagoon was the desert island disc music. I am so old and have listened to it since Roy Plomley was producing the programme, and he had a lovely voice to listen to. The other programme on the radio from when I was young was "Childrens Hour" which I think was on at about 5pm. There were some great voices on that too . David Davidson was a reader and especially I remember his voice in the "Just So" stories. Violet Carson - who of course later was on the tv in Coronation St, used to play the piano, . Being on the radio meant that you could imagine what the person looked like from their voice, and a beautiful voice has always been important to me. It is not about their accent but just the actual sound. I can still hear the sound of their voices in my mind even after 70 odd years. To this day I still prefer to be "sitting comfortably" and listening to the radio, especially if there is a good play to enjoy.

Yes, music from your youth does have that power. I get sent a village mag which sometimes has a column about what happened that month 30/40/50 years ago, AND what was in the charts that month back then. It's great to be reminded of old classic songs, when you knew what it was from the first couple of notes, and could usually sing along.

As totally opposed to more recent tripe from the likes of Ed Sheeran, or Taylor Swift, in which pretty much everything they do sounds the same?!

The latest edition says that 50 years ago we’d just had The Rubettes (’Sugar Baby Love’) at #1, with soon to follow the Three Degrees (‘When Will I See You Again’).

And - 60 yrs ago -- we’d just had Cilla Black (‘You’re My World’) at the top, with Chuck Berry ‘No Particular Place to Go’, Lulu (‘Shout’), and Mary Wells (‘My Guy’) just behind.
[Oh, "My Guy", one of my all-time favourites!]
This month had the Animals and the iconic ‘House of the Rising Sun’ at #1, and coming up were Dusty Springfield (‘I just don’t know what to do with myself’), the Stones (‘It’s All Over Now’), the Beach Boys (‘I Get Around’), the Swinging Blue Jeans (‘You’re No Good’), Louis Armstrong (‘Hello Dolly’) and the Nashville Teens (‘Tobacco Road’).
Sing or hum a few of those?!

I am 77 and remember Listen With Mother which my mum and I listened to every weekday at quarter to two!
However, my memory is that Faure’s Berceuse was played at the end of the programme, not the beginning. I can’t remember what the opening music was, but I do remember the ‘Are you sitting comfortably’ spiel before the programme began. The nursery rhymes were sung by Eileen Brown and George Dixon. Why do I remember that!!

Thanks for the memory. I listened on YouTube and even the video accompanying it swept me back.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDGp2Ta85M

@Witzend, it is the Berceuse (lullaby) from the Dolly Suite by Faure.

@Jabberwok, I know you were and I did not take it in any other way. I was simply explaining that the word that was perfectly innocent in years gone by and used by all of us has been omitted from the title of this piece in recent years in order, rightly in my opinion, that others, who may not see it as innocently as we always did, are not offended. It was nice to be reminded of a piece that I have enjoyed playing and teaching for many years.

I'm 67. I don't remember 'Listen with Mother' but 'Watch with Mother' yes, every day.

Musicgirl. I was only making a statement! I haven't heard or thought about Cakewalk for years on end until today. I was born in 1943 so was a child when times were very different.

Witzend, and I can hear her voice in my head today- deep but crisp and clear.
Calendar girl, thank you for reminding me about Forgotten Dreams.

I’ve often heard it on Classic, but still can never remember what the piece is called. I’m sure one of you can enlighten me!

Yes, I have very clear memories of ‘When the music stops, Daphne Oxenford (?) will be here to speak to you.’ And of where I was sitting in the house we left in the late 1950s.

Calendargirl

Also love ‘Forgotten Dreams’.

Another childhood memory.

Oh yes - I had forgotten that too - the moment I read your post I could hear it, and tears came. I don't know why - perhaps I am thinking of my dear Dad humming along to that tune on the radio as he walked around the house - he was never still!

Also love ‘Forgotten Dreams’.

Another childhood memory.

Apologies Musicgirl, I misunderstood.

Thanks LovesBach for the reminder. I’ve just listened to it. Lovely memories for me too a child in the 50’s. I’m going to share a link with my younger sister who lives in Spain. I know she’ll appreciate it too.