Flaxen Hair

The grand march from Aida. Makes me think of my father.

A lot of music reminds me of my mother, who taught me so much about it. The Girl with the Flaxen Hair is one, only my bilingual mother called it by its original French title La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin. Anything sung by her idol Kathleen Ferrier, any Sibelius.

Bach’s B Minor Mass makes me think of my late husband, who introduced me to it. I sang in it shortly afterwards.

Certain hymns remind me of my father. He was not very musical, but he loved hymns, in particular the more cheerful ones like All Creatures of my God and KIng.

My maternal grandfather was a keen singer. Edwardian and Victorian parlour songs remind me of him, also Messiah and some Gilbert and Sullivan.