The Classical, The Whole Classical and Nothing But The Classical – A Box of Chocolates with Danny Burns
7-23-10 Hour 1:
Much of the following copy is co-opted (edited and paraphrased by me) from a letter Jo Floyd Lucas recently sent to me:
The following special classical music segment started out to be a show dedicated to my friend from St. Louis, Jo Floyd Lucas, who recently lost her favorite classical radio station to progress, but soon morphed into something else altogether. Jo is participating in a special wedding on Saturday July 24th. It is the wedding of Tori Vaccaro and Dmitri Chouklina (Corporal, sorry about mis-pronouncing your name – LIVE radio!). But, that’s not what this dedication is solely about.
In mid 2009, Tori’s father, Joel was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer. By November, Joel had received one round of chemotherapy, and had gone from walking, to crutches, to wheelchair, to being bedridden. Joel wanted so badly to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day, but this seemed destined not to be.
By mid December, hospice workers had been called, and every effort was made to help Joel and Sally, Joel’s wife, transition to the final stages of life. They were told not to expect Joel to make it to Christmas, let alone the July wedding date that Tori and Dmitri had chosen.
But his determined wife, Sally, would not give up. She found a new doctor, Doctor Simon Yu, who holds an M.D., but also practices Traditional Chinese Medicine. As a last resort, she struggled to get Joel into a car, and took him to see Dr. Yu. Dr. Yu set in motion the combined treatments of Western and Eastern medicine, using acupuncture, vitamin therapy, juicing, and even dentistry to slowly but surely affect change in Joel’s condition.
He made it to Christmas. He began to gain strength. He made it to New Year’s. The mass in his hip diminished in size.
Joel went from being bedridden, to a wheelchair, to crutches, to a cane, to walking on his own once again. On Saturday, June 24, at noon, Joel Vaccaro escorted his lovely daughter, Victoria, down the aisle to take her vows with her beloved Dmitri.
And so, Sally, Joel, Tori and Dmitri, this show is dedicated to you. May you all have long and happy lives. And to my sweet friend, Jo Floyd Lucas, thank you for sharing this story with me. This is also for you.
1) Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet – Fantasy Overture – London Symphony Orchestra (LSO)
2) Bizet: Intermezzo From Carmen, Suite I – (LSO)
3) Beethoven: Symphony #6 In F, Op. 68, “Pastoral” – 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (LSO)
4) Rachmaninoff: Adagio From Symphony No.2 – (LSO)
5) Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43 / Variation 18 – Licad; Chicago Symphony Orchestra /Abbado
6) Puccini: Crisantemi – André Kostelanetz & Orchestra
7) Mascagni: Cavaleria Rusticana – Intermezzo – (LSO)
8) Boccherini: String Quartet In E – Minuet – (LSO)
9) Handel: The Messiah – Symphonie Pastorale – (LSO)
10) Haydn (FJ): String Quartet In F, Op. 3 #5 – Serenade – (LSO)
11) Bach: Little Suite – Chorale – (LSO)
12) Schubert: Symphony #5 In B Flat, D 485 – 2. Andante Con Moto – (LSO)
13) Chopin: Adaptation Fantasie Impromptu – (LSO)
14) Beethovan: Adaptation 5 The Pathetique – (LSO)
15) Mozart: Divertmento K 563 In E Flat, – 6. Allegro – Gidon Kremer, Kim Kashkashian and Yo-Yo Ma
16) Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings In C, Op. 48 – 1. Pezzo in forma di sonatina: Andante non troppo; Allegro moderato
17) Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings In C, Op. 48 – 2. Valse moderato; Tempo di valse
18) Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings In C, Op. 48 – 3. Elegia: Larghetto elegiaco
19) Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings In C, Op. 48 – 4. Finale (Tema russo): Andante; Allegro con spirito
Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade” was performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy and is, IMHO, the best performance of this piece ever recorded. It is also my favorite passionate piece of classical music. My beautiful wife, Marla, and I played it after we were presented as “husband and wife” at our wedding.
Thank you Mark Goldenberg. I have loved this Tchaikovsky piece since you turned this Missouri bumpkin onto it way back in 1974 when we were neighbors in Chicago. I have learned much since then, but you lit my path and showed me the way.
I hope you, my beloved and greatly appreciated listeners, enjoy all of the romantic classical masterpieces in this podcast as much as I do.
Danny Burns
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