When I was in fourth grade my class went on a field trip to the local orchestra's children's concert, and one of the pieces they performed was the Farandole from Bizet's "L'Arlésienne Suite No.2." Half a century later, I am still moved by listening to it.
In a very different vein, my mother loved Frank Sinatra, and the one song I remember from that time was One For My Baby. It was the first kind-of-blues song I ever heard, and fifty years later it still speaks to me, much more deeply now that it did then. In my music appreciation classes one assignment I sometimes give the students is to compare/contrast this song with Billie Holliday's Strange Fruit, in both cases how the music reflects the message of the lyrics. It usually works as a good first step away from pop garbage towards what they could hear if they really listened to classical music--for which I can in part thank my mother.
I wrote words to “Farandole” in honor of my beloved Border Collie, Torey(RIP):
Torey lives
a life— of— ease!
It’s so pleasant to do what your ple-e-ease.
In the shade, so the sun won’t scorch
Her insulated igloo’s on the porch
She is free from— ticks and fleas
Although her medicine makes— her— sne-e-eeze
Of South Florida, she’s the queen
Her paws wiggle when she has a dream.
A Dog’s Life
Can be kinda neat.
Her only job is to be cute and swe-e-e-e-eet
Eat sleep play, Take Momma for a jog,
Life is lovely just being a dog.
I used to sing this to her all the time. Then, once while we were riding in my car and listening to Classical Radio, L’Arlesianne came on. Immediately she recognized the tune, her ears went up, and she started bouncing up and down with joy. It was HER song!
Normally I wouldn’t expect dogs to be able to recognize musical intervals, discern melody, or be able to extrapolate from an orchestral arrangement that this was the same as the little acapella ditty that her Momma would sing to her.
But...we are talking about a BORDER COLLIE.