Radio Magic

Why is it that when we hear something on the radio that not only have we heard countless times before, but we own several recordings of it, we still get excited? I think it's because it's fun to know that someone else out there likes the same music and has chosen to play it for everyone to hear.

Yesterday while driving from Here to There I was listening to a classical music station's beg oops I mean, pledge drive. The reward for donating x dollars was a box set of recordings of all Mozart's music. Like, a huge box. So they did their begging and then played something from the box - think of all the great music they had to choose from - and they chose the overture from Die Zauberflote! I've heard it countless times, I've seen the opera live in the theater and on television and video, yet I got so excited to hear it on the radio. Someone else was choosing to listen and play it for me! Ok not just for me, but who cares? That particular drive was just the right length to hear the entire thing without having to hear them beg again at the end. (actually I turned the radio off... no donation ... is that bad? Probably. Oh well.) I was so excited to hear it, I was singing along and conducting in the car. It was like a special treat. I was having one of those days, and hearing the MF Overture really perked me up and put me in a good mood. Wow now I feel like I should give them money. Well I'm sure the feeling will pass, and more quickly than it should. (thanks Jane Austen for that line.)