Matt Monro Forum

Are there any musical memories you have possibly from childhood that hhave stayed with you to this day, even a Classical piece?

Classically I remember hearing The Nun's Chorus from Verdi's Nabucco, it is sometime known as The Slave's Chorus, another beautiful piece was The Pearl Fishers duet by Jussi Bjorling & Robert Merrill we had both these records but now I have them on cd. The latter is still a great favourite and over the past few years I have seen it performed on tv by Michael Ball & Alfie Boe and Bryn Terfel but Iforget who he duetted with.

Other childhood musical memories are Jo Stafford's Shrimp Boats, Kay Starr singing Touch & Go, we had that on a 78 and I have never seen it on any cd's by Kay and Doris Day & Johnny Ray singing Let's Walk That-A-Way which I do have on cd!

Who is Alfie Bope Karl ?

Bryn Terfel also sang the Pearl Fishers duet with Alfie Boe. Alfie has had some amusing mis-spellings of his name, and they were on his website. Alfy Boe was one I remember, and Alphie Boe a couple of times on the windscreens of cars hired to pick him up. It's funny, most people seem to get Boe correct and Alfie mis-spelt.

I was thinking of someone older than Alfie when Bryn did the duet, I hadn't heard of him before, however does anyone have any memories? It could possibly have been on the Classical Brit Awards which is an excellent show .

Maybe this one Karl..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV5zUa4z ... re=related

Bryn also sang it with Andrea Bocelli, also on youtube.

I do not have any classical memories from childhood, but one of my favourite memories of classical music was listening to "Carmen" with Maria Callas and Nicolai Gedda--introduced to me by George-his favourite singer and favourite opera--he had seen it in Italy when he was stationed there in the war. The music is so familiar, it makes very easy listening.

Marian thanks for that but I know Robert Alagana and have some of his cds but it was good to hear them sing the rarer full version and I also saw the regular shorter version with my favourite Placido Domingo and Rolando Villazon, of course this song always reduces me to tears especially today as 5 years ago today was the the last day of life (as we know it) for my mum - she passed away on the 30th but was unconcious the whole time apart from a few very brief moments but I only got a few words out of her after the stroke.

This is the reason why I love music, have you ever heard anything so beautiful and moving as this piece?

I have the original recording of "The Pearl Fishers" by jussi Bjorling & ???

I forget their names, but just lovely.

Aniother of George's favourites, and yers Karl, music can be very evocative.

It's in my first post Marian Jussi Bjorlng & Robert Merrill, I got some cd's by Jussi in Berlin a few years ago very cheap.

Yes, that was it--I did not spot the names in your first post. I can imagine how difficult it has been for you, the last day or 2.