danajohnhill.org

My primary musical interest is classical and opera. I enjoy almost all periods and styles. I don’t discriminate against any serious music, including music of the 20th Century, though there are certainly some composers whom I like less than others.

Who do I like, you ask? Well, J.S. Bach for starters. Tchaikovsky is certainly high on the list, as are Mahler and Schumann. My opera fetish also makes me fond of Verdi, of course, though I am not one of those people who love Verdi and hate Wagner, or vice-versa. I love Wagner, too. And Schoenberg, Berg and Webern, but especially Schoenberg. Verklärte Nacht is about the most beautiful piece of music I can think of. Debussy, Zemlinsky, Nielsen, Bruckner, etc. are all great. I love Brahms’ chamber music. Pretty much anything that wasn’t composed with contempt for the audience, or as some kind of trick or publicity stunt is fine by me. That said, I avoid contemporary film music and fake, easy listening “classical”. I liken “crossover” unto feces.

But, whereas I do not dismiss many composers, I am more selective when it comes to performers. Or, perhaps more accurately, performances. For example, I don’t discount Glenn Gould’s talent, but his idiosyncrasies and fidgeting mar his recordings for me. Maria Callas is practically a deity to many opera lovers. As much as I respect her characterization and musicality, her technical flaws prevent consistent enjoyment for me. That said, I should note that my favorite singer is Sherrill Milnes, who, according to some, constantly sang out of tune. I have almost all of his commercially released recordings, and I don’t hear it. So, go figure.

Other favorite singers and performers of mine include Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Samuel Ramey, Janet Baker, Leontyne Price, Leonard Bernstein, Jorge Bolet…. The list goes on and on.

My CD collection almost exclusively includes music from the stereo era. Certainly, I understand why many music lovers endeavor to own every Furtwängler or Toscanini recording, live or studio. But, unfortunately, I do not have the resources to devote to those pursuits. I own almost no vinyl. Obviously, I am not the most sophisticated collector, but my tastes are fairly broad, and I am always eager to learn more.

Working at a classical radio station allows me to get paid for listening to the music I most enjoy. I host shows on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Saturday is my “Pre-Opera Program,” which, appropriately enough, precedes the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, or, when the Met is not in season, Chicago Lyric Opera, NPR World of Opera, Beyreuth or some other live broadcast. I enjoy selecting music from my collection, or the station’s collection, and programming the afternoon shows. The “Pre-Opera Program” material comes almost entirely from my personal collection of opera and vocal music.