Music Library Musings

Given the number of years I've been playing the flute (33, or thereabouts), I don't have a very extensive music library. It takes up about two-thirds of a 24" file drawer. So when my friends asked me to update my Amazon.com wish list (it has a feature that allows you to add things from other sites) because of the significant birthday coming up next month, I thought to myself, "Hey, why not take the opportunity to add to the music library, too." But what to include?

I am my mother's son. When I want to learn about something, I head for the library, or, in this day and age, the Internet--often both. I started poking around the web to see what I could find in terms of recommended repertoire. I turned up several lists for college level flute majors that gave me a good start. I found recordings of some of suggested pieces online, listened to them, selected a couple for the wish list, and started a list for future reference.

Looking at the lists and reading the amount of music students are expected to work through in a year astounded me. There is no way I could get through that much music in the course of a year. There is no way I could get through it given my life now. I'm not even sure I could have done it while I was in college. But I wasn't a music major then, either.

I briefly considered majoring in music. My father flatly forbid it, using as leverage the portion of my tuition my parents paid. He wouldn't even let me entertain the idea of minoring in music. At 18, I wasn't about to defy him. Even I knew that I would not have made my living as a musician. Of course, I haven't made my living using the major I actually pursued either. I was the only French major and the only German major in my graduating class.

After that, I played, and continue to play, for my own enjoyment and the pleasure of making music. Occasionally I've had the opportunity to perform. I probably will again, which means I will work on improving my skills and look to expand my repertoire. And that brings me back to adding to my music library...