Busy day today. Looks like I’ll need another one to complete my “Der Freischütz” concert report. In the meantime, last week Mather Pfeiffenberger alerted me to a Facebook post by the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site about the president’s musical interests and extensive record collection. It drove me to visit the actual website, which includes a complete listing of its contents.
“Truman was not fond of what he called ‘modern noise,’ preferring the traditional classical music of his youth. He collected many records over the years and kept them in his study next to his Magnavox phonograph. Speaking of his favorite composers he said, ‘[Now] we can get them all on records, of course, and I have several of those…great pianists of the past playing those wonderful things of Mendelssohn and Beethoven, Mozart and Bach and Chopin.’
“The Trumans amassed a collection of over 680 records – some purchased by the family, others received as gifts. Much of the collection reflects the types of music the family enjoyed, including classical music and Broadway scores. Gifts were received from famous musicians and average citizens who shared Harry Truman’s love of music and the piano.”
https://www.nps.gov/hstr/learn/historyculture/truman-record-collection.htm
There are several videos on YouTube of Truman noodling around at the keyboard. Here he plays a little Mozart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIKOVziQMDQ
This list of books in his home study might also be of interest.
https://www.nps.gov/hstr/learn/historyculture/truman-home-study-book-list.htm
Proposed sign for Truman’s desk: THE BOOK STOPS HERE!
(Yes, that is Lauren Bacall.)