Here's To You

Here's To You on CBC Radio 2 is one of my favourite shows on the radio. It is a request show and I enjoy hearing how classical music has impacted different people. Due to the diversity inherent in this genre, a wide variety of music is played on this show. Here is my recent request:

My daughter Evelyn is just over two years-old and she loves horses. "Horse" is one of the few words that she can say well at this stage. One of her favourite activities is prancing like a horse around the living-room to the Prelude-Allegro giocoso of Carmen Suite No. 1. Only this first movement will suffice for her and once the pace of the music calms she repeatedly says "horse" until I go back to the beginning of the track. The odd time I can get by with playing the whole Suite without her noticing, but she doesn't dance with as much vigour. Similarly, to ask me to play this track she points at the stereo and says "horse". I don’t know how she came up with this association, but I can now imagine horses in full-dress apparel performing on the parade-grounds. Could you please play the Prelude for me so I can once again enjoy watching my daughter prance throughout the living-room. Love your show,

Derek