I was in the mood for Bruckner last week, so I pulled this album out of my dad's collection. It's a double album set...the Bruckner 8th Symphony. I opened the album and it was like opening a time capsule. My dad had saved the receipt from Discount Records on 201 North LaSalle Street in Chicago, Illinois. It's dated 12/26/68. We moved to Chicago from Kansas City shortly after I was born in 1965. My dad loved Chicago. I think next to Paris it was his favorite city in the world. Nearest to his heart was the Chicago Symphony. Also saved in this record album was a full page from the December 17, 1968 edition of the Chicago Daily News. Specifically, the article about the selection of Georg Solti as the new Music Director of the Chicago Symphony.
On Wednesday, December 24, 1968, the world watched the broadcast of Apollo 8 circling the moon. The crew read from the Book of Genesis. I don't remember watching the broadcast, and neither does my mom. But she feels like we probably did.
The next day was Christmas Day, One of the gifts I received was a snow shovel, which on two separate occasion, I sliced my head on...both times requiring stitches to close. But that's another story..or two.
I assume my Dad got some money for Christmas because the next day we were on the way into the city (we lived in the South suburb of Park Forest) to buy records! I wish I could remember this particular trip but I don't. But he took me often, and I believe my grandfather, Jim, went with us too. He and my grandmother, Mary Quinn, were in Chicago visiting us for Christmas in 1968.
Regardless, I still have the records he purchased on 12/26/68. The other one was the Bruckner 4th Symphony, Istvan Kertesz conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. And my, look at the prices...both records for $11.31.
Georg Soli did become the new Music Director and started his new post in early in 1969. He held this position until 1991. What a fabulous run.
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