Little Dexter Beethoven's Music Blog

[Moosbrugger]

Earlier this week, one day shy of my 50th birthday, my wife gave birth to our first baby. I was not allowed to give him my first choice of name: Dexter* Beethoven Moosbrugger. But on the Internet, the boy can be whoever I want him to be.

 

I was pretty luck to have excellent parents growing up (and still). But one of their few failings was that they didn't play music. I didn't really discover music until my older sister went off to college and I found a stack of records she left behind. Luckily, it included Who's Next and Kleiber's recording of Beethoven's 5th & 7th. I remember distinctly the first time I heard the opening of Baba O'Reilly. And standing in my room pretending to conduct the 5th. I didn't understand then (or now) why one of my friends wanted to listen to it.

 

So, I decided that among all of the responsibilities of being a parent, I need to make sure Dexter Beethoven grows up with music. It's an awesome task. But it started easy. Today was his first day home. The obvious choice to start out life:

 

 

But there was a lot of commotion today, and he slept through it.

 

To round out the afternoon:

 

 

*Dexter Gordon. Actually, Dexter Beethoven wasn't my first choice. I wanted Faulkner Hamilton Moosbrugger. But everyone said, "you can't name a baby 'Faulkner'. Do you know what the kids will call him?" I pointed out that someone else named Faulkner managed to grow up to become America's greatest writer. But to no avail. And then that Hamilton play came out, and kind of ruined that name. To be honest, of course, Faulkner wasn't born Faulkner. He was Falkner, and added the "u" later. And Hamilton was a little nuts. We Northerners tend to forget that during the Jefferson administration, there was a lot of talk up North about secession, but the idea died with Alexander that morning in Weehauken.

[wgscott]

Congratulations on the pseudo-eponymous kid!

 

Some day he will thank you for not being named Dexter. Even Faulkner had the most ideal first name.

[christopher3393]

Best wishes. Recommended:

 

Violin Lullabies

Rachel Barton Pine

 

[Moosbrugger]

Yesterday was busy.

First stroll down Broadway -- the best walk of his whole life.

First visit to the doctor -- the worst experience of his whole life.

 

First jazz:

 

 

 

 

Today has been a Django Reinhardt day.