Wayne,

I'll add my prayers and best wishes to you and your family. Now that I am 75, I am more conscious of my mortality and of those around me. Life is not to be taken for granted.

I enjoyed reading the comments in this thread. I listen to music every day - usually for a total of several hours every day. I fall into the listeners only category. I am content to turn the lights out, sit back and just listen to music - mostly classical, but some traditional jazz and pop music from the WW 2 era (Sinatra, etc.).

Even when I am at a live classical concert, I usually end up closing my eyes and letting the music wash over me. I've had the good fortune to be a performing part of a number of choral/orchestral presentations (singing as a tenor in a chorale performing major choral/orchestral works, such as the Verdi Requiem). That experience of being one of literally hundreds of singers and players is truly exciting and totally immersive. But, when I'm just listening, the audio is sufficient for me.

Happy listening to all,

Art

Thanks Art, sorry for the late reply.
I too have had the GREAT pleasure of singing in choirs, a couple of large ones. WOW that is awesome.
But at concerts I am more visual I guess, I don't close my eyes.
And love to watch blu-rays for my music.
Got the Verdi Req. but just got home, have not had a chance to watch/listen to it.
Will hope to report soon.
God Bless,
Wayne

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers guys,
MUCH appreciated!!!!!
I am back now, home with a little bit of new music as well as a couple of blu-ray concerts.
Will hope to report soon.
God Bless,
Wayne

Welcome back, Wayne!

Thanks Warriorant and everyone for the kind words!!!!

See end for shout out for SC-X
Alright last night the girls were outta the house, I put in the Verdi, Messa da Requiem conducted by Mariss Jansons with the Bavarian Radio Choir and Symphony. This was Five Star over on Amazon and deservedly so. I cranked this up and the fff sections at -14 on my processor were the loudest music I have heard in my home theater. WOW oh WOW!!!!!!
First off the sound and picture were off the charts, 10/5 for both!!!! This was a large choir and orchestra crammed onto a rather smallish stage, 2 sets of tympani, the place was rockin'!!! There are SATB soloists, and I don't usually like that, but these were superb. With the possible exception of the Bass, he as a red in the face, bloodshot eyes, fists clenched when he was singing, very Germanic looking dude. The weakest soloist and that does not mean much as the other three were unbelievable!!! The tenor was really great (listen to his short solo in the Offeratorio) and the great Alto was only overshadowed by a fantastic Soprano.
The choir did a grand job!!!! And the symphony orchestra is first rate, way up there!!!!
When the trumpets come in from the back balcony of the hall they are playing on the rear & surrounds in my system and it is an uncanny sound. Verdi was Italian and wrote opera, and this is definitely as much show as sound. Even done by the Germans, his flare for the dramatic still comes through. And so does his attitude!!! This is not quite what I would call a reverent mass, but more a defiant statement about the death of his friend.
I have really enjoyed the Mozart Requiem for years and consider it the only thing Mozart wrote that did not sound like he was a little light in the loafers, ha ha!!!! And it still holds up but this is GRANDER by far. (only the opening statement of Mozart's Requiem competes with this, and soon loses out, IMHO).
MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED except for those who cannot wait until after the fat lady sings (some just cannot handle operatic Latin solo, it is not really my cuppa either, but this is the best ever for me) and worth owning. But only for some.
OK, I want to add my shout out for the SuperCenter X here. It really carried the load of the soloists in this concert. I got up and put my ear next to it and the Ones in turn to see who was doing the heavy lifting on the solos, the pure, clear, powerful, sonorous, rich tones coming from highly trained and professional musicians---the sound was 90%+ coming through the SC-X!!!! Clear as a bell, crystal clear and rich and powerful. Well done little champ!!!!!
God Bless,
Wayne