Music hath charms ...

Shall we go out now?
Originally uploaded by goforchris.

It is completely fascinating to watch the development of a young child. Our grandchild, at 10 months, is showing among other things (like... climbing skills, like 'satiable curtiosity*, like ...) an extraordinarily marked reaction to music. We've watched her bopping to Mozart's Turkish Rondo on one of her fave toys, we've seen her move in time to the complex rhythms of her dad's latin american tracks, and she's now completely fascinated by her grandpa's piano-playing, adjusting her rhythmic movements to accommodate quavers or big, important tunes.

This morning we tuned in to the middle of a quiet, still, contemporary setting of the text "Viri Galileai" on the radio. Catriona had been crawling with early-morning energy round the wooden floor, but she immediately stopped, sat stock still, then swayed gently to the flowing movement of the piece. When it drew to its pianissimo conclusion, she breathed deeply and looked up.

It's magic. In fact, I think I need to take up playing my violin again...

*There's a wee literary reference here. Anyone?