July 24, 2000

My best LP browsing experience happened in the early 1980s. I was in the Wabash Rose Records (later Tower) here in Chicago, flipping through the import classical LPs (on the 1st floor, along the south wall). I noticed that the guy standing next to me was flipping through the Bruckner bin, speaking in German to a woman he was with, discussing a recording of the Bruckner 2nd symphony he had pulled. I then glanced at his face and saw that it was Kurt Masur, who I also knew was in town to conduct the CSO that week (I had tickets). And I was happy to be able to say to him, in all honesty, "Maestro Masur, it was through the recording you made of the Bruckner second that I came to know the work." And what made it better was that he seemed genuinely delighted to hear that, and was very friendly.

Dave Royko