I'm listening to one of my dad's discs - Dmitri Shostakovich's cello concertos, played by Heinrich Schiff and conducted by Maxim Shostakovich - and I'm remembering a visit from my dad a year or more ago.
We found ourselves at Borders, just browsing, allegedly (or maybe going for something specific, I don't recall.) Well, we have had a good source of prog and metal discs here in the valley, but for classical, pickings are slim and Borders has the best selection, so we decided to browse through there.
My dad stopped at a particular recording - an old album brought into the digital age - and he turned to me and said "Buy this. If you don't like it, I'll buy it from you, but you will like it." Now my dad tended to be very strict on spending money, and tended to advise saving it over spending it. I don't think I ever remember him being so adamant on me buying something. The closest might be my first razor, but that doesn't quite count, because he actually went out and selected one for me as a gift.
I picked the disc up and we rushed home and listened to it, and I kept it. I think he was halfway hoping I wouldn't, even though he knew I would like it. The recording was Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1, performed by its dedicatee, Mistislav Rostropovich.
And now that I've just finished listening to Schiff's performance of Concerto No. 1 - which was excellent - I must say that it pales in comparison to the Rostropovich.
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