I was reflecting on how your upbringing influences your personality recently. Another aspect comes to mind, when considering this further. Music.

It is amazing, how deep some music is rooted with emotions and certain memories. I find, the music I listened to and liked, when I was a teenager, stuck with me the most. I hear a song from my teenage years and am instantly back at the time and place, I heard the music first (even, if I didn’t like the music, then, and might not like it now, either). Works just the same with me, as with pictures, stimulating memories and emotions instantly. Finding and growing to like new music is also often linked to similarities to the type of music, I liked, when I was a teenager. Is it the same with everyone else? And is the vocabulary in the field of music big enough to create a distinct sound for every generation to come?

Amazing, how there seems to exists a history in genealogy of music, linked to different generations. Defining personalities to a certain extent. My sweetheart, for instance, is into the music of the sixties. To this day. Two main sections seemed to exist in the sixties: the Beatles fraction and the Stones fraction. My sweetheart is on the Jagger side of the line.

But then again, this line of thinking may all be rubbish. As my mum is roughly my sweetheart’s age. And she might well be unaware, of who the Rolling Stones are, to this day. As she is more into traditional folk music, Austrian style. Some of which I also like. Just my own, more modern version of it (a question of age, again?). Like the way, von Goisern or Attwenger interpret it. Or very old, pure versions, handmade in the traditional way. I just dislike the Musikantenstadl / beer festival distortions to the heritage, this kind of music holds for me.

I wish, I were more of a musician or understood more of it. Every other member of my family can do it easily, playing instruments, my mum a very good singer on top. I was left to represent the group of listeners, always. Or to switch the tape recorder on and off. As I can’t find a single right tone or even a beat, when participating in family music evenings. My mum on the guitar, singing along, my brother on his clarinet, my sister on the flute and my dad on his six-sided mouth-organ, he masters so well, it sounds like a full orchestra.

But then again, my inability to sing (sing well, that is, there is no lack in volume) or play an instrument might fuel my admiration for musicians and the joy, I get out of listening to them.

I also think, funerals will change a lot in the future. At least the music played at funerals. Not so many Requiems and Ave Marias any more, but more of Dylan, the Stones and Cohen. Already knowing the choices, my sweethart made for his last soundtrack, I wonder, which music I’ll go for.