Title: Giselle (ballet music in two acts)
Composer: Adolphe Adam (1803– 1856)

I love the music in Act Two, which describes the scene so perfectly.
One can see in the mind’s eye that in a forest in the deep of the
night, the ghost maidens dance till dawn, which “descends so gradually
brighter and brighter”. The violins are ever so gentle as love bides
its farewell with a long sad inconsolable tune.

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Title: The Fifth Symphony (the Fate) - Symphony No. 5 in C minor op. 67
Composer: Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)

At the beginning of the first movement, there are repeatedly three
short and a long ’strike’. As though there was an unauthentic
‘hearsay’ … “Fate knocks at the door”. I took it to heart as
“Fate”. If I remember correctly, in World War II, the radio signalled the
beginning of the invasion in Normandy on June the 6, 1944, with the
Morse code “V”.

In the four movements of this symphony, my personal understanding, as
in life, is to fight with confidence; hold steady and calm; accumulate
and reserve strength for a final blow to victory.

Beethoven’s “The Fate” has helped my passing many difficulties in life to victory.

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