Last month, in an Arts & Leisure article and a series of videos, I discussed and analyzed some of my favorite moments in music and invited Times readers to send in theirs.
As of this writing, more than 800 readers have replied. In a followup Arts & Leisure piece I reported on and summed up the varied, interesting and personal choices that readers shared. And with a trusty duo of video journalists from the Times (Gabe Johnson and Mayeta Clark), I have made some more videos in which I discuss some of the favorite moments suggested to me and analyzed them at the piano.
So here goes.
William E. Wallace of St. Louis wrote that the moment at the end of Puccini's “Bohème†when Rodolfo, realizing that Mimi has died, cries out her name in anguish “never fails to produce sobs.†The wrenching music in that moment has been heard earlier, though, as I point out in this video.
