I believe in music

I remember looking through your music collection, the first time you invited me round to your flat. Being the good host that you are, you had gone to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone, and left us sitting in your room. The others were chatting away about the upcoming examinations and I was listening in on the conversation, and rummaging through your CDs.

I have always believed that one can judge a person's character by carefully examining his or her taste in music.

Interestingly, you had arranged your CDs in order of mood, instead of by genre. Lighthearted Mozart's piano concertoes rubbed shoulders with the Best of the Beach Boys. Billie Holiday, sad and soulful, stood next to Tracy Chapman and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Music obviously affects you emotionally and you listen to it with more than just your ears.

I remember thinking, as I looking through the classical music you owned, that you had picked the usual Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky...but also some more obscure pieces by Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Grieg. Similarly, the jazz CDs included the usual staples of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald but also the lesser known Sidney Bechet. I also noticed (no my great satisfaction) that there was no R&B, Drum&Bass or House (music in vogue at the time). This made me think that you actually spent time searching for music that you enjoyed, forming your own opinions, instead sticking to the well-known and popular.

Being the open and unashamed person you are (thick-skinned?), you weren't afraid to admit to listening to the 'cheese' that is Dusty Springfield, ABBA, the BeeGees, Jackson Five. There was no trace of snobbery or pretention.

You had some interest in contemporary music as well - Crowded House, Manic Street Preachers, Red Hot Chilli Peppers. There was diversity present, and you were not limited to what is considered 'easy listening' - you seemed to be adventurous and broad-minded.

Over the next few months, we exchanged music with each other. I introduced you to John Rutter, the Bangles, Dick Lee (to your utmost horror). You shared with me R.E.M, Shaun Mullins, James Blunt. We learned more about each other as we shared more and more.

Eventually, we got married, so that we could have complete access to each other's CD collections. Now we choose music together and share our findings with each other.

I still remember the first CD I bought you for your birthday - Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. It was a guaranteed winner (who doesn't love Gershwin?), but still I was nervous when you unwrapped the package. Your eyes lit up with delight. "Excellent!" you said, under your breath, almost reverentially. And I was so, so happy.

Happy Birthday, MDH.