Click on Classical: Family and the fall

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Every Monday morning at 9:15, I join John Birge on Classical MPR to talk about stories we're featuring on the Web this week. Here are the stories we'll be talking about today.

Erik Thompson is a local music writer who's generally more likely to be seen at First Ave than at Orchestra Hall — but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a relationship with classical music. In a moving essay, Erik writes about how music gave his grandfather solace — and helped to bridge generations — when Erik was young and his grandfather's health was failing.

This is the time of the year when everyone's enthusiastic about fall, and ready to celebrate the season with appropriate music. We'll be celebrating autumn with our Morning Glories this week, and last week I wrote a feature listing several pieces of music either written for, or evocative of, fall.

Have you taken the Gratitude Challenge? People on social media are challenging each other to say what they're thankful for. French horn player Gwen Hoberg answered her challenge by sharing ten things she was grateful for after a recent orchestral audition​.