His gift is soundtrack of beloved memories

Bob Cox writes tennessean.com reports on Harry Fanning, who has music on the brain, symphonies swimming in his head.

On a good day, he awakes to music. Like last Tuesday, when he arose from slumber humming the second movement of a work by Antonin Dvorak. Yes, he could hear the music. He could discern the softest pianissimo from the boldest fortissimo; he could detect the intricacies of interplay between the instruments.

For days like this, the 73-year-old retired junior high art teacher gives thanks. His beloved music remains with him, even if his hearing has mostly disappeared. The joy of inserting a CD into his stereo and enjoying a mini-concert in his living room, a room he designed with a cathedral ceiling to specifically enhance his listening pleasure, is gone, taken by a viral infection that left him with a severe hearing loss.”