Jack & Classical Music?

[Mike]

Was Jack interested in classical music? Of course I know he was seriously interested in the violin, probably most interested in violin concertos. Did he attend symphony concerts, or opera, or ballet, or musical comedies? Anyone know?
Mike in L.A.

[shimp scrampi]

Yep, Joan talks about this a lot in her portion of Sunday Nights at Seven. At a young age Joan became very interested in classical music, (even more than Jack at the time) and this was something she and Jack shared as he started to seriously take up the violin again in the fifties and sixties.

[Roman]

I've read that Jack was a close personal friend of Isaac Stern's, in addition to having him on as a guest many times (and inviting him to perform several lengthy solos). I also remember that other classical music performers appeared occasionally as guests. Jack also gave great support to Stern's (and other's) efforts to save Carnegie Hall from demolition and he also helped raise money for symphony orchestras and music education programs. I'd have to imagine that this reflected Jack's interest in, and love of, classical music.