In a previous marriage I was totally devoted to bicycling. I mean GONZO long distance stuff and road racing and time trials. My ex didn't ride, rarely came to an event (when she did, though, she was wonderfully helpful) and feeling guilty about doing something so intense and requiring so much time away from our marriage (which you might be feeling?) I sat us down and we talked about it. She said she sometimes missed me when I was on long training rides but that she knew it was good for me and that I loved it and that made it OK for her. We broke up over other issues and I still count her as a friend.

She loved the music, by the way, and had a nice "old timey" voice when I could get her to sing.

My current SO seems to like music, loved O Brother!, loves Autumn's Child and the McGarrigle (sp) sisters and old fashioned, old timey everything BUT. When I play she shows discomfort. I mean she'll fidget, or she'll interrupt me or get up and walk into the kitchen etc. This is when we are alone. When I am playing with others she pulls back, almost as if she were trying to hide. At first I thought that she didn't like my music, later I realized that she is an intensely "private" person, very shy with strangers. She needs to be paid attention to as well but only in "private" surroundings. So her behavior when we are alone is because she wants the attention she loses to my music and when out because attention is being drawn to me (and there fore to her)and she finds THAT kind of attention uncomfortable. I think that she likes the fact that I can do what I do but she ain't comfortable with it.

My point is, seek an "answer" to your husbands reactions. It might be something easily amended. This Christmas, I am going to give my SO a gift of music. I am going to make a CD which will combine what I love and what she loves. I am willing to bet that she will begin to be more comfortable with my playing "for her" and more relaxed when I am playing "out there".

CB