Click!
Posted by: droodzilla on 15 June 2007
Some memories, inspired by my recent purchase of Paul Galbraith's performance, on 8 string guitar, of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. This may ramble, but please bear with me, as there is a point... I think!
I came to classical music quite late, at about the age of 30. The first pieces I heard that interested me were the Brandenburg Concertos - their rhythmic drive and strong tunes probably made them easy for a rock/jazz fan to enjoy. I joined Britannia classical music club shortly after that to help me explore classical music further. I focused on Bach initially - bought and enjoyed Rostropovich's Cello Suites, and a few other CDs.
At some point, I bought Grumiaux's recording of Bach's solo violin works, and, for whatever reason, took to playing them in the dark as I lay in bed. I must have done this every night for months. I don't think I was obsessed, but I was fascinated by these works - the more I listened, the more I felt that there was still more to hear, and that I would never fully comprehend this music. No doubt, being able to concentrate fully, in darkness, added to the sense of mystery. I also had the sense of being aware of the silence between the notes - as if the music was being created ex nihilo, a divine act (in some suitably faith-neutral sense of "divine"). Above all, I felt that I understood music for the first time - something had... clicked!
Enough purple prose! I'd be interested to hear other members' experiences of music clicking with them - be it a particular song, or piece; an artist or band; or an entire genre. Doesn't have to be classical music, but I would enjoy hearing from fellow Bach enthusiasts.
I came to classical music quite late, at about the age of 30. The first pieces I heard that interested me were the Brandenburg Concertos - their rhythmic drive and strong tunes probably made them easy for a rock/jazz fan to enjoy. I joined Britannia classical music club shortly after that to help me explore classical music further. I focused on Bach initially - bought and enjoyed Rostropovich's Cello Suites, and a few other CDs.
At some point, I bought Grumiaux's recording of Bach's solo violin works, and, for whatever reason, took to playing them in the dark as I lay in bed. I must have done this every night for months. I don't think I was obsessed, but I was fascinated by these works - the more I listened, the more I felt that there was still more to hear, and that I would never fully comprehend this music. No doubt, being able to concentrate fully, in darkness, added to the sense of mystery. I also had the sense of being aware of the silence between the notes - as if the music was being created ex nihilo, a divine act (in some suitably faith-neutral sense of "divine"). Above all, I felt that I understood music for the first time - something had... clicked!
Enough purple prose! I'd be interested to hear other members' experiences of music clicking with them - be it a particular song, or piece; an artist or band; or an entire genre. Doesn't have to be classical music, but I would enjoy hearing from fellow Bach enthusiasts.