Why I love music

Posted by: mikeeschman on 17 April 2011

If I am able to pay enough attention, and to become completely receptive, music is able to make my soul glow. Every love, and disaster, every nice breeze and sunny day, all the births and deaths, illness, memories, good food, sex, all of it focuses on the passing of a second, when I'm really in the grip of a good tune. That second is a force of nature, as vibrant and full of life as a raging torrent. It makes it all make sense, and gives hope.

When I was young I fed on Richard Strauss, Mahler and Shostakovitch, and studied Schoenberg, Berg and Webern, all in all not a recipe for a sunny disposition. Beethoven snapped me out of it, and Mendelssohn made me smile. These days, I'm indulging in Mozart, Brahms and Tchaikovsky, which is a totally different mindset.

But the very root of all feeling and emotion is Bach :-)

How about you ?

Posted on: 17 April 2011 by George Fredrik

My big three are Bach, Tchaikowki, and Sibelius, and I agree with your post.

ATB from George

Posted on: 17 April 2011 by onip

For me in terms of classical music... Wagner, Mahler, Bartok, Bach, Telemann (who I think is under-rated), Handel, Palestrina, Stravinsky, some of Britten's stuff, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart. I do like Shostakovich, too, but need to get more of his recordings. Glad you are also into Berg, Webern and Schoenberg, Mike. I love my recording of Wozzek with Fischer-Dieskau (forgot the others off the top of my head).

Great music does all of the things you mentioned, but it (along with great performers) also inspire me to do great things in my own work (which happens to be academic).