Randomly Musing Musical Reflection
I dislike Mozart.
No, really. I mean, I am perfectly willing to acknowledge that, yes, he was probably the greatest musical talent who ever lived, and one of the three greatest composers of all time. But despite the undisputed beauty and excellence of much of his work, too much of it comes across to me as the classical version of bubblegum-pop for me to take it seriously.
The sum total of Mozart albums I own is the Amadeus soundtrack, and my second favorite track on that is by Pergolesi.
Furthermore, I HATE opera. I mean... geez. First, there is something about the individual human voice that I dislike as a musical instrument. An ensemble, a small chorus, a large choir, that's fine - but anything smaller than a quartet just sounds like... an unintelligible conversation gone wrong. Then, I can never understand the words. This isn't just opera, here - I don't listen to contemporary music, in part (in part because 99.44% of it is CRAP, but also ) because I'm so intent on listening to the music - the melodic lines, harmonic progression, overall structure - that the semantics just get lost in a sensory and cognitive jumble. And don't get me STARTED on "why should I get caught up in old-time ridiculous plotlines"....
Which makes the following admission all the more... remarkable.
I'm currently suffering from an obsession, something that just will not leave my brain alone. The Commentadore Scene at the end of Don Giovanni is one of the single most thrilling pieces of music of all time.
No, really. I mean, I am perfectly willing to acknowledge that, yes, he was probably the greatest musical talent who ever lived, and one of the three greatest composers of all time. But despite the undisputed beauty and excellence of much of his work, too much of it comes across to me as the classical version of bubblegum-pop for me to take it seriously.
The sum total of Mozart albums I own is the Amadeus soundtrack, and my second favorite track on that is by Pergolesi.
Furthermore, I HATE opera. I mean... geez. First, there is something about the individual human voice that I dislike as a musical instrument. An ensemble, a small chorus, a large choir, that's fine - but anything smaller than a quartet just sounds like... an unintelligible conversation gone wrong. Then, I can never understand the words. This isn't just opera, here - I don't listen to contemporary music, in part (in part because 99.44% of it is CRAP, but also ) because I'm so intent on listening to the music - the melodic lines, harmonic progression, overall structure - that the semantics just get lost in a sensory and cognitive jumble. And don't get me STARTED on "why should I get caught up in old-time ridiculous plotlines"....
Which makes the following admission all the more... remarkable.
I'm currently suffering from an obsession, something that just will not leave my brain alone. The Commentadore Scene at the end of Don Giovanni is one of the single most thrilling pieces of music of all time.
Labels: music
posted by Jonathan at 6:35 PM
2 Comments:
"Furthermore, I HATE opera."
Finally, a redeeming quality ;D
I'm so cool, you could store a side of beef in me for a month. I'm so hip, I have difficulty seeing over my own pelvis.
By the way, where have you been? Haven't seen you in months.
And Doc Travis was wondering about you... *evil grin*
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