Topic: Pregnancy and changing musical taste

[vanessa_zang]

I can't seem to find the "Educating Vanessa" thread, so I will start a new one. As many of you know, I have been pregnant since the beginning of August. Listening to music has been a constant for me for all that time. I have noticed that my taste has changed so much since my pregnancy. Is it just because, after listening to classical music for a few years, I am naturally progressing, or does pregnancy has anything to do with it? For instance, for the past few days, I have been passionately in love with the piano music of Schubert, which I have dismissed as boring and have not listening to for over a year. Now I can not understand why I did not like it before. It is perfect music as I lay in my easy chair listening to music while Paul cooks for me in the kitchen! Also, I always liked the piano and cello but hated the sound of the solo violin. Now my favorite genre is the violin concerto.

Maybe little Kimi is telling me what he/she likes!

[Harry]

I selected allready a selection from my collection for Kimi, some operetta, lots of romantic Symphonies, tons of chambermusic, Opera, etc.

[longears]

Hi, Vanessa--it's nice to hear from you again.  The "Educating Vanessa" thread was on the old forum, which finally crashed and burned.  I'm glad to hear that you're still listening actively.

I suspect that the answer to your question is "some of both."  My tastes seem to change over time due to both increasing familiarity with different types of music and because I respond differently depending on mood and my personal growth (or lack of it!).  Certainly the hormonal changes of pregnancy affect your mood, so why not your receptivity to music as well?

Which violin concertos are you (and Kimi) liking the most?

[vanessa_zang]

Which violin concertos are you (and Kimi) liking the most?

Top on our list is the Tchaikovsky, followed by Brahms, Saint-Saens 3, Barber, Wieniewski, Dvorak, Alwyn, Paganini, and some shorter ones like Meditation from Thais, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. My favorite sonatas so far are by Franck and Brahms. I haven't listened to too many works, though.

[vanessa_zang]

I selected allready a selection from my collection for Kimi, some operetta, lots of romantic Symphonies, tons of chambermusic, Opera, etc.

I can see Kimi will be very found of Uncle Harry! Maybe we can visit you someday (if you don't come to Beijing first). We will be telling him about the windmills, Gouda cheese and Dennis Bergkemp in preparation!

[edward]

I can totally understand the sudden clicking of Schubert piano sonatas. For many years it left me unmoved, but suddenly I started to like it. (Bizarrely enough, I think it was listening to Feldman that unlocked Schubert for me: maybe Paul did the same to you?  )

[springrite]

I can totally understand the sudden clicking of Schubert piano sonatas. For many years it left me unmoved, but suddenly I started to like it. (Bizarrely enough, I think it was listening to Feldman that unlocked Schubert for me: maybe Paul did the same to you?  )

Well, no, not Feldman, but Vanessa has discovered a favorite painter in Rothko, and Feldman composed Rothko Chapel. Does that count?

[Morigan]

That's interesting. Do you eat pickles with ice cream too? 

[jochanaan]

Top on our list is the Tchaikovsky, followed by Brahms, Saint-Saens 3, Barber, Wieniewski, Dvorak, Alwyn, Paganini, and some shorter ones like Meditation from Thais, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. My favorite sonatas so far are by Franck and Brahms. I haven't listened to too many works, though.

Great start!  I assume you've also listened to the Beethoven concerto...?  Some of my other favorite concertos are the ones by Bartok, Britten, Korngold, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.  If you're up for something really challenging, try the Berg.

And if you love Beethoven, be sure to check out his violin/piano sonatas.  Any of the ten are good, but my favorites are #7 in C minor and #9 in A minor--the Kreutzer.

[longears]

...Vanessa has discovered a favorite painter in Rothko....

A woman of exquisite taste!
Violins and Rothko put me in mind of this:


Some lovely choices in violin ctos, too.  Looking at the list I suspect you might be favorably inclined towards Mendelssohn, Bruch 2, & Korngold, too--not to mention Prokofiev & Sibelius!  

[greg]

I can't seem to find the "Educating Vanessa" thread, so I will start a new one. As many of you know, I have been pregnant since the beginning of August. Listening to music has been a constant for me for all that time. I have noticed that my taste has changed so much since my pregnancy. Is it just because, after listening to classical music for a few years, I am naturally progressing, or does pregnancy has anything to do with it? For instance, for the past few days, I have been passionately in love with the piano music of Schubert, which I have dismissed as boring and have not listening to for over a year. Now I can not understand why I did not like it before. It is perfect music as I lay in my easy chair listening to music while Paul cooks for me in the kitchen! Also, I always liked the piano and cello but hated the sound of the solo violin. Now my favorite genre is the violin concerto.

Maybe little Kimi is telling me what he/she likes!

hmmmmm...... maybe they should put you in a lab? 

i wonder, though....... if you haven't been listening to Schubert for over a year, and then just all of a sudden put it on, why? Maybe you just wanted a new flavor, maybe, and it satisfied.