What's the point of listening to so much music?

[Mirror Image]

I don't know why one needs to hear the same piece of music played by 20 or 30 different performers in order to 'really like something'. How about just ;listening to the music and enjoying it?

How many times does somebody have to explain this to you? People buy different recordings of the same work to compare the performances. Of course, we all like the music or else why would we be buying it? But the journey is about finding what interpretation is the one you like the most. That's the point of owning several recordings of the same work. This isn't a hobby or some kind of novelty, this is a way of listening to music.

But who said that simplicity is wrong, or bad, its actually way better then putting yourself into this ordeal of eating every single apple in the world until you finally realize that you like apples. I love music enough to enjoy it right away without the whole mambo jumbo attachments.

Why do you keep repeating yourself over and over, paragraph by paragraph? It's like you purposely don't want to accept that people are different than you.

In the end, you will find yourself on a lonely street on this forum or perhaps you already have. You continue to go on and on and there's just no end in sight. I mean seriously what's the point of giving your opinion when you aren't reading other people's? It seems like to me that whoever is involved with you has to agree with everything you say and if they don't then they will be tortured by the constant hammering of your endless opinion.

[Philoctetes]

How many times does somebody have to explain this to you? People buy different recordings of the same work to compare the performances. Of course, we all like the music or else why would we be buying it? But the journey is about finding what interpretation is the one you like the most. That's the point of owning several recordings of the same work. This isn't a hobby or some kind of novelty, this is a way of listening to music.

Why do you keep repeating yourself over and over, paragraph by paragraph? It's like you purposely don't want to accept that people are different than you.

In the end, you will find yourself on a lonely street on this forum or perhaps you already have. You continue to go on and on and there's just no end in sight. I mean seriously what's the point of giving your opinion when you aren't reading other people's? It seems like to me that whoever is involved with you has to agree with everything you say and if they don't then they will be tortured by the constant hammering of endless opinion.

Dude, we warned you.

[Mirror Image]

I think we need to just lock Saul and Satzaroo in one thread.  They can each post their own little stories and musings to each other.   And we wouldn't see them on any other thread.

That would be one boring thread. There would be no dialogue!

[karlhenning]

I think we need to just lock Saul and Satzaroo in one thread.  They can each post their own little stories and musings to each other.   And we wouldn't see them on any other thread.

(* applauds *)

[jochanaan]

Saul, I think I understand some of where you're coming from.  You and I are creative musicians--you maybe more than I since you spend more time composing--and for us, mere listening will not satisfy.  But I myself have many versions of certain pieces.  I think I counted 5 Mahler Seconds at last count, 3 on vinyl.  I don't consider one better than another, say, Kaplan's as opposed to Solti's.  However, one or two may be more "authentic" than certain others.  Among my stacks are the 1924 Oskar Fried recording (Fried worked with Mahler himself) and one by Bruno Walter, Mahler's protégé, probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s.  Obsessive?  Not really, in my opinion, since M2 is such a seminal work.

Ultimately, though, when I listen I usually imagine myself playing or even conducting these pieces.  So I'm less "hooked on listening" than many here.  Yet as for those who do not play, but merely listen, I say more power to them!  Someday they might be listening to you, or me, or the esteemed Mr. Henning or one of the other working musicians on this forum.

(Do I dare bring up my own judgment that maybe musicians SHOULD spend less effort in recording The Old Masters and more in finding good new music to play and record? )

[karlhenning]

I'll drink to more good new music!

[jochanaan]

I'll drink to more good new music!

And I trust you'll do more than drink to that!

[Brian]

Another bad composer... Doorman...

How did you like it?

I love it! I think he is a very good composer. Although you spelled his name wrong.

[karlhenning]

I love it! I think he is a very good composer. Although you spelled his name wrong.

Well, you know, Saul is fond to decree that Schoenberg and Stravinsky are "bad" composers, so his use of the adjective is suspect at best ; )

I mean, apart from his asking if I was serious with the Viola Sonata, nyuk-nyuk.

[Brian]

Well, you know, Saul is fond to decree that Schoenberg and Stravinsky are "bad" composers, so his use of the adjective is suspect at best ; )

I mean, apart from his asking if I was serious with the Viola Sonata, nyuk-nyuk.

In my experience, viola sonatas are a laugh a minute!

[karlhenning]

(Oh. dear.)

[Cato]

How the greats back then listened to music?
Did they listen in the manner that you suggest?

No they didn't, and no one would even suggest that they didn't like music.

Was Beethoven busy running around to hear every version of Mozart's symphony No. 40?

No, he did something else, and that is composed. He created new music that all of us enjoy so much today.
And I know that if he would have been living today, he wouldn't have been busy collecting and comparing music obsessively, but rather he would have concentrated with creating.
Technology is largely responsible for this addictive and obsessive collecting ritual that we have today, but back then people just enjoyed music, as simple as that.

My emphasis above.

You cannot "know" anything that you have claimed!  What we do know is that my list of infinitives will encompass more people with their experience of music than not.

We cannot know what Beethoven would have done, if born in 1970 rather than 1770.  He might never have gone deaf in modern times, and if so, might have indeed listened to all kinds of music, and might have indeed collected various versions of Mozart's 40th Symphony.

And he might have remained immune: it simply cannot be proven.  We do know that he had his obsessions: e.g. he counted out an exact number of coffee beans every day for his grinder. 

That would be a small bit of evidence for the other side.   0:)

And do you really believe there were people who did NOT play the same piece at the piano many times for their enjoyment, or that there were some who did NOT collect sheet music the way people collect CD's?

Prithee, explain precisely how you KNOW what Beethoven would be doing in 2010 A.D.?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Ah, Saul is bored again and no one else will talk to him. Time to once again rile up GMG.

[Brian]

Ah, Saul is bored again and no one else will talk to him. Time to once again rile up GMG.

Since Saul is back for Halloween, this means Sean will arrive by Christmas and Rob Newman by Valentine's Day.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Since Saul is back for Halloween, this means Sean will arrive by Christmas and Rob Newman by Valentine's Day.

[greg]

That would be one boring thread. There would be no dialogue!

LOL that would be reeeallllyy bizarre. 
I know! Limit Saul's posting to his own "Saul's Composition" thread, and limit Satzaroo's posts to that same thread.

I can see it now:
Saul: Here's my Prelude no.3 in G#m

Satzaroo: One time, I had a crazy experience with this annoying person and...

Saul: Here's my Intermezzo for piano in A

Satzaroo: It was a hot, sunny day. A homeless man was behind me, begging for money...

[MN Dave]

"What's the point of listening to so much music?"

What's the point of anything? Please let me know. At least collectors aren't hurting people.

[Sef]

I'd quite like to try every single different variety of apple to find out which one I liked best. Did the same thing with cheese a few years back - never did complete the experiment though. Norwegian Ridder was top grilling cheese for crumpets I seem to remember. Can't even find the stuff now.

[Chaszz]

For myself only, I agree that I am little interested in hearing a work over again once I have more or less exhausted my interest in it. And I concur that the interpreter is of little importance next to the composer. Cover songs in popular music are not an analogy, because the arrangements are different, whereas in classical it's the exact same notes. My favorite rock song for awhile now is Tumbling Dice, and I would say Linda Ronstadt's cover of it adds a very worthwhile alternative version.

When I first discovered major works like the B Minor Mass, Tristan und Isolde, and the Musical Offering, I listened to them twice a day for several weeks on end. Now I rarely if ever listen to them, perhaps once every two years. And am little interested if I hear a good new interpretation has been issued.

A difference is live opera, which with a fresh (non-Eurotrash) production can be a rewarding revivified experience.

Another factor for me is the large size of the repertory. I do not listen continually or even every day, which I suspect is not the case for many members here. So there is a good chunk of the repertory I will not hear during my lifetime. This keeps me busy finding new works, and new composers, such as the late Romantics Parry, Schmidt and Schreker who I am beginning to explore. There is so much to listen to that I put listening to works I already know well, way down on the scale.

[Catison]

Norwegian Ridder was top grilling cheese for crumpets I seem to remember. Can't even find the stuff now.

Is starting to smell?  That will help you find it.