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

[Saul]

Saul was the Beaver?

If its history that interests you:


The term "bulldog" was first mentioned in literature around 1500, the oldest spelling of the word being Bondogge and Bolddogge. The first reference to the word with the modern spelling is dated 1631 or 1632 in a letter by a man named Preswick Eaton where he writes: "procuer mee two good Bulldoggs, and let them be sent by ye first shipp".[10] The name "bull" was applied because of the dog's use in the sport of bull baiting. The original Bulldog had to be very ferocious and so savage and courageous as to be almost insensitive to pain. In 1835 dog fighting as a sport became illegal in England. Therefore, the Old English Bulldog had outlived his usefulness in England and his days were numbered in England. However, emigrants did have a use for such dogs in the New World, resulting in the original Bulldog's closest descendant, the American Bulldog. Back in England, they proceeded to eliminate the undesirable 'fierce' characteristics and to preserve and accentuate the finer qualities. Within a few generations, the English Bulldog became one of the finest physical specimens, minus its original viciousness, stamina, strength, speed, and intelligence.

[karlhenning]

That post deserves a lol.

'Tis true; it doth.

[Saul]

'Tis true; it doth.

LOL!

[some guy]

All I was trying to say was that there is no need for this obsessive behavior where people feel that they need to listen to multiple recordings in order to finally come to like the piece. Those who listen to 1, 2 or 3 recordings of the same piece should concentrate on other things, and stop with purchasing endless recordings of the same piece, that's what I am against....

People, fortunately, are free to do whatever they like without consulting you.

Oh, and nice side-step of that other issue I brought up, which is that you're no better at staying on topic than anyone else.

(I know, I know, I took a vow of silence regarding Saul's threads. Bad Michael. Down. Down dog.)

[karlhenning]

All I was trying to say was that there is no need for this obsessive behavior where people feel that they need to listen to multiple recordings in order to finally come to like the piece.

Well, and all I am saying is that, actually, you have no mandate to say this of anyone but yourself. You've got to get over this soft egotism of thinking that what is true for you musically, is necessarily true for everyone, everywhere.

[Mirror Image]

Well, and all I am saying is that, actually, you have no mandate to say this of anyone but yourself. You've got to get over this soft egotism of thinking that what is true for you musically, is necessarily true for everyone, everywhere.

Hear, hear! I'll drink to that! 

[Saul]

Well, and all I am saying is that, actually, you have no mandate to say this of anyone but yourself. You've got to get over this soft egotism of thinking that what is true for you musically, is necessarily true for everyone, everywhere.

This was an opinion made, I dont enforce my opinions on other lol.

[Florestan]

Saul, please don't use my comment as if it endorsed in any way your restrictive position. 

I don't have many multiple recordings as I usually prefer to, say, listen to ten symphonies I've never heard before than to ten different recordings of Beethoven's Seventh.

But neither do I condemn those who have a different approach. Each one of us is free to enjoy music in whatever way he sees fit, according to his personal taste and style. One man's joy is another's boredom. Fortunately enough, nowadays we are able, thanks to the recording industry and the modern technology, to pursue our own musical goals and ideals. And the Earth is large enough to accomodate us all.

[Saul]

Saul, please don't use my comment as if it endorsed in any way your restrictive position. 

I don't have many multiple recordings as I usually prefer to, say, listen to ten symphonies I've never heard before than to ten different recordings of Beethoven's Seventh.

But neither do I condemn those who have a different approach. Each one of us is free to enjoy music in whatever way he sees fit, according to his personal taste and style. One man's joy is another's boredom. Fortunately enough, nowadays we are able, thanks to the recording industry and the modern technology, to pursue our own musical goals and ideals. And the Earth is large enough to accomodate us all.

I dont know what you're talking about, you nailed it man.

You're the man! 

[Mirror Image]

I dont know what you're talking about, you nailed it man.

You're the man! 

And you're such a child. You should really grow-up. What Florestan so elegantly said is common sense, and yet, you acknowledge this post as if it's some kind of epiphany. We have all been saying this all along to you. Again, you fail to read people's posts and when somebody actually says something that "clicks" with you, you praise them as if they're the Messiah. Again, grow-up, Saul. You're in your 30s and you act like you're in your teens.

[jochanaan]

I wonder what would we say if we heard Liszt or Chopin performing their own music... I can already hear some complaining about their inaccuracy, or romantic self-indulgence. As for Beethoven conducting his own symphonies, let's not open another can of worms...

Point well taken.  But remember that I indicated that note-accuracy was only ONE of the objective measures of a good or great performance...

[karlhenning]

And you're such a child. You should really grow-up. What Florestan so elegantly said is common sense, and yet, you acknowledge this post as if it's some kind of epiphany. We have all been saying this all along to you. Again, you fail to read people's posts and when somebody actually says something that "clicks" with you, you praise them as if they're the Messiah. Again, grow-up, Saul. You're in your 30s and you act like you're in your teens.

Really, we just keep coming back to this:

Ladies and gentlemen allow me to introduce to you Saul the Brick Wall:

[Mirror Image]

Really, we just keep coming back to this:

Yes and we'll continue to go back to that.

[Sid]

The point I'd like to add is that, with them buying all of these different recordings, do people actually spend time absorbing them? I mean, I now only buy about one cd every fortnight. Over that time, I try to listen to it as much as I can (along with all of the other stuff). It's the same thing about going to concerts - I find that I absorb the music and performance more if I know at least some (or often most) of the works being played. I find that I get more out of the process if I say only attend about 3 concerts per month where I know the repertoire at least to some extent, rather than say going to double that amount but knowing the works less.

But, yes, as Florestan says the world can accomodate all listeners, whether they only listen to their newly acquired cd's once, twice or many times. I'm more of a deep listener, in the latter category, but not everyone has to be...

[Mirror Image]

The point I'd like to add is that, with them buying all of these different recordings, do people actually spend time absorbing them? I mean, I now only buy about one cd every fortnight. Over that time, I try to listen to it as much as I can (along with all of the other stuff). It's the same thing about going to concerts - I find that I absorb the music and performance more if I know at least some (or often most) of the works being played. I find that I get more out of the process if I say only attend about 3 concerts per month where I know the repertoire at least to some extent, rather than say going to double that amount but knowing the works less.

But, yes, as Florestan says the world can accomodate all listeners, whether they only listen to their newly acquired cd's once, twice or many times. I'm more of a deep listener, in the latter category, but not everyone has to be...

Even though I buy a good many recordings, I'm actually becoming more of a deeper listener. I will spend weeks, months, years with a recording and never tire of it. I like learning the music inside out. I have to continue to listen to music. I will NEVER learn anything by not listening and trying to nail down what it is I enjoy about the music so much.

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

This question doesn't make a practical use of common sense, especially to somebody who claims they love music. Why not listen to a lot of music? Why limit yourself to 10 composers when there are 60 more worth getting to know and who have composed as great music as those 10 you're limiting yourself to? There isn't just one flavor of ice cream that is good, there are many, but how would you ever know if you don't take a risk and try it?

I used to be musically close-minded like Saul, but then something inside of me happened, I stumbled upon the reason for this closure in my mind: listening to what the critics and classical conservatives instead of listening to the music with my own ears. This happened for me this year. As Sid knows, I was quite the classical snob, but now I think there's all kinds of great music out there whether it's more avant-garde or more Romantically melodic, if you're open to music, then you can enjoy it much more.

[karlhenning]

Yes and we'll continue to go back to that.

Oh, aye, he has a certain concrete consistency ; )

[karlhenning]

The point I'd like to add is that, with them buying all of these different recordings, do people actually spend time absorbing them?

Some time immediately, with the intent of spending more time afterwards.  It's a balance, or even, a management of several balances . . . as it is, I am not a particularly voracious comparative-recordings acquirer.  It's more or less up to the individual, of course . . . so I do feel that I derive value from the several versions I fetch in.

[The new erato]

Doors open all the time. That's what's so gratyfing about "listening to so much music". I may well understand the question when one doesn't experience this, as Saul IMO exemplifies. I appreciate other musics and other interpretations now compared to 30 years ago. If I didn't, I might well have wondered about why I spend so much time and money on music, but then again; if I didn't, I wouldn't have. 

[karlhenning]

Doors open all the time. That's what's so gratyfing about "listening to so much music".

Beautifully put.

[Sergeant Rock]

The point I'd like to add is that, with them buying all of these different recordings, do people actually spend time absorbing them?

What do you mean by absorb? The rest of your post implies that repeated listening to one CD is done by you in order to "absorb" the work, not the interpretation. If that's the case, what difference does it make if you listen to one CD ten times, or five different performances two times each, or ten CDs of the work once each? You've still heard the work the same number of times. The advantages of hearing ("absorbing") multiple interpretations vs a single performance are numerous and obvious. No need for me to elaborate.

But even if a person only listens to a CD once, what is wrong with that? We spend far more money on a single ticket to a live event that we'll only hear once.

Sarge