Lack of classical obsessions

[71 dB]

At the moment I feel I don't have any classical music obsessions. I don't listen to classical music much these days. I haven't been very active here. I think I need to just wait for another obsession. I don't have a clue what would be interesting to me at the moment. I think J. S. Bach works best at the moment... ...it feels a bit odd to lack obsessions, it's kind of emptyness.

I admire those who can maintain obsessed for decades. Often I lose my obsession within 10 weeks. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Do I explore composers too fast? What happened to my intetest of Liszt and Schumann? I bought a few cds from both and the interest somehow just vanished. I think I have some interest of Weinberg, maybe the biggest revelations I have had in years. Maybe I should keep exploring him. That problem is it's not cheap, because there are no big and dirt cheap 50 CD boxes of Weinberg. Every Symphony and Cello Concerto is expensive! 

I listened to Granados' orchestral music on Spotify but it was dissapointing. I love Granados' piano music. I have a vision in my head of a type of "Spanish, perhaps Mexican" orchestral music I'd love, but I don't know if anyone has composed such music. Granados' orchestral music is not even close. Ravel is not close either (another dissappointment years ago). I believe such music exists because I can't be the only one envisioning it in my mind. It's just a matter of discovering it somewhere. Perhaps a mix of Ravel, Villa-Lobos and Morricone would be close?

[North Star]

You could give a shot to Revueltas. There's some on Naxos, too.
[asin]B0037TTQCE[/asin]

[(poco) Sforzando]

At the moment I feel I don't have any classical music obsessions. I don't listen to classical music much these days. I haven't been very active here. I think I need to just wait for another obsession. I don't have a clue what would be interesting to me at the moment. I think J. S. Bach works best at the moment... ...it feels a bit odd to lack obsessions, it's kind of emptyness.

I admire those who can maintain obsessed for decades. Often I lose my obsession within 10 weeks. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Do I explore composers too fast? What happened to my intetest of Liszt and Schumann? I bought a few cds from both and the interest somehow just vanished. I think I have some interest of Weinberg, maybe the biggest revelations I have had in years. Maybe I should keep exploring him. That problem is it's not cheap, because there are no big and dirt cheap 50 CD boxes of Weinberg. Every Symphony and Cello Concerto is expensive! 

I listened to Granados' orchestral music on Spotify but it was dissapointing. I love Granados' piano music. I have a vision in my head of a type of "Spanish, perhaps Mexican" orchestral music I'd love, but I don't know if anyone has composed such music. Granados' orchestral music is not even close. Ravel is not close either (another dissappointment years ago). I believe such music exists because I can't be the only one envisioning it in my mind. It's just a matter of discovering it somewhere. Perhaps a mix of Ravel, Villa-Lobos and Morricone would be close?

Don't worry about it. Do what you want to do. I'm probably more interested in theater than in music myself at the moment. I mean if you're not feeling much interest in anything these days, it could be a sign of depression that you'll have to work through for yourself. (It's been said that exercise is as effective a way out of depression as any therapy or medication.) But if something else is more important to you at present, just go for it. I am also at a loss to understand those who renew their symphony or opera subscriptions decade after decade. Getting away from music if it doesn't excite you just now can be healthy.

[71 dB]

You could give a shot to Revueltas. There's some on Naxos, too.
[asin]B0037TTQCE[/asin]

Thanks for the suggestion! I don't know anything about Revueltas. I'll check him out. He didn't live long (1899-1940). 

Don't worry about it. Do what you want to do. I'm probably more interested in theater than in music myself at the moment. I mean if you're not feeling much interest in anything these days, it could be a sign of depression that you'll have to work through for yourself. (It's been said that exercise is as effective a way out of depression as any therapy or medication.) But if something else is more important to you at present, just go for it. I am also at a loss to understand those who renew their symphony or opera subscriptions decade after decade. Getting away from music if it doesn't excite you just now can be healthy.

I don't think it's a sign of depression. I am into other kind of music, not just classical. Or to put it better, I do listen to some classical music (Bax right now - the Naxos disc of Symphony 6 finally arrived today), but I don't feel the kind of obsession I have felt sometimes.

[Ghost Sonata]

I don't think I've been w/o a musical obsession since age 4 (or perhaps before) when I was hit with the "Teddybear's Picnic."  Don't know whether to be envious, 71 dB , or sympathetic! Some of both clearly in order.   That Revueltas idea is a good'un; hope it works for you!  Some Spanish guitar music, maybe?   A slower, but esp. sensitive performance of Albéniz's Asturia : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inBKFMB-yPg

[Jo498]

Didn't you like Ravel at all or just not for something "Spanish"
Have you heard the "Spanish" pieces by de Falla, like "The three-cornered hat", "El amor brujo" etc.?

[Mirror Image]

The best thing to do is don't listen to any music at all for awhile or until you get 'hungry' to hear some classical music, then a new obsession will start. Sometimes it's not having music in your life is when you realize how much it means to you.

[Mandryka]

At the moment I feel I don't have any classical music obsessions. I don't listen to classical music much these days. I haven't been very active here. I think I need to just wait for another obsession. I don't have a clue what would be interesting to me at the moment. I think J. S. Bach works best at the moment... ...it feels a bit odd to lack obsessions, it's kind of emptyness.

I admire those who can maintain obsessed for decades. Often I lose my obsession within 10 weeks. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Do I explore composers too fast? What happened to my intetest of Liszt and Schumann? I bought a few cds from both and the interest somehow just vanished. I think I have some interest of Weinberg, maybe the biggest revelations I have had in years. Maybe I should keep exploring him. That problem is it's not cheap, because there are no big and dirt cheap 50 CD boxes of Weinberg. Every Symphony and Cello Concerto is expensive! 

I listened to Granados' orchestral music on Spotify but it was dissapointing. I love Granados' piano music. I have a vision in my head of a type of "Spanish, perhaps Mexican" orchestral music I'd love, but I don't know if anyone has composed such music. Granados' orchestral music is not even close. Ravel is not close either (another dissappointment years ago). I believe such music exists because I can't be the only one envisioning it in my mind. It's just a matter of discovering it somewhere. Perhaps a mix of Ravel, Villa-Lobos and Morricone would be close?

10 weeks is a long time IMO. I think your problem is that you're limited to CDs and so you can't explore music freely, to find new things which sound like fun to get to know. You need spotify of something like it.

[Keep Going]

If you're looking for something Spanish, Joaquín Turina may be your guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f96Ni8s__MA

[71 dB]

I don't think I've been w/o a musical obsession since age 4 (or perhaps before) when I was hit with the "Teddybear's Picnic."  Don't know whether to be envious, 71 dB , or sympathetic! Some of both clearly in order. That Revueltas idea is a good'un; hope it works for you!  Some Spanish guitar music, maybe?   A slower, but esp. sensitive performance of Albéniz's Asturia : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inBKFMB-yPg

I have Albéniz's Iberia played by Alicia de Larrocha! 
Guitar music is not perhaps what I am after.
Sometimes my obsession happens elsewhere. I have bee very obsessed about crossfeed.  I also watched Seinfeld's seasons 1-8 at te pace of half dozen episodes a day. Been listening to Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream. I hope the 4 classical cds I just ordered from jpc.de will be exciting.

Didn't you like Ravel at all or just not for something "Spanish"
Have you heard the "Spanish" pieces by de Falla, like "The three-cornered hat", "El amor brujo" etc.?

Ravel's orchestral music is ok, but it wasn't what I hoped for not as remarkable as Ravel's reputation indicates. I have the Eliahu Inbal box. Ravel's G Major Piano Concerto is great thou.

I have this de Falla disc:
[asin]B000009OMC [/asin] Naxos 8.554366 DE FALLA POPULAR SPANISH SUITE ETC. THE SCHIRMER ENSAMBLE BRETT KELLY
I bought it 5 years ago and I remember liking it a lot. I must revisit it soon! That's for reminding me of de Falla. I had forgotten this cd!

The best thing to do is don't listen to any music at all for awhile or until you get 'hungry' to hear some classical music, then a new obsession will start. Sometimes it's not having music in your life is when you realize how much it means to you.

The problem is I have non-classical obsession going on. When those obsessions die, there is a chance for classical obsessions. 

[71 dB]

10 weeks is a long time IMO. I think your problem is that you're limited to CDs and so you can't explore music freely, to find new things which sound like fun to get to know. You need spotify of something like it.

I have free Spotify account for exploring. I am going to use it to explore Revueltas next.

If you're looking for something Spanish, Joaquín Turina may be your guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f96Ni8s__MA

Yes, at some point I did explore Turina (Piano Trios) and it was ok.

[Mandryka]

Another strategy is to find a CD you've enjoyed and then see what the performers have also recorded, what else has inspired them. Or find a composer you like and check their influences and those who were influenced by them. Or just find a recording you liked or didn't like and see what others have done with the music.

Most of the stuff you find like may disappoint you, but you'll find enough stimulating new music I expect.

[71 dB]

I'm listening to the Revueltas disc (La Coronela) on Spotify now and it is pretty damn good stuff! Not what I have been after, but definitely music by an important latin american composer I have ignored completely so far.

Latin/Spanish orchestral music is very joyful/heroic. What I was looking for is mellow/melancholic, something like Piazzolla, but more orchestral and far beyond the frames of tango.

Another strategy is to find a CD you've enjoyed and then see what the performers have also recorded, what else has inspired them. Or find a composer you like and check their influences and those who were influenced by them. Or just find a recording you liked or didn't like and see what others have done with the music.

Most of the stuff you find like may disappoint you, but you'll find enough stimulating new music I expect.

Those are good strategies for sure. I have used them over the years to some extent.

[Brian]

I would not worry about this - everyone appreciates art in different ways. Not everyone can be like Mirror Image, becoming obsessed with a composer for 2-3 months, or Bulldog, listening to nothing but Bach organ works for years. If your listening habits lead you to many different places, there is no shame in that; it's not like you gain less from the music. I listen less to classical than before, now, and I listen to a wider range of composers, but that is a source of pride, honestly.

[Mahlerian]

I wouldn't say I usually have "obsessions" in the sense that Mirror Image does regularly, or that you describe.  Enthusiasms, yes, and I do find myself mulling over certain pieces of music for extended periods of time, listening to them multiple times, but the idea of listening to, say, all of the Mahler symphonies in a single day is unappealing to me. I wouldn't be able to attend to them all equally, and would thus lose out on a good deal of potential enjoyment.

[Gurn Blanston]

I've never had any obsessions. I just listen to whatever comes along and enjoy it at face value, then move on to the next thing. There is solid value in that, too.

[Brian]

I've never had any obsessions.

So how would you characterize your Haydn listening?

[Gurn Blanston]

So how would you characterize your Haydn listening?

Only casual. Mozart too. And Beethoven 9 is just a good way to mark the weekend. I'm just a laid-back kinda guy. 0:)

[(poco) Sforzando]

the idea of listening to, say, all of the Mahler symphonies in a single day is unappealing to me. I wouldn't be able to attend to them all equally, and would thus lose out on a good deal of potential enjoyment.

Ha. Back when I took my Ph.D. in 1977, I bought the complete hard-bound miniature scores of the Ring Cycle as my gift to myself, partly with the intention of listening to the entire cycle with score in hand in a single day.

It still hasn't happened . . . .

[(poco) Sforzando]

And Beethoven 9 is just a good way to mark the weekend.

Kind of like your version of Shabbat?