Are You Obsessed with Classical Music?

[Henk]

Mathematicians have variously calculated that musical possibilities are infinite or practically infinite....and that is without considering microtonal scales of 19 or 24 or more notes!

'The world is never all there is.' (Prozorov)

There is always something to add. Indeed for example more notes or sounds, new possibilities of all kinds.

[Cato]

'The world is never all there is.' (Prozorov)

There is always something to add. Indeed for example more notes or sounds, new possibilities of all kinds.

Hello Henk!

Check your messages here!

[Henk]

Hello Henk!

Check your messages here!

I've done. I will reply to you.

[steve ridgway]

Fwiw, this doesn't describe me at all.
I care very much about music, classical most of all, and it regularly transports me to temporary state I might describe as a kind of ecstasy. I almost never listen to it while doing something else, it diminishes the experience considerably for me.
When I'm not listening, which is most of the time, I think about it, but not remotely close to most of the time. I am though permanently in a state of gratitude that it exists, and a state of astonishment at the gift that so many have for composing and playing it. That never goes away even when I'm not in the mood for listening.

Hmm, this is very interesting. It sounds like intense concentration or absorption. Would you say this involves relaxation or forgetfulness of self awareness?

[Iota]

Hmm, this is very interesting. It sounds like intense concentration or absorption. Would you say this involves relaxation or forgetfulness of self awareness?

You describe it well actually. The less I am thinking/self-aware, the more I hear the music and the greater the impact it has on me. If I can eliminate thought almost completely (difficult for me), it feels like there is no barrier between me and the music at all, and that feels magical. I guess it's really just another version of being in the moment, and at those times the music is the moment.

[steve ridgway]

You describe it well actually. The less I am thinking/self-aware, the more I hear the music and the greater the impact it has on me. If I can eliminate thought almost completely (difficult for me), it feels like there is no barrier between me and the music at all, and that feels magical. I guess it's really just another version of being in the moment, and at those times the music is the moment.

I get there sometimes, need to avoid distractions and focus single mindedly on music I really like.

[Iota]

I get there sometimes, need to avoid distractions and focus single mindedly on music I really like.

Yes exactly. Though even if it's music I don't like particularly, I still hear it more clearly which can lead to finding virtues I'd otherwise missed.

[Henk]

You describe it well actually. The less I am thinking/self-aware, the more I hear the music and the greater the impact it has on me. If I can eliminate thought almost completely (difficult for me), it feels like there is no barrier between me and the music at all, and that feels magical. I guess it's really just another version of being in the moment, and at those times the music is the moment.

I think animals also listen like that to music as well, as I view on Instagram. Prozorov uses the term 'ontological mood' which is being in which one is substracted from the transcendental world, all things positive in the world, so that one is in a state of 'pure being' with the axioms 'equality, community and freedom' of 'the world as void'. It's a bit philosophical.. but maybe you like it.

[Henk]

Yes exactly. Though even if it's music I don't like particularly, I still hear it more clearly which can lead to finding virtues I'd otherwise missed.

Yes, that's also what I try to do.

[Iota]

I think animals also listen like that to music as well, as I view on Instagram. Prozorov uses the term 'ontological mood' which is being in which one is substracted from the transcendental world, all things positive in the world, so that one is in a state of 'pure being' with the axioms 'equality, community and freedom' of 'the world as void'. It's a bit philosophical.. but maybe you like it.

I like it very much. But much as I would love to achieve a state of 'pure being' I don't think I ever have, perhaps very occasionally for a few seconds. I am able to abstract myself sometimes when listening to music, or just to the world, but never to the level of truly enlightened people. I aspire to it but spend most of the time surrounded by distractions and a hyperactive mind alas.

[Spotted Horses]

Yes exactly. Though even if it's music I don't like particularly, I still hear it more clearly which can lead to finding virtues I'd otherwise missed.

Not to get too pretentious about it, but I regard listening to instrumental music to be an informal sort of meditation, although I stuggle to maintain focus. A practical reason is that my current technology involves a computer (streaming service or FLAC files on my hard disk). It makes the temptation to fuss on the computer hard to resist.

[Iota]

Not to get too pretentious about it, but I regard listening to instrumental music to be an informal sort of meditation, although I stuggle to maintain focus. A practical reason is that my current technology involves a computer (streaming service or FLAC files on my hard disk). It makes the temptation to fuss on the computer hard to resist.

'An informal sort of meditation' is an excellent way of putting it. I stream a lot on the computer too, and if I dabble with it while I'm listening I lose the connection with the music completely, so I just don't. If I have to attend to something I turn the music off.

[Henk]

I like it very much. But much as I would love to achieve a state of 'pure being' I don't think I ever have, perhaps very occasionally for a few seconds. I am able to abstract myself sometimes when listening to music, or just to the world, but never to the level of truly enlightened people. I aspire to it but spend most of the time surrounded by distractions and a hyperactive mind alas.

Nietzsche calls it 'calm of the soul' (calm in relation to wind). I'm sometimes in that mood, it's very good, refreshing, things go easier after that. You can try to get into it, particularly when you're bored (boredom according to Prozorov is a mode of the 'ontological mood').

Animals are really superior beings compared to us in many aspects. I still have this book to read:
https://www.amazon.nl/Nietzsche-Were-Narwhal-Intelligence-Stupidity/dp/0316388068/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_nl_NL=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=ENMFL10CCSE2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4lEF3fG0q89iSOmk_fpqzg6AXphbTnJX7rS3ancri3tZu2Fz3xb2-DlylG9lxsWFaCduEcQ-umKX2ibgGog5rJbX5reEozi9kFqlLwyhgdpRn1hfF8hTzOX65PJItJ1ClJ468ZQJRvmJBzRhRr4vI3EhbaDzx5oXbP3-CiGYdqUnMZKbSe9VWPEfWj5LAwSHbS6zqsuzfBI-OtxqyyuEpVlUpJN2--984c4yKHBelhoeWyu6ctiTOJYCPihC2luTV33uiAXXI8SfTGXvnINZJJcLxi58i7FS0ZmUm2FIkCs.FbHD64CEyePGJ5KDwieM4JUi5oBVkBMQe1Qc4RwRTIw&dib_tag=se&keywords=If+nietzsche+were&qid=1719860409&sprefix=if+nietzsche+were%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1

[Iota]

Nietzsche calls it 'calm of the soul' (calm in relation to wind). I'm sometimes in that mood, it's very good, refreshing, things go easier after that. You can try to get into it, particularly when you're bored (boredom according to Prozorov is a mode of the 'ontological mood').

Animals are really superior beings compared to us in many aspects. I still have this book to read:
https://www.amazon.nl/Nietzsche-Were-Narwhal-Intelligence-Stupidity/dp/0316388068/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_nl_NL=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=ENMFL10CCSE2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4lEF3fG0q89iSOmk_fpqzg6AXphbTnJX7rS3ancri3tZu2Fz3xb2-DlylG9lxsWFaCduEcQ-umKX2ibgGog5rJbX5reEozi9kFqlLwyhgdpRn1hfF8hTzOX65PJItJ1ClJ468ZQJRvmJBzRhRr4vI3EhbaDzx5oXbP3-CiGYdqUnMZKbSe9VWPEfWj5LAwSHbS6zqsuzfBI-OtxqyyuEpVlUpJN2--984c4yKHBelhoeWyu6ctiTOJYCPihC2luTV33uiAXXI8SfTGXvnINZJJcLxi58i7FS0ZmUm2FIkCs.FbHD64CEyePGJ5KDwieM4JUi5oBVkBMQe1Qc4RwRTIw&dib_tag=se&keywords=If+nietzsche+were&qid=1719860409&sprefix=if+nietzsche+were%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1

Yes I agree, we have a lot to learn from animals.

[Henk]

'An informal sort of meditation' is an excellent way of putting it. I stream a lot on the computer too, and if I dabble with it while I'm listening I lose the connection with the music completely, so I just don't. If I have to attend to something I turn the music off.

I must unlearn to dabble with it.

This is part of a huge problem of society these times. Enslavement to controls and media. Dexterity and hand-eye coordination is rewarded by evolution and social connection as well. We need to focus and learn to relax and rest instead of ADHD.