Music and Deja vu

[Sean]

I had an odd experience with Albeniz's Merlin- it sounded exactly like I was already familiar with the music when I'd never heard it before, and in fact it had hardly been performed (it's at a good level melodically).

Also coming to Vaughan Wiliams for the first time, particularly the symphonies, gave me the sensation that of course this expressive realm had to exist, as though I was being reminded of something I already knew- an experience I don't think I've had elsewhere in music.

Lastly I'm not sure how to explain the deep sense of nostalgia, and loss, of some 80s minimalism, eg Koyaanisqqatsi or Nixon in China.

[KevinP]

My mother used to play me Rachmoninof's C#minor piano concerto while I was still in the womb, and when I first heard as an adult discovering music, it had an incredible impact on me. 'Deja vu' doesn't begin to explain it. It was like coming home.

I'm sure she played it after I was born too, so it's not some great piece of pre-natal evidence, but still what a whallop it packed for me.

[Sean]

Interesting one.

[greg]

Peter and the Wolf. Heard it when I was in 1st grade music class, then never heard it again until I discovered Prokofiev when i was about 16 or 17.