Are You Obsessed with Classical Music?

[Florestan]

In another thread, our esteemed colleagues @San Antone and @DavidW made the point, to which I subscribe based on personal experience, that the average concert/opera-goers, while fully enjoying their evening at the concert hall/opera house, nevertheless are not obsessed with the music and few of them, if any, own multiple recordings of it, let alone compare them. For these people classical music in whatever form seems to be just a welcome diversion from their daily drudgery.

This attitude strikes me as completely different from that of the average GMG member, for whom classical music in the guise of different recordings and performances is their daily bread-and-butter. It seems to me that, for most of us, classical music is really an obsession --- from dawn till dusk we listen to and think about nothing else than classical music, recordings, performances, comparisons etc. Looks like our families, our jobs, our friends and our entire social environment have no other role than to support, and bear with, our classical music obsession. Looks like without this continuous and exclusive focus on classical music, our lives would be devoid of meaning and purpose.

Oftentimes I think that this is completely and absolutely unhealthy, that there is much more to life than classical music, and that those for whom classical music is just a welcome diversion from their daily drudgery have it right and live a more balanced life than those for whom classical music is an obsession.

What do you think?

[Henk]

Music is the obsession to me, not just classical music.

I need Lenny Kravitz as much as I need Mozart, maybe more.

[Florestan]

Music is the obsession to me, not just classical music.

I need Lenny Kravitz as much as I need Mozart, maybe more.

Suppose you were born 200 years ago. No power stations, no recordings, no internet, no Lenny Kravitz. What then?

[Henk]

Suppose you were born 200 years ago. No power stations, no recordings, no internet, no Lenny Kravitz. What then?

Going to live-concerts at the end of the day, probably. During the day it would be a problem. Really a misfortune to have been born 200 years ago. I would go hiking or something, be surrounded by the sounds of nature. Maybe I would play an instrument and invent jazz. ☺️

[Florestan]

Really a misfortune to have been born 200 years ago.

Relating to classical music, not at all, in my opinion. On the contrary, I am firmly of the opinion that people in 1824 had a more healthy and profound relationship to "classical" music than WE have.

Maybe I would play an instrument

A-ha!

[Florestan]

Going to live-concerts at the end of the day, probably.

Except that concerts back then were (1) not daily, and (2) completely different from our contemporary concerts. They lasted an average of four hours and mixed vocal, solo instrumental and orchestral numbers; applause between numbers/sections were customary, implying that the number/section applauded had to be repeated.

During the day it would be a problem.

In 1824 music in whatever form was much more part of the daily experience of the average citizen than in 2024.

You know, the past is a foreign country.

[foxandpeng]

Not an obsession, but very important. I also listen to inordinate amounts of a variety of metal genres, but classical music is probably more important to me.

I'm fortunate to work from home, so can spend a large part of my working day accompanied by music. Aside from that, I have dreadful tinnitus and can't work in silence.

Good old classical music.

[DavidW]

Except that concerts back then were (1) not daily, and (2) completely different from our contemporary concerts. They lasted an average of four hours and mixed vocal, solo instrumental and orchestral numbers; applause between numbers/sections were customary, implying that the number/section applauded had to be repeated.

I think people heard music more often at home.  It was pretty common to buy a keyboard and have some playing and singing, especially after dinner.  And music is still of course customary at church service.

[DavidW]

I think another thing that makes our obsession different is that for most of us it is an obsession with collecting recordings.  Streaming is the great equalizer.  I wonder how many times MI bragged about a recording being rare or OOP only to have someone post a youtube link?

A thing that many of us would find strange, but one thing my students get really excited about is Spotify Wrapped where they get shown the music they listened to and rediscover old favorites.  And it truly is a rediscovery because they just ramble along (but they still have favorite artists and albums).

I think what streaming, radio listening, and then casual concert going may have in common (but not always) is just taking in the music as an experience and then letting it go.  Can we let it go?  Hold on, I'm about to listen to Vanska II Sibelius 2 and 5 while mentally comparing to Vanska I, Barbirolli and Segerstam... oh yeah I guess I can't let it go!

[Florestan]

I think people heard music more often at home.  It was pretty common to buy a keyboard and have some playing and singing, especially after dinner.

Exactly. I claim that amateur playing and singing was a much more healthy and profound way of engaging with, and experiencing of, "classical music" than listening to, and comparing of, multiple recordings.

[atardecer]

I think for many the obsession is more about studying the music, practicing it and possibly performing and/or composing it more so than a focus on recordings and comparisons. The latter didn't exist when classical music was arguably at its peak. Many heavily involved at the former may not even find much time for interacting on a forum such as this.

I think anything in excess can be problematic, and I agree a balance in life is good. On the other hand I suspect those that don't care deeply about something in life generally don't live very fulfilling lives. That something doesn't have to be music of course. But I suspect that those that care deeply about music get more out of their musical experiences in general compared to those who use it as a simple diversion.

[Florestan]

those that care deeply about music

What do you mean? What is/are the mark(s) of one who cares deeply about the music?

[atardecer]

What do you mean?

Seeing music as something that can be more than just entertainment or a diversion. Having profound experiences related to music and seeking to understand the experience and cultivate it in one's life. Seeing music as something important.

[Florestan]

Seeing music as something that can be more than just entertainment or a diversion. Having profound experiences related to music and seeking to understand the experience and cultivate it in one's life. Seeing music as something important.

In other words, being obsessed with classical music. 

[atardecer]

In other words, being obsessed with classical music. 

I prefer saying care deeply. Obsession can suggest something potentially unhealthy and unbalanced, which can happen of course. I agree with you that balance in life is good. I suspect having some balance is more conducive to artistic inspiration, rather than hyper-focusing on one thing too much. I think it is good to care, but not to the exclusion of other important things. I also think sometimes there is a danger in becoming arrogant or starting to feel superior to others when one becomes obsessed.

[Florestan]

Obsession can suggest something potentially unhealthy and unbalanced,

Exactly. Listening to, and comparing, and  ranking, 245 different recordings of Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata is complete and absolute madness.

[San Antone]

In another thread, our esteemed colleagues @San Antone and @DavidW made the point, to which I subscribe based on personal experience, that the average concert/opera-goers, while fully enjoying their evening at the concert hall/opera house, nevertheless are not obsessed with the music and few of them, if any, own multiple recordings of it, let alone compare them. For these people classical music in whatever form seems to be just a welcome diversion from their daily drudgery.

This attitude strikes me as completely different from that of the average GMG member, for whom classical music in the guise of different recordings and performances is their daily bread-and-butter. It seems to me that, for most of us, classical music is really an obsession --- from dawn till dusk we listen to and think about nothing else than classical music, recordings, performances, comparisons etc. Looks like our families, our jobs, our friends and our entire social environment have no other role than to support, and bear with, our classical music obsession. Looks like without this continuous and exclusive focus on classical music, our lives would be devoid of meaning and purpose.

Oftentimes I think that this is completely and absolutely unhealthy, that there is much more to life than classical music, and that those for whom classical music is just a welcome diversion from their daily drudgery have it right and live a more balanced life than those for whom classical music is an obsession.

What do you think?

There was a time when I was more "obsessed" with comparing recordings than I am now, or have been for a pretty long while.  Now, I listen to recent recordings of works I know I like, and don't even think about how they compare to others. I enjoy new music which I mainly find on YouTube.  Streaming satisfies my completist gene since I can assemble all the recordings of an artist (or dozens of recordings of a popular work) without spending any money other than the monthly subscription fee. The audio quality on Spotify Premium fine for me.  I do most of my listening driving since where I love I often have 45 minutes or more drive time. 

I rarely buy CDs anymore (when I do it is usually of a box set of a specific period, artist, or style of non-classical music, e.g. Smithsonian Folkways offers a number of these kinds of sets), and rely on streaming for almost all of my listening, especially classical music.

[71 dB]

I used to be obsessed with classical music around 1997-2002 when it all was very new to me. Later on I have even struggled to connect well with it. Music in general means less for me these days. Still means a lot, but not the way it has in the past. Nowadays I enjoy listening to people talk on Youtube. Some people just have mesmerising voice to listen to, no matter what they are talking about. Those people tend to be Youtubers, surprise surprise. So often I rather listen to Vaush rant about something than listen to classical music.  My life feels weird, but it is what it is. I have changed so much as a person...

[Todd]

It is an enjoyable hobby.  A lot of people on this forum appear to think about music too much.  And some people think way too much about what other people think of music.  Go outside.  Smell the roses.  Take a walk.  Eat a sandwich.  Etc.

[DavidW]

Exactly. Listening to, and comparing, and  ranking, 245 different recordings of Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata is complete and absolute madness.

Suspiciously specific!