Last night, for example, just fifteen minutes to grab some Chopin - four Nocturnes (from the complete set by Barenboim on DG, 2 CDs at a bargain price) and I had never quite grasped their utter crystalline gorgeousness (a vile phrase that gets nowhere near how it felt, but will do for now.)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Ears Open
So much great music and so little time! But here's a thing: being overwhelmed with work helps me hear more intensely. Those sweet moments of surrender to sounds in concord (and sweet discord in some cases - I'm thinking Dylan, offhand) become even more, well, sweet, when they are short & more precious as a result.
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2 comments:
I can't remember if I ever told you, but my grandfather used to spend the mornings after breakfast (and sometimes during breakfast), playing Chopin's Nocturnes before he went off to do his housecalls. One day I asked him about it, and in that knowing finger-to-the-side-of-the-nose way that grandfathers have, he said innocently, "Why? Is there a better time to play them?"
No you didn't (tell me) I don't think as I'm likely to have remembered such a good story. Grandad sounds funny and wise (a dangerous combination.)
Oddly I do some of my best listening in the morning - but rarely get the chance. For some reason I don't usually play music in the car on the way to work, but listen to the BBC. Not sure why.
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