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Feb. 12th, 2021
Friday Morning Piano Selection
Feb. 12th, 2021 11:06 amTime for some music as it is a bit overdue lol!!
Beethoven - 15 Variations on the Eroica Theme in E-Flat Major, Op. 35: I, XV
Steve Reich - Six Pianos
Kaikhosru Sorabji - Opus Clavicembalisticum, KSS 50: II. Preludio-Corale
ENJOY
Beethoven - 15 Variations on the Eroica Theme in E-Flat Major, Op. 35: I, XV
Steve Reich - Six Pianos
Kaikhosru Sorabji - Opus Clavicembalisticum, KSS 50: II. Preludio-Corale
ENJOY
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Anthony Storr "Music and the Mind" (Harper Collins)
In our logos-dominated society, music (not possessing any discernible relation to the external world) often seems a meaningless indulgence ('auditory cheesecake', as Steven Pinker once scathingly observed) - but this is profoundly untrue, especially for those who love music.
But this latter group of people are often clueless when it comes to describing why music moves them so profoundly - after all, they are just tones, sounds - arranged in a particular sequence and perceived through the hearing apparatus of homo sapiens.
The search for this elusive 'more' that music provides to its supplicants is basically at the heart of this fairly dense book. The writing is like quicksilver, dense and light at the same time, as the author (a psychiatrist by profession) wears his erudition lightly, weaving a tapestry of informed speculation drawn from the coils of anthropology, ethnomusicology, psychoanalysis (of course), and philosophy. This exploration is conducted through several pointed chapters, each a dense article in itself, dealing with questions that only music obsessives would ponder: where exactly does music come from? (possibly from our primate heritage) is it true, as Freud suspected, that the fundamental attraction of music is that it represents an escape from depressing reality? (sort of, but not entirely) He even takes a gander at the speculation that solitary listening to music (an evolutionarily novel, and historically very recent phenomenon) can be construed as a neurotic phenomenon.
The conclusion that the author arrives at (after several detours and pitstops) is that music is meaningful precisely because we are, by necessity, meaning-making creatures - we do not grasp individual phenomena as they are by themselves, but their relations. In this, music's well-known affinity with mathematics is made clear, both are concerned with the implicit ordering of abstract phenomena (the relation between tones in music, and the process of ordering itself in mathematics), but mathematics does not have the bodily component that music does. We are inescapably bodily creatures, and music is inescapably bodily. Music thus manages to be both abstract and concrete, mind and body, at the same time - it moves us so profoundly and at our whole being, because it is a synthesis and a re-unity of aspects of ourselves that are very often divided. It is the ur-phenomenon of the primal human process of meaning-making, the crystalline model of our intuitively-felt flow of life.
The author quotes Nietzsche (who has a chapter devoted to him) approvingly, "If not for music, existence would most certainly be considered a mistake." - and the author himself, ends his treatise with the expansive declaration that "music is an unasked-for, and undeserved blessing - transcendent."
I feel as though the author, given the opportunity to write about the love of his life, has just thrown the kitchen sink at it - like all love letters, it is passionate, a bit messy, and a tour-de-force of intellectual synthesis (OK, maybe not the last one) - strongly recommended for anyone who has heard a song.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that while the author's specialty and focus is the tradition known as Western classical music, a knowledge of music theory is not really required (except for the chapter "Basic Patterns" which purports to investigate the claim for the supposed objective basis for the Western harmonic system), given that the book is written at a sufficiently general level - an achievement I feel is of real credit to the author.
In our logos-dominated society, music (not possessing any discernible relation to the external world) often seems a meaningless indulgence ('auditory cheesecake', as Steven Pinker once scathingly observed) - but this is profoundly untrue, especially for those who love music.
But this latter group of people are often clueless when it comes to describing why music moves them so profoundly - after all, they are just tones, sounds - arranged in a particular sequence and perceived through the hearing apparatus of homo sapiens.
The search for this elusive 'more' that music provides to its supplicants is basically at the heart of this fairly dense book. The writing is like quicksilver, dense and light at the same time, as the author (a psychiatrist by profession) wears his erudition lightly, weaving a tapestry of informed speculation drawn from the coils of anthropology, ethnomusicology, psychoanalysis (of course), and philosophy. This exploration is conducted through several pointed chapters, each a dense article in itself, dealing with questions that only music obsessives would ponder: where exactly does music come from? (possibly from our primate heritage) is it true, as Freud suspected, that the fundamental attraction of music is that it represents an escape from depressing reality? (sort of, but not entirely) He even takes a gander at the speculation that solitary listening to music (an evolutionarily novel, and historically very recent phenomenon) can be construed as a neurotic phenomenon.
The conclusion that the author arrives at (after several detours and pitstops) is that music is meaningful precisely because we are, by necessity, meaning-making creatures - we do not grasp individual phenomena as they are by themselves, but their relations. In this, music's well-known affinity with mathematics is made clear, both are concerned with the implicit ordering of abstract phenomena (the relation between tones in music, and the process of ordering itself in mathematics), but mathematics does not have the bodily component that music does. We are inescapably bodily creatures, and music is inescapably bodily. Music thus manages to be both abstract and concrete, mind and body, at the same time - it moves us so profoundly and at our whole being, because it is a synthesis and a re-unity of aspects of ourselves that are very often divided. It is the ur-phenomenon of the primal human process of meaning-making, the crystalline model of our intuitively-felt flow of life.
The author quotes Nietzsche (who has a chapter devoted to him) approvingly, "If not for music, existence would most certainly be considered a mistake." - and the author himself, ends his treatise with the expansive declaration that "music is an unasked-for, and undeserved blessing - transcendent."
I feel as though the author, given the opportunity to write about the love of his life, has just thrown the kitchen sink at it - like all love letters, it is passionate, a bit messy, and a tour-de-force of intellectual synthesis (OK, maybe not the last one) - strongly recommended for anyone who has heard a song.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that while the author's specialty and focus is the tradition known as Western classical music, a knowledge of music theory is not really required (except for the chapter "Basic Patterns" which purports to investigate the claim for the supposed objective basis for the Western harmonic system), given that the book is written at a sufficiently general level - an achievement I feel is of real credit to the author.
The Friday Focus
Feb. 12th, 2021 06:32 pmI shuffled my way down to the local convenience store to post two books I sold on eBay and picked up some cider and milk. The milk was for some muesli somebody gave me. I am not a muesli fan normally but this one from Aldi is quite delicious.
Slowly the snow is melting but still patches which are treacherous.
Anyway, glad to get back safely without a slip. I love the idea of snow, and beyond that, it is my winter nemesis.
FOOD PORN WARNING!!
Lunch was a very warming liver and bacon casserole dish. Washed down with a hefty Rioja vino from Spain.
Oh, and here is a pic of my meaty pizza from yesterday.
Well, as all jazzers know, we are mourning the passing of Chick Corea, who passed away yesterday at 79.
So my next post will be about his music.
Slowly the snow is melting but still patches which are treacherous.
Anyway, glad to get back safely without a slip. I love the idea of snow, and beyond that, it is my winter nemesis.
FOOD PORN WARNING!!
Lunch was a very warming liver and bacon casserole dish. Washed down with a hefty Rioja vino from Spain.
Oh, and here is a pic of my meaty pizza from yesterday.
Well, as all jazzers know, we are mourning the passing of Chick Corea, who passed away yesterday at 79.
So my next post will be about his music.
The Friday Five
Feb. 12th, 2021 09:19 pmWould you rather -
Go Camping or Binge Watching Shows at Home?
Work Alone or Work in a Team?
Dine-In or Have Delivery?
Wear a Sweater or Hoodie?
Eat Meat or Vegetables?
Go Camping or Binge Watching Shows at Home?
Work Alone or Work in a Team?
Dine-In or Have Delivery?
Wear a Sweater or Hoodie?
Eat Meat or Vegetables?
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