Music
Last night, I heard the most incredible concert, an all Rachmaninoff program. My heart fluttered, my eyes teared, and my soul caught fire, as I heard this composer who has captured my ear, heart and soul for more than 30 years. What a magical night, to be repeated again this weekend...
"What is music? How can one define it? Music is a calm moonlit night, a rustling of summer foliage. Music is the distant pearl of bells at eventide. Music is born only of the heart and it appeals to the heart. It is love. The sister of music is poetry and the mother- sorrow...Music, I have always felt, should be the expression of a composer's complex personality. A composer's music should express the country of his birth, his love affairs, his religion, the books that have influenced him, the pictures he loves. It should be the sum of a composer's experiences."
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Thank you for your minds.
"What is music? How can one define it? Music is a calm moonlit night, a rustling of summer foliage. Music is the distant pearl of bells at eventide. Music is born only of the heart and it appeals to the heart. It is love. The sister of music is poetry and the mother- sorrow...Music, I have always felt, should be the expression of a composer's complex personality. A composer's music should express the country of his birth, his love affairs, his religion, the books that have influenced him, the pictures he loves. It should be the sum of a composer's experiences."
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Thank you for your minds.
18 Comments:
To be honest I don't knowRachmaninoff's work, but music has always been a great help in dfficult moments, it took my mind off things and it can relax and bring me joy.
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Prag,
If you have not had the opportunity to hear Rachmaninoff, I suggest you download some of his music and listen to it. To me, this is a composer who speaks, through his musical notes, exactly what you read above...
again you cannot handle the truth
Music affects me, too. I get teary when I hear certain songs that stir my heart. Rachmaninoff: you've got good taste, girl!
I've always loved classical music & Rachmaninoff is one of my favorites. Piano Concerto no. 2 is my fav. :)
On the above: I just have to say, happy birth anniversary to Astro! It sounds like he lived a long, full dog's life... and he made your life better for 13 years. I'm sure you made his life better, too! I'm sorry he's not here with you today.
Hmmm... good thoughts Barbara. :)
One thing that I love about music is the way that certain songs, genres, artists, and other musical specifics are ingrained in phases of life.
There are certain songs that take me back to when I fell in love, when I’ve been hurt, when I’ve learned an important lesson, or when I tried something new. For me, music is much as Rachmaninoff describes – the essence of being... a resonance of life, and the great dance.
I love to rock out with Metallica, cry out with Morissette, swoon with Cowboy Junkies, and bounce along with Talking Heads... there is really very little music in this world that I don't like. It is simply impossible for me to pick a favorite song or artist! Each one is like a brand new love.
I suppose my only real regret when it comes to music, is that I'm such a lousy singer! But that doesn't stop me in the shower :)
A very talented composer, and it helps that so many good directors do his stuff.
I used to have some records of him playing, and for the longest time, I thought I could learn how to play the piano from listenning to him over and over and over.
And....he still plays great and I still don't.
Oh well. It's still fun trying.
Music is life -- literally! The first time I read about string theory I was struck by how connected it is to music. For the uninitiated, it essentially reduces differences in elements to differences in the vibrations of their constituents. So from the perspective of string theory, matter, movement, energy, LIFE, is all vibration -- which is music.
B, could you recommend a particular Rach recording (such as a specific CD) to the uninitiated? I think G has some but he's not as well acquainted with the composer as you are.
Music is definitely a life force for me, and I can relate to so many of your comments.
I am happy to make recommendations. Let me know if you like works for piano, or spymphony, chamber, or voice (only two in this category.)
It is the case that I miss Astro terribly, and his absence has left a deep hole inside my heart.
More Rachmaninoff this afternoon!!!!
I have heard you sing the praises of Rachmaninoff before, but haven't heard much of his work. I know his infamous piano concerto no 3, and absolutely love it. I just haven't thought of hearing more of him until now. I have been in a classical music mood lately, but my favorite have always been Bach and Pergolesi. A bit older than Rachmaninoff.. Do you have any recommodations of where I should start to get to know Rachmaninoff better?
I, too, am a huge fan of Rachmaninoff. So glad you were able to attend such a moving and wonderful concert!
You of course know instinctively that I would never misdirect you, I hope, and with this in mind, let me introduce a friend of mine who also likes dogs (we are a breed apart from the rest of the world. Ya either like dogs or y'don't. And, if y'don't, we will listen to ya sometimes, but, we got not much use fer ya)
Hope you'll check her out.
http://www.alli-gal.blogspot.com/
And, to be sure, thinking about it, I went through m'records last night and found what I thought I was talking about, but, to my great surprise, it was NOT Rachmaninoff playing.
It was Ruberstain.
But, it was Rachmaninoff he played, and also the Hungarian Dances....
Dang! I sure wish I still had a record player! This is torture!
As you know, I love Rachmaninoff. He was a moody person and he wrote depending on his mood. I'm glad you go to go to such a wonderful concert. Who played the piano?
Piano please. :-)
some one told me "if it moves you, its music". That definition has always stuck with me
Ahhh I love Rachmaninoff...especially his 2nd and 3rd Piano Concerti...
I pass by the building that he lived in..in Manhattan every once in awhile...and try to feel his spirit and big Russian heart...
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