Classically Savvy

My roommate in college was not a music major, but an engineer. Taylor had a strong voice, a good ear, and a sharp mind, and was an excellent choral musician. When he was having a rough day, he would sneak into the practice rooms in the music building to play piano. Music was his treasure, and he guarded it closely.

Taylor never liked talking too much about music. He reasoned that if he thought about it too much, he’d stop enjoying it. It was his right-brained activity in his otherwise left-brained life, and he wanted to keep it that way. Though it drove me crazy, I could see where he was coming from. Ignorance is bliss.

Maybe he was right. Over the years, I have become more critical. Sometimes the critic takes over in my mind as I listen to music, and my awareness of the musical faults obliterates any chance of getting into the spirit of the music. But I’ve also learned some tricks for quieting the criticism and for appreciating music even when I know there are problems. Even so, when something truly unusual or spectacular or transcendent is happening, I can appreciate it on so many more levels than I ever used to, heightening the experience.

If you continue to read this blog, you’re doing so at the risk of refining your musical tastes. You risk moving from mystery to understanding, You risk changing the way you think about music. You risk growing in your musical understanding. You risk becoming more critical of the music you listen to.

I hope it’s clear that my goal is not to take the joy out of music, or turn you into a jaded music critic. Quite the contrary — it is my firm belief that an increased understanding will help you enjoy music more.

But I make no guarantees. Caveat emptor.