GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LISTENING TO
MUSIC
On 21st June at a World Music Day celebration, my friends Sagari, Mondira, and Shakila spoke about how music has the ability to create harmony and fellowship amongst all of us. And how music fulfils and enlivens all of us and connects us all to each other.
Their words are so
true -- music is a lovely form of magic. It is the magic that can move us, soothe us and make
us happy. Music is the magic that can take our minds off everything else and
give soul to our day.
Sharing the ‘magic of music’ -- Personally,
good music is my mood medicine and relief. Yet, I am just a listener of music. I don’t have the gift, or that
special musical ability to make and perform music, nor do I have the
determination and dedication to engage in an artistic pursuit as complex as
music, which is what all true musicians have in addition to their inherent
talent and their ‘gift’ of music. Dedicated musicians determinedly and continually
explore the vast universe of music and systematically refine and advance their
musical proficiency with regular practice.
My gifts which could be considered useless in the mundane business of
life, are, empathy, and a more than adequate aesthetic sensibility; enough to
be deeply moved by art and design, music and dance, poetry, literature and also
by nature and the natural world. In addition, I do have a good ear for music
and am an attentive, active listener and relish
compositional excellence and artistic merit in music.
Experiencing the joy and the magic of Music -- I listen to Jazz and Blues, Western Classical music, and
Indian Classical music, both Carnatic and Hindustani with equal enjoyment. Regional
traditional and folk music of India enthrals me, like Baul music of Bengal, and
Manganyar music of Rajasthan, and the Monpa music of Arunachal Pradesh, and the
traditional music of Nagaland as rendered by the Tetseo sisters and the music
of various regions of India and Nepal brought so beautifully to life by Arko
Mukherjee. Fabulous Sufi music from all over the world – from Punjab, Sindh and
Iran. The music of Cote de Ivoire, Mali, Morocco, Algeria and other countries
of the African continent and the unusual melodies, harmonies and intricate
rhythms of Bulgarian choral music. Indeed, I like all choral music, and vocal
harmony. However, Pop (popular) music seldom holds my interest, yet,
every so often one comes across some very beautiful pop melodies and lyrics
that make our hearts sing -- good songs are good songs and good music is good
music regardless of the genre.
Music helps us transcend the banality of the everyday -- There’s a lot of music waiting to be listened to if we
open ourselves to listening to all music without setting boundaries to
our ears.
We can open the connection of music with our inner and
external selves and for a brief period of time transcend and ascend from the banality
of the everyday to a higher plane and allow ourselves to hear music that fills
our senses and takes us on journeys where the sound-track of time, space and
the universe will open to us.
Getting all the juice out of the music we listen to -- When
we are open to music, we can listen to all music without
any effort and get the utmost pleasure from doing so.
So, if you hear yourself saying, even to yourself, ‘I don’t like this
kind of music, or that kind of music’, this is essay is for you.
I would like to share the magic of music, so those of us who don’t have that special gift of music, can open our ears and listen to all music without prejudice and enjoy every bit of music, and delight in, and experience, all its magic.
Those who have the gift of music, already have the ability to listen attentively, depending on the level of their talent, whether they are amateurs, advanced amateurs, professionals or advanced professionals, and even these levels have subdivisions amongst them, or, every musician would be a Stevie Wonder, or Bobby McFerrin, or Esperanza Spalding.
LISTENING TO MUSIC -- “Music is a world within
itself; it’s a language we all understand” ~ Stevie Wonder.
Listening
to music could be learnt, so, to really get the most out of music; if you want music to infiltrate your body and mind, all you need is an open
mind and the serenity to listen and let the music weave its spell.
All we need to do is feel and allow ourselves to feel -- Helene Grimaud, a gifted classical pianist in an
interview which I have paraphrased a little, said, “People say, they don’t
know anything about classical music (or jazz), so they don’t listen to it. But
you don’t have to know anything about music to listen to it. Knowledge doesn’t
increase anticipation or enjoyment of music; all we need to do is feel and
allow ourselves to feel”.
“Classical music (and jazz) are rich forms of music from which we can
get so much pleasures and surprises, both are demanding and both don’t offer
instant gratification. Both types of music require investment from the
listener; we can’t sit passively and expect it to wash over us. The more
intensively we listen; the more actively we listen, the more we get out of it.
When you listen you experience something that engenders emotion. In yourself
and others. So, when you listen to music and relate to it, you can listen to it
hundreds of times”.
Music requires investment from the listener. Here are
a few prerequisites to cultivating the ability of listening to music.
Free yourself from the limitations of your mind -- Another prerequisite
– free yourself from the limitations of your mind and surrender to the spirit
of sound. Once you elect to open your mind to the idea of listening, your mind
will be liberated and you will hear music that will warm your heart and lift
your soul.
Active listening -- What we
discovered over years of listening to all kinds of music, and wish to share, is
that to really listen to music, one has to ‘listen’ actively, rather than just ‘hearing’,
which is passive listening. Good listening is active. We’ve got to pay
attention to the music with the intention of truly
appreciating the art, while passive listening is only just about hearing it. Active
listening takes intense focus. It takes much more effort than passive
listening, but is much more rewarding.
By listening
attentively, the music will not sound like something we’re not used to, it
will sound like what it is instead of what it’s not.
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2024/07/why-is-jazz-not-popular-like-pop-music.html
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2023/10/jazz-music-is-like-good-conversation.html
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2021/04/elements-of-music.html
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/an-orchestra-is-holarchy.html
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-orchestra-conductors-instrument.html\
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2016/08/why-we-love-blues-bb-king.html
https://highnotesdance.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-comfort-and-joy-of-music.html
