The experience of listening to music — recorded or otherwise — is impacted by countless external forces. And for me, the surrounding context of hearing music is as important as the music itself. Years ago a close friend of my family fell ill. At the time, no one knew this person’s days were limited; their final moments counted in hours instead of years. However, after a bedside vigil, I drove home to Des Moines in my nearly new Saturn Sedan. For these long trips I usually brought a stack of CD’s to keep me company. Without any real reason, I brought along my recording of Bach’s cello suites.
With the picture of my ailing loved one still fresh in my mind, Bach’s suites, which never struck me as spiritual or religious statements, assumed a gravity fitting of that sensory moment. To this day, I have thought Bach’s suites would be perfect music to die to.
This experience — fitting music to context — has been repeated many times over the years. Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony is forever connected in my mind with a bad date I had in Iowa City. Love and life, both fickle and fleeting, must be embraced firmly and more often than not bravely.
Continue reading Music matches context this past Sunday
Gathering Note 