music

Apropos of my Xmas music post: my family, used to my rants against annoying music, suggest that I simply ignore the music which offends me. But like most musicians I know, it is very difficult to tune out music. If it is present, I listen. Musicians tend to hear more acutely than non-musicians. We are trained to do this, and we do it intuitively; that is why we are musicians.

I don't listen to music as background. I don't play music at home unless I specifically want to listen. Of course, if I have guests, I will put music on. Otherwise, no. I do listen to NPR, though, to hear people talk. The French composer Darius Milhaud, a close friend of one of my teachers, used to compose with the radio blaring and his many children and animals running all around him. I can compose with the radio on, and do so often, as long as it is not playing music.