music

play
Originally uploaded by madabandon.

I rarely write about music here. Once in a while I indulge in a rave or a rant, like my entry regarding Sting. But lately I have been thinking a lot about listening to music, because the fact is I rarely do it. Of course, I am listening all day long, whether teaching, practicing, or writing. So to listen to recordings is usually not appealing, unless I have a specific piece I need to hear. Thus, when I do listen to recordings, I do so very specifically. I dislike "background music" and while I can handle it when I am not home--as it is everywhere--while home I generally prefer silence, the ambient sounds of my apartment (which is incredibly quiet, a rarity in this city), and NPR for the news. I was trying to explain this to someone yesterday, and got annoyed at his insistence that musicians just want to hear music all the time. Quite the opposite, I think.