Unexpected love affair (not literal): anyone experienced it?

[Mastropiero]

I am talking about absolutely falling head over heals with something, or someone, when it was the least expected thing, or person, to peak your interest. I spoke about it privately with @Gargravarr, but I got curious about your own experiences. I am asking because what I am about to share happened to me about two months ago.

I was in the chemo ward, and my wife read an article about an artist that I had never felt any interest in listening to her music, despite her name being rather ubiquitous. I am talking about Taylor Swift. Of course I had heard a couple of her smash hits, but that was it, and a certain musical snobbism on my behalf made me keep my nose up and not bother.

Boy was I wrong. Because of that article, when we got home from treatment we started off by watching some of her interviews on youtube. First step, realizing she is actually smart and witty. Second step, realizing that she is actually quite creative and intelligent about her music and the way she looks after every aspect of it.

The last one was listening to some of her music. It took me just one song, one ten minutes long song, to realize how much I had been missing on over the last years. I was smitten. Since then, I've gone through four of her albums, plus countless live performances on YouTube, and I admit, unashamedly, I have become a swiftie. I just love her music, not because it's catchy, but because it really is good, very good music. Of course, there's a lot of production, an amazing band behind her, incredible backup singers (by the way, the crush I have right now on Melanie Nyema can be considered worrying ), incredible dancers, stunning visuals, everything. However, the scaffoldings of it, the music itself, is absolutely solid, and she can carry pretty much every song of hers just by herself, and her guitar. Take everything away, and her music will resist any scrutiny.


It is the best thing that happened to me lately, as far as music is concerned.

Your thoughts and own experiences?

 

[StratMan]

this happened to me three times.. once with 'The Doors' and next with 'Black Sabbath' and of course The King

with sabbath i first heard the song 'paranoid' and that was that, still love listening to them three decades later.

with 'The Doors' I remember it was a killer summer day, cruising the beaches in my mates Statesman.. of course windows down and music up loud.. we were listening to what I thought was music from 60s but from different bands

I absolutely loved the music from the get go and when I found out it was one band, that was that.. I listened to nothing else for the next 6-8 years, nothing

but the one that really got me 'smitten' was with the king himself.. I was in my very early teens and first heard Elvis Presley.. that was it I was hooked bad.. loved his hair and even had my own 50s dove tail hair do, flat tops U name it.. even coloured my hair blue/black and used brylcreem to give it that shine

my thoughts on Taylor Swift? yeah nah U can have it all to yourself

 

[Gargravarr]

@Mastropiero, I've been working on that single track that will change your mind about jazz, but I have a feeling I'm only going to annoy the hell out of you until I succeed.

But I vividly remember the single thing that turned me on to classical music was listening aged 6 to my Grandpa's vinyl record of Beethoven's seventh (Otto Klemperer with the Philharmonia Orchestra, 1955), the andante movement in particular. Even to my then unformed musical mind, I realised there was a lot going on in there and was utterly blown away. I played it again and again.The recording is still available, and it remains stunning to this day.

 

[Mastropiero]

this happened to me three times.. once with 'The Doors' and next with 'Black Sabbath' and of course The King

with sabbath i first heard the song 'paranoid' and that was that, still love listening to them three decades later.

with 'The Doors' I remember it was a killer summer day, cruising the beaches in my mates Statesman.. of course windows down and music up loud.. we were listening to what I thought was music from 60s but from different bands

I absolutely loved the music from the get go and when I found out it was one band, that was that.. I listened to nothing else for the next 6-8 years, nothing

but the one that really got me 'smitten' was with the king himself.. I was in my very early teens and first heard Elvis Presley.. that was it I was hooked bad.. loved his hair and even had my own 50s dove tail hair do, flat tops U name it.. even coloured my hair blue/black and used brylcreem to give it that shine

my thoughts on Taylor Swift? yeah nah U can have it all to yourself

Haha, no worries, plenty of great music for all to enjoy. Quite the selection you've got there, brilliant stuff.

@Mastropiero, I've been working on that single track that will change your mind about jazz, but I have a feeling I'm only going to annoy the hell out of you until I succeed.

But I vividly remember the single thing that turned me on to classical music was listening aged 6 to my Grandpa's vinyl record of Beethoven's seventh (Otto Klemperer with the Philharmonia Orchestra, 1955), the andante movement in particular. Even to my then unformed musical mind, I realised there was a lot going on in there and was utterly blown away. I played it again and again.The recording is still available, and it remains stunning to this day.

James, BTHVN's seventh is still one of my favorite ones to play, it is a brilliant piece of music. I must say, however, that I have always had a soft spot for the eight symph, and it's not that often you see it programmed.

One that I never cared much for, but that all changed within a single week, was the Pastorale Always liked it, never loved it, until the late Lars Vogt, marvelous pianist and, -who woulda thunk it?- excellent conductor, came to Bilbao. I know for a fact that I will never, ever play another Pastorale like that one, it is impossible. I admit I am emotionally biased, a few months after that, while I was going through my first bout, I found out he was battling a very aggressive form of cancer which, ultimately, robbed us of him last year.

 

[Gargravarr]

Haha, no worries, plenty of great music for all to enjoy. Quite the selection you've got there, brilliant stuff.



James, BTHVN's seventh is still one of my favorite ones to play, it is a brilliant piece of music. I must say, however, that I have always had a soft spot for the eight symph, and it's not that often you see it programmed.

One that I never cared much for, but that all changed within a single week, was the Pastoral. Always liked it, never loved it, until the late Lars Vogt, marvelous pianist and, -who woulda thunk it?- excellent conductor, came to Bilbao. I know for a fact that I will never, ever play another Pastoral like that one, it is impossible. I admit I am emotionally biased, a few months after that, while I was going through my first bout, I found out he was battling a very aggressive form of cancer which, ultimately, robbed us of him last year.

I'm with you on all counts. The 8th is sometimes treated as a jolly interlude at best, and the 6th mostly left me cold. But the circumstances surrounding a performance form as much a part of the experience as the music itself. Sometimes the mood and the moment coalesce to form an experience that just rocks me to my core.

 

[StratMan]

@Mastropiero, I've been working on that single track that will change your mind about jazz, but I have a feeling I'm only going to annoy the hell out of you until I succeed.

But I vividly remember the single thing that turned me on to classical music was listening aged 6 to my Grandpa's vinyl record of Beethoven's seventh (Otto Klemperer with the Philharmonia Orchestra, 1955), the andante movement in particular. Even to my then unformed musical mind, I realised there was a lot going on in there and was utterly blown away. I played it again and again.The recording is still available, and it remains stunning to this day.

mate don't be shy, send it my way too when it ready. I used to hate jazz, used to annoy me quite a bit but have found myself enjoying it when I saw 'soul' with my daughter recently

not sure what changed but something certainly has

 

[Holiday]

I am talking about absolutely falling head over heals with something, or someone, when it was the least expected thing, or person, to peak your interest. I spoke about it privately with @Gargravarr, but I got curious about your own experiences. I am asking because what I am about to share happened to me about two months ago.

I was in the chemo ward, and my wife read an article about an artist that I had never felt any interest in listening to her music, despite her name being rather ubiquitous. I am talking about Taylor Swift. Of course I had heard a couple of her smash hits, but that was it, and a certain musical snobbism on my behalf made me keep my nose up and not bother.

Boy was I wrong. Because of that article, when we got home from treatment we started off by watching some of her interviews on youtube. First step, realizing she is actually smart and witty. Second step, realizing that she is actually quite creative and intelligent about her music and the way she looks after every aspect of it.

The last one was listening to some of her music. It took me just one song, one ten minutes long song, to realize how much I had been missing on over the last years. I was smitten. Since then, I've gone through four of her albums, plus countless live performances on YouTube, and I admit, unashamedly, I have become a swiftie. I just love her music, not because it's catchy, but because it really is good, very good music. Of course, there's a lot of production, an amazing band behind her, incredible backup singers (by the way, the crush I have right now on Melanie Nyema can be considered worrying ), incredible dancers, stunning visuals, everything. However, the scaffoldings of it, the music itself, is absolutely solid, and she can carry pretty much every song of hers just by herself, and her guitar. Take everything away, and her music will resist any scrutiny.


It is the best thing that happened to me lately, as far as music is concerned.

Your thoughts and own experiences?

When my Dad has his stroke and was then fighting cancer he fell in love with Abba a band he had never given the time of day to in the late 70's and 80's. He claimed it was the music that tamed his savage beast.

I like a little bit of Taylor Swift but the repetitive nature of many of her songs bores me. Not saying they are all the same and there is probably a lot of diversity in her music but enough similarities to bore me after 1 song. I like classical and grew up with AC/DC (R.I.P Bon Scott) and therefore loved it when 2 Cellos brought out these "classics with theatrics" among others:
Thunderstruck

Highway to Hell

 

[Mastropiero]

But the circumstances surrounding a performance form as much a part of the experience as the music itself. Sometimes the mood and the moment coalesce to form an experience that just rocks me to my core.

Absolutely. I remember everything about that concert with Lars Vogt. I saw him live, with the Bilbao Symph, in the late 90's, shortly before us moving to London, and I loved his playing. When I saw he was coming to conduct us, I couldn't believe my luck.

However, "my luck" would make me develop a nasty neuropathy on my right arm, cubital tunnel syndrome. It was during the pandemic, due to having to play only for a limited number of people in the audience, we had to double the number of our performances, from two a week, to four a week, condensed within two days. This sudden increase in work hours led to my condition.

I was scheduled for a procedure on my right arm, all we musicians dread the knife, but when three doctors agree, it's hard to protest. The concert with Lars Vogt was scheduled exactly one week before my procedure. One of my colleagues, who outranks me, was adamant and insisting on me taking an early medical and not playing that last concert. I refused, I just knew I had to play that one. It wasn't easy, by that time I could barely hold my bow, much less do anything noteworthy with it, but I soldiered on.

Best musical decision I ever made.

You are very right, James. Circumstances are everything.

 

[rbscebu]

Beethoven's 7th is still my most loved piece of music, particularly the 4th movement. I may be biased as a French horn player .

 

[Nanook]

I am talking about absolutely falling head over heals with something, or someone, when it was the least expected thing, or person, to peak your interest. I spoke about it privately with @Gargravarr, but I got curious about your own experiences. I am asking because what I am about to share happened to me about two months ago.

I was in the chemo ward, and my wife read an article about an artist that I had never felt any interest in listening to her music, despite her name being rather ubiquitous. I am talking about Taylor Swift. Of course I had heard a couple of her smash hits, but that was it, and a certain musical snobbism on my behalf made me keep my nose up and not bother.

Boy was I wrong. Because of that article, when we got home from treatment we started off by watching some of her interviews on youtube. First step, realizing she is actually smart and witty. Second step, realizing that she is actually quite creative and intelligent about her music and the way she looks after every aspect of it.

The last one was listening to some of her music. It took me just one song, one ten minutes long song, to realize how much I had been missing on over the last years. I was smitten. Since then, I've gone through four of her albums, plus countless live performances on YouTube, and I admit, unashamedly, I have become a swiftie. I just love her music, not because it's catchy, but because it really is good, very good music. Of course, there's a lot of production, an amazing band behind her, incredible backup singers (by the way, the crush I have right now on Melanie Nyema can be considered worrying ), incredible dancers, stunning visuals, everything. However, the scaffoldings of it, the music itself, is absolutely solid, and she can carry pretty much every song of hers just by herself, and her guitar. Take everything away, and her music will resist any scrutiny.


It is the best thing that happened to me lately, as far as music is concerned.

Your thoughts and own experiences?

She started off singing country music before becoming more pop. Whilst I'm not too much of a fan of her main stream music, she's a fantastic country singer/song writer. Her duo with Chris Stapleton is really good.