Happiness is...
... listening to the Brandenburg Concertos. Unless you know better.
# posted by Bryan Appleyard : 8:45 AM
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- Name:Bryan Appleyard
A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
9 Comments:
At July 13, 2008 9:36 AM,
ian russell said…
I was introduced to these when nobbut a lad on an album by Walter Carlos, now known as Wendy. You probably know her. I once watched a man play a didjeridoo on an Oxford street and a kid to the side of me was heard to say he could easily do that on his Casio. He missed the point. As long as it's got soul I don't care what it's called or where it came from. Nouvelles Cordes Anciennes is doing it for me right now.
At July 13, 2008 9:43 AM,
ian russell said…
I expect it's more than that. I don't think it would be the same listening experience while waiting to see the dentist, or facing half a day's work an half hour before deadline.
At July 13, 2008 9:44 AM,
malty said…
Try Haydn's Seven Last Words, expresses the anguish felt by every mother whose child pre deceases them, sublime, heartbreaking.
At July 13, 2008 9:58 AM,
ian russell said…
malty, you sick ****!
At July 13, 2008 11:14 AM,
Brit said…
593 for 8 dec.
At July 13, 2008 2:45 PM,
mahlerman said…
Good malty, but happiness was the key word. What about this from a joyous Paris production of Rameau's last great opera-ballet Les Indes Galantes - try to keep your foot still. You see - you can't!
Mahlerman
At July 13, 2008 2:48 PM,
mahlerman said…
Sorry - forgot to paste!
Mahlerman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIi_TvIvUdk
At July 13, 2008 6:12 PM,
malty said…
I may have missed the point, of course, but I am not quite sure why a piece of musics subject matter somber, serious or otherwise should affect the listening experience, that is happy enjoyment, I care not whether it is a requiem or say Haydn's Creation or Purcell's Fairy Queen, both truly joyous pieces, they can instill in me feelings of happiness, as can music played by a particular artist, I can happily listen to John Ogden playing any piano piece. If I can connect with the music I am happy to listen to it.
At July 14, 2008 6:39 AM,
mahlerman said…
No malty, you didn't miss the point, I did. I have always responded, in a rather literal way, to my sensibilities when listening to a piece of music or, for that matter, reading a book. It had never crossed my mind that a state of 'happiness' could be induced by listening to, say, a sombre piece of music, as it is so far removed from my own experience.
I will always remember Charles de Gaulle's response when asked by an inquisitor 'are you happy?'
'Are you mad' he replied
Mahlerman
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