# Vehicular Listening



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I thought it might be advantageous to start a thread about music listened to while driving. I always keep a batch of around 20 recordings in my Mazda (vroom, vroom) for my listening pleasure. It is a fast car, and I love working the 5-speed shift.

Having just returned home from running a few errands, I was listening to Mozart's piano concertos nos. 9 and 17 on a Chandos disc performed by Howard Shelley (pianist and conductor). It's a great disc, and these two concertos are among my favorites from Mozart. Especially notable are the 3rd movement from piano concerto no. 9 and the 1st movement from the 17th. That 3rd movement is amazing for its slow 2nd section, and the 1st movement of the 17th is so pristine that I always feel cleansed after a hearing.

Some Shebalin string quartets are likely my next victims.

What have you been listening to lately in your vehicle?


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Long ago I found that due to road noise the only types of music on CDs that work at all are Baroque and Classicism. Too many soft spots in Romantic and 20th/21st Century that I can not hear.


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## ECraigR (Jun 25, 2019)

Vasks said:


> Long ago I found that due to road noise the only types of music on CDs that work at all are Baroque and Classicism. Too many soft spots in Romantic and 20th/21st Century that I can not hear.


I agree with this also. Also, we have a great local classical station where I live, so I mostly just listen to that in the car. I also listen at home! It's on right now with some Scriabin.


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## David Phillips (Jun 26, 2017)

I can't concentrate on classical music when I'm driving - I listen to pop.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Road noise can definitely be a problem - depends on the recording. I have many Bach Goldbergs that sound wonderful in the car, but the one from Simone Dinnerstein is a train wreck; too many of the softer passages are virtually impossible to hear. Dinnerstein is not allowed in my vehicle - same goes for Vivaldi and Hanson (although for different reasons).

Of course, the car's sound system is important. My Mazda came with a Bose system that's fantastic.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

David Phillips said:


> I can't concentrate on classical music when I'm driving - I listen to pop.


The way I look at it, classical music (and other types) are enhancements to my driving experience.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Although this thread is going well, it would be nice if some members commented on specific recordings they have listened to recently while driving.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

The last thing I enjoyed was Steve Reich’s desert music, while on a really nice drive from London to the Lymington to catch a boat to the Isle of Wight, the road passes through the New Forrest.

For urban driving, trips to the supermarket, Dvorak 8 is top pick at the moment.

My worst audio moment in the car was listening to some songs by Georges Brassens while driving down Garrett Lane in Wandsworth, and singing along. I got so carried away by the music that I went through a red light, and was immediately stopped not by one policeman, but by a whole coach of policemen. 

One of them got out was about to give me a fine, the other 30 stayed on the coach and you could see them sniggering. Anyway to cut a long story short he suddenly got an emergency message which told him that he needed to go someowhere fast, and so he let me off!

David Hockney made a film with the BBC about playing music while driving through California, it was very good, I just can’t find it on YouTube,


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

I like to listen to Organ/Orchestra works while out on the open roads. That is, during the late fall, all winter and early spring seasons. The summer season is too hot (average June day = 107°F) to store any CD's or Tapes in the car - so during the hot months I listen to the local classical FM station, KUAT-FM.


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2019)

I don't listen to classical when driving because I find that road noise invariably obscures the quieter passages. I listen to pop, jazz, or spoken word (podcasts). Today I listened to an album called "The Stylings of Silver" feature the Horace Silver band.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Starting around now, my car listening is exclusively Fantasy Football podcasts.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

Not sure why, Webern 6 cd set, Like time has no existence,,,its just you and the music,,,you can travel from NYC to LA and before you realize it,,,you are driving into ,,,LA.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Well, with my Apple Music membership I have access to thousands of recordings in my car. I recently have been comparing Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 recordings. Today I sampled Moravec/Mata and Grimaud/Sanderling at lunch. Found both to be middle-of-the-road.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

The 2nd Piano Concerto being my favorite Brahms concerto, I should put one of my recordings in the car.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Bulldog said:


> I thought it might be advantageous to start a thread about music listened to while driving. I always keep a batch of around 20 recordings in my Mazda (vroom, vroom) for my listening pleasure. It is a fast car, and I love working the 5-speed shift.


Another MX-5 Miata driver here? That's what I drive - but even with the PRHT up the road noise is a problem - most classical needs quiet spaces to be appreciated. However...I replaced the Bose system with a nice Sony and keep a bunch of mp3 ripped disks in the trunk. I particularly like driving long distances with the Glazunov symphonies, the Haydn symphonies, Tchaikovsky ballets, and hundreds of marches for band. Sometimes it's just country/western radio (KRDE!). In cooler weather with the top down, it's country mostly, some news/talk.


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## BobBrines (Jun 14, 2018)

Most if not all car radios have a dynamic compression feature. This feature raises the volume level as road noise increases. Find the dynamic compressor on the radio menu and adjust for best effect. Yes, that flattens the dynamics throughout, but no one in their right mind is going to critical listening in a car


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Bulldog said:


> I thought it might be advantageous to start a thread about music listened to while driving. I always keep a batch of around 20 recordings in my Mazda (vroom, vroom) for my listening pleasure. It is a fast car, and I *love working the 5-speed shift.*


I am with you 100% on that! Have driven a manual since 1977!



> What have you been listening to lately in your vehicle?


Since the end of last year I have been listening almost exclusively to rock in the car, and that only *Stryper*.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Since the end of last year I have been listening almost exclusively to rock in the car, and that only *Stryper*.


That's what I call being focused. :cheers:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Bulldog said:


> That's what I call being focused. :cheers:


Might get the three Dylan albums, Saved, Slow Train, and Shot of Love, going soon.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Count me as another "not in the car" listener. The only exception would be during a stop-and-go rush hour. Copland's "Appalachian Spring" really alleviated one particular Chicago rush hour that I can recall.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Listening to music constantly in my car, I just assumed that all music lovers did likewise. How wrong I was!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Haydn's String Quartets make for a good match with driving on the highway or city streets or rural state roads. Lately, I've been grooving to his op. 20 quartets courtesy of the Salomon Quartet on Hyperion. It's a shame their Haydn series is dead in the water; they are the best performances I have ever heard. Period instrument performances of course.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

For me, classical music is out for reasons already posted: the difference in sound level within a piece.

I've loaded a 32 gb USB stick with pop/rock songs suitable for driving, and play that in shuffle mode.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I've found that Beethoven piano sonatas work well in the vehicular environment, and they're pretty fantastic music too!


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Often listen to the bach Violin Concertos in the car (I have the Podger/Manze recording). Volume is quite constant, and I find it pleasing music to listen to while driving.


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## Guest (Jun 29, 2019)

I like listening to music in the car but never the radio. I have compiled two lists of music, one for Classical and for Blues. Each list is for about 2 hours in length, comprising MP3 files taken from a number of CDs.

The Classical list currently comprises the works of just one composer: John Dowland (1563-1626). He was among the foremost composers of his day. He wrote lots of lute music and many songs. I don't like listening to anything other than fairly simple music when driving in case I finish up in some hedge.

John Dowland's music is most excellent for driving. It keeps you attentive and cool in temperament. I love especially: "Tell Me, True Love", "Go Crystal Tears", "Flow My Tears", "Time Stands Still", "In Darkness Let Me Dwell", "Now , O Now I Needs Must Part".

They're drawn from several CDs featuring singers like Alfred Deller, Andreas Scholl, lestyn Davies, Grayston Burgett.

It's music too beautiful for words.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I do the majority of my listening in the car. When Mrs Merl is with me its exclusively rock as shes no orchestral fan but on my own (especially to and from work) i take my opportunity to listen to many symphony and string quartet recordings. Yesterday it was the Verneer Quartet's Beethoven middle SQs. Volume is usually very high in the SEAT. I have 64gb of music on one USB and two or three other smaller USB sticks (32gb or 16gb) as spares containing different stuff. One memory stick just has 8gb of Brahms symphonies (various cycles) on it and another is full of Dvorak cycles at the moment.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I like listening to music in the car and find I concentrate better when I am driving - especially if the journey is an hour or more - so I often listen to music that is new to me or to new performances while driving. Of course, some music doesn't work so well in a car because of road noise and I tend not to listen to music with a wide dynamic range while driving.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Enthusiast said:


> I like listening to music in the car and find I concentrate better when I am driving - especially if the journey is an hour or more - so I often listen to music that is new to me or to new performances while driving. Of course, some music doesn't work so well in a car because of road noise and I tend not to listen to music with a wide dynamic range while driving.


Im with you there Enthusiast. I comcentrate better when listening in the car. Road noise is rarely an issue cos the volume is generally at deafening level. The only annoyance is very bassy recordings tend to make the stuff in the glove box rattle at big crescendos however that barely happens with newer recordings, just older analogue ones, ive noticed. There's 5 LvB cycles on the 64gb usb that i dip in and out of ready for my next LvB cycles review.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ Exactly! I could have written to same things. I get a bit embarrassed in busy city centres, at traffic lights and so on, as I know all the pedestrians can hear the music blaring out. Heavy beats are one thing for a youngster but loud Beethoven or Ligeti from an aging man's car sometimes draws strange looks.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I pulled up at some traffic lights in Lochgelly (Fife) the other day with the scherzo of Brahms 4th absolutely blaring in the car. You could see the quizzical look of those crossing but I refused to turn it down. Sod them, I thought. It's what I like!


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ One day we will pull up alongside each other at a red light. With a lot of luck we will both be playing the same piece at the same point.


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## Bill Cooke (May 20, 2017)

I listen to film music in the car, and reserve classical music for at-home listening - the reason being, film music is generally recorded with the microphones closer to the orchestra, so there are fewer instances where I'm straining to hear (and if I do, I simply crank up the volume). With classical, there are far too many pianissimos that get lost through road noise.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Bill Cooke said:


> I listen to film music in the car, and reserve classical music for at-home listening - the reason being, film music is generally recorded with the microphones closer to the orchestra, so there are fewer instances where I'm straining to hear (and if I do, I simply crank up the volume). With classical, there are far too many pianissimos that get lost through road noise.


opera works pretty good in a car


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I've been listening in my car the past couple of days to the string quartets of Vissarion Shebalin on the Olympia label which is likely currently defunct. If I remember correctly, he composed 9 string quartets in addition to 7 symphonies. Although his music has a 20th century sensibility, there are plenty of romanticized passages. Shebalin is not on the level of Shostakovich, but he's a good choice for the side-roads of Soviet music. Best of all, the string quartets sound fine in my vehicle - not once did I have an urge to alter the volume level.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

String quartets are a good medium for playing in the car. They are usually closely miked and each instrument gets an equal voice. I got familiar with Beethoven's quartets in my car on errands and then on a vacation road trip. There aren't many pianissimos in those quartets nor in most chamber music, really.

Since you ask which recordings, well, several recordings. Thanks to my car I now think the quartets are so wonderful that I bought a few complete sets. Shanghai and Tokyo Quartets are two.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

Krummhorn said:


> I like to listen to Organ/Orchestra works while out on the open roads. That is, during the late fall, all winter and early spring seasons. The summer season is too hot (average June day = 107°F) to store any CD's or Tapes in the car - so during the hot months I listen to the local classical FM station, KUAT-FM.


It doesn't get that hot in the northeast (well, not so far) and I've never had a CD ruined in my car. I wonder how hot it gets in your car in the sun if it's 107 outside.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

Some time ago I listened to Leusink's J.S. Bach cantatas during car commute every day. My commute time is about 30 minutes, so usually one cantata fits well. Another time, I listened to Haydn's string quartets from Buchberger's set each day. Most of the music from Medieval to Classical is fine for listening in the car. Piano and chamber works from Romantic era are OK. I don't listen to modern/contemporary in the car much, because they are unpredictable (in terms of volume), sometimes too subtle or startling, except for certain types of minimal music. Recently I have been listening to Reicha's string quartets and piano works by Reicha Quartet, Löwenmark, Wirtz and Ilić. I also often listen to jazz in the car.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Nope.

Do not listen to classical music in the car, for the most part. The only time I will listen in the car, is when I just bought something from a composer I am unfamiliar with, and will sample it on my way home from the record store.

This happened just yesterday. I just bought some CD's at Amoeba Hollywood, from a couple of unknown (to me) contemporary composers, and sampled them on my way home.

But for the most part, I do not listen to classical in the car for various reasons. 

The already mentioned problem with road noise and the dynamics of classical. I found myself constantly adjusting volume for pianissimo passages and forte passages. 

Also, my listening is almost exclusively 20th century and contemporary eras, so much of my collection is not conducive to listening to in the car. Atonality, dissonance, extreme complexity, for me, do not mix with driving in general, but Los Angeles traffic specifically. 

And last, but not least, the lack of overall sound quality of car audio systems (even the best) compared to my home system, does not allow me to get as emotionally and intellectually into the music. I do not want to miss any of the detail, dynamics, imaging and soundstage, low distortion, etc, etc, that a good home system affords. No, I am not an 'equipment first audiophile', I care more about the music. But when an orchestra or chamber ensemble is laid out in front of me, with all the instruments in their correct space from side to side, and front to back, and I can 'hear' the venue itself, that adds an entire new emotional dimension, that is unavailable in the car.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

For the past three days I was listening to Peter Watchorn on his Musica Omnia label performing Bach's French Suites and Little Preludes. Certainly excellent, although it doesn't budge my favorite French Suites sets from Alan Curtis, David Cates, and Francesco Cera. Of course, these are all harpsichord versions. My favorite piano version comes from Wolfgang Rubsam on Naxos which is quite distinctive due to its phrasing, tempo, and dynamics.

Concerning the Little Preludes, they may be little but I always enjoy them when played by a consummate Bach performer like Watchorn.

Frankly, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't have music on while driving. It's been a constant with me since I started driving in the early 1960's.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Listening to something in the car is often very nice! That's why I buy CDs now, to hear while driving. Lately I've heard my new CD of Chopin Ballades with Demidenko. Actually my backseat is full of CD's and I LOST CD 5 of my new Schubert quartets box...(damn, must be somewhere...) Also I have Prince singing his songs that others had hits with and some brutal extreme black death metal (Vltimas & Possessed). I like to drive slowly to the extreme metal things and fast to the classical. Händel oratorios at 100 km/h is nice


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

I drove about 40 minutes the other day and played Dvorak's 9th (Belohlavek and the Czech Philharmonic) 







It was amazing. I reached home with about 4 minutes left in the 4th movement. I just sat in my garage to listen to the ending. 
I thrive on listening to classical music in my car.


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## DBLee (Jan 8, 2018)

I always listen to music in the car. Most of the time, I listen to radio or satellite radio; about 40% classical, 30% jazz, 15% country, and 15% 70's-80's rock and pop. As far as particular recordings--the satellite classical station was playing Mahler symphonies yesterday, and I enjoyed them just fine.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Rach Man said:


> I thrive on listening to classical music in my car.


I couldn't have said it as well - congrats!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

For those of you who don't listen to music while driving, what do you do? Texting? Reading the newspaper? Clip your toenails? Trim the beard? Deep thinking? After all, it doesn't take all that much concentration to drive a car without smashing into a telephone poll.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Bulldog said:


> For those of you who don't listen to music while driving, what do you do? Texting? Reading the newspaper? Clip your toenails? Trim the beard? Deep thinking? After all, it doesn't take all that much concentration to drive a car without smashing into a telephone poll.


HAHA! Sometimes the sound of diesel engine and wintertyres is just better than music


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Today's car music has been Bach's WTC performed by pianist Bernard Roberts on the Nimbus label. Although not one of my favorite Bach pianists, the account by Roberts is perfect while driving for its direct and relatively sunny interpretations.

For greater depth, I prefer the piano versions of Koroliov, Tureck, Woodward, and a few others.

Sticking with Bach, my wife and I were listening to the Goldbergs on our long drive back from San Antonio to Albuquerque a couple of weeks ago. The performer was harpsichordist Chiara Massini on the Symphonia label. Although a fine interpretation, it sounded bad on my wife's mediocre car sound system. My wife even said to me - "Doesn't this noise ever end?". One thing for sure is that Ellen Jane's Subaru is hostile to the harpsichord and classical music in general. She prefers Willie Nelson and musicals which unfortunately make me cringe. Willie has a nice voice, but I find all his music innocuous.


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## jenspen (Apr 25, 2015)

Bulldog said:


> For those of you who don't listen to music while driving, what do you do? ... . After all, it doesn't take all that much concentration to drive a car without smashing into a telephone poll.


Interesting question. I would have agreed with you once. I used always to take pot luck with ABC Classic FM when driving. But I've moved nearer to the city, the driving I do is seldom routine, plus I'm easily entertained and I'm...older...

As I take public transport when possible most of my driving now is for social purposes - often with passengers and often in busy streets with overpasses, tunnels, multiple lane bypasses continually proliferating . I try not to even chat in case I end up taking another surprise trip under the river.

So what I try to do is to concentrate on following a route I've mapped out in my mind after consulting Google maps rather than use GPS. I like to observe the other drivers - their cars, their driving personalities - and try to take pleasure in driving as well as I can myself (I said I was easily entertained).

A good thing about all the tunnels is that you are required to turn on an FM station and your lights while in it and there are not many distractions during all that time you're spending in the one lane.

Over long distances I'm a passenger and, apparently, not everyone enjoys my sort of music.


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