# Ways of conceptualizing music



## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

I tend to conceptualize music differently by genre:

Keyboard Solo: I think of this as music about _me_. As in, all the thoughts expressed by the music, and all the emotions, are my own. I also tend to think of the piano as a relatively 'cold' instrument, in that it lacks a powerful sustain; and it is the most intellectual and abstract of instruments. I can identify with it because of these things.

Chamber: I think of this music as thoughts and feelings expressed by my close friends.

Orchestral: This is music expressed by the masses. They may be raging out against me, or shouting in support of me, but either way I think of this music as being _the voices of everyone else_.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone had a similar sort of conceptualization of music; you may also share ways you think about all the different styles and genres.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

That is interesting, I can't say I've ever conceptualized music in quite that way. For myself, when I was younger I used to have a very specific idea of what I wanted music to sound like, and things that did not fit that criteria were very quickly discarded. I think it was when I was in my late teens that I first started getting my understanding of music actually broadened by pieces that I did not necessarily like or understand at first. At this point I felt very humbled and 'awed' about music, and began approaching it in a different way, with more of an open mind towards many different sounds, and the vast potential of different sounds. 

I like to see artists stretching the barriers of different genres, and changing perspectives. For example if you came across a piece for solo piano that made you think differently about the instrument itself for a while -ie - maybe not so 'cold' and 'intellectual' while hearing this piece, that in itself is something I strive for as an artist - to be able to allow people to experience different things, and expand perceptions.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Hah! _Ravellian_, your egocentricity is impressive. Personally, I think those composers didn't know me from the postman in the next county.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I always think of all music genres as a kind of sharing process or sharing a mutual experience. So when I hear a really moving part, I think, "Man, they're going to love this!" I just don't know who "they" are. I guess I always want to turn other people on to my own cool experiences. 

As far as concepts and genres, I often think of baroque music as some kind of fractal, or a complex code like a musical version of DNA, and mystic or numeric universal truths could be hidden within it if we only knew how to "see" the music.

Classical period music does similar things but on a more macro scale, not by micro motifs, but by the overall themes. Sometimes this is too big for me to perceive and I need the help of annotations to explain it to me. 

Romantic music of course often seems more about drama, so I am often picturing genre illustrations in my head - the shashbuckler who has just been disarmed and is backed against a cliff, or a woman who has been betrayed by her former lover, etc. That's pretty straightforward I guess. 

Then with 20th century music and beyond, I often come full circle and I'm right back in the fractal mode of baroque music, but with a completely different set of codes.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Yes, Opera: a bunch of cuckoos on stage. Singing. All against me.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Hah! _Ravellian_, your egocentricity is impressive. Personally, I think those composers didn't know me from the postman in the next county.


Ha, Hilltroll72, exactly my sentiment! (Sorry I was late on a scene, writing something else.)


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Well, vocal music in general is much less abstract, since it's almost always about something in particular. That's partly why I don't like it as much!

And why not have music be all about the listener? Isn't music supposed to affect the listener personally?



Weston said:


> As far as concepts and genres, I often think of baroque music as some kind of fractal, or a complex code like a musical version of DNA, and mystic or numeric universal truths could be hidden within it if we only knew how to "see" the music.
> 
> Classical period music does similar things but on a more macro scale, not by micro motifs, but by the overall themes. Sometimes this is too big for me to perceive and I need the help of annotations to explain it to me.


I'm not really sure what you mean by "seeing" the music, but that sounds pretty cool! I'd like to hear more elaboration on this.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I don't know if this counts, but sometimes when I'm listening to music an image of what I think the sheet music of the piece would look like pops into my head. I guess that's not too exciting :lol:


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

For me, it doesn't matter what medium the music is in (solo instrumental or orchestral _etc._), so long as it doesn't have a particular programme, then I'm always very introspective (narcissistic?!) and only ever think about how the emotions in the piece relate to my emotions, whether in the past, present or future. Typically, because of a few years of (melodramatic!) depression, my bleakest thoughts are always the centre of how I conceptualise a piece - the music may reinforce my self-hatred; propel me towards cheery optimism; or just simply console me, but it's always _in reference_ to the darkest thoughts I've had (/have). I'm never as emotional as when listening to music...

[*puts happy hat back on!*  ]


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Ravellian said:


> I tend to conceptualize music differently by genre:
> 
> Keyboard Solo: I think of this as music about _me_. As in, all the thoughts expressed by the music, and all the emotions, are my own. I also tend to think of the piano as a relatively 'cold' instrument, in that it lacks a powerful sustain; and it is the most intellectual and abstract of instruments. I can identify with it because of these things.
> 
> ...


Interesting. I sometimes "conceptualise" by period intead of genre, and a lot of it has to do with the interpretation/performance of the piece before my ears. For example, historically informed performance of Classical instrumental pieces often come to me as poised and refined in a clear and structured way that somehow often clicks so well with me. Romantic orchestral pieces often come to me as overtly emotional pieces that sometimes seem puzzling (but fun) to try figuring out what the "emotional baggage" in the music was all about, like an unhappily married couple.

Of course, a discussion of these sorts would not ever be complete without addressing how I "conceptualise" the modern avant-garde. Actually, it's quite simple. Often, it's just like a vaccum cleaner: all noise and hot air at the exhaust.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Polednice said:


> For me, it doesn't matter what medium the music is in (solo instrumental or orchestral _etc._), so long as it doesn't have a particular programme, then I'm always very introspective (narcissistic?!) and only ever think about how the emotions in the piece relate to my emotions, whether in the past, present or future. Typically, because of a few years of (melodramatic!) depression, my bleakest thoughts are always the centre of how I conceptualise a piece - the music may reinforce my self-hatred; propel me towards cheery optimism; or just simply console me, but it's always _in reference_ to the darkest thoughts I've had (/have). I'm never as emotional as when listening to music...


Yes, this is similar to how I listen. After all, classical music should be about the listener, right?



HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Interesting. I sometimes "conceptualise" by period intead of genre, and a lot of it has to do with the interpretation/performance of the piece before my ears. For example, historically informed performance of Classical instrumental pieces often come to me as poised and refined in a clear and structured way that somehow often clicks so well with me.


I see. So you like period instrument performances? I can't say I enjoy the weaker sound that comes from the period string instruments; to me, they often sound more whiny than assertive.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

I conceptualize some music being attractive fragrance, and others, *****.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Ravellian said:


> I'm not really sure what you mean by "seeing" the music, but that sounds pretty cool! I'd like to hear more elaboration on this.


I'm not sure either. Maybe I meant constructing a 3 dimensional representation of the music, but really I just meant some elusive quality to the music our senses are not quite adequate to perceive. It's that tantalizing feeling that there could be hidden truths within the music. (Don't worry - I don't "hear voices" or anything, unless someone is singing.  )


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Ravellian said:


> Yes, this is similar to how I listen. After all, classical music should be about the listener, right?


I certainly agree with that, and not just with music - I think that, with any form of art, it's the reception of the audience that matters above all else (including authorial intention and contextual information).


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