# What does your spouse/S.O. think of your musical taste?



## anon2k2 (Dec 18, 2007)

My wife and I have very different tastes. I'm squarely a classical music lover, although I will gladly listen to well done music in just about any genre (including the ever polarizing categories of country/western and Rap)

My wife is distinctly a rock-and-roll kind of gal. She thinks of "my music" as outrageously boring or unlistenable. While she can somewhat stay still for a few minutes of Mozart or Beethoven, she immediately bolts for the door as soon as Mahler, Messiaen, or even Prokofiev eminate from the stereo.

This certainly has not put a damper on the relationship, as we have been married for 15 years and counting.

But I was just wondering what your spouse or significant other thinks of your musical taste and how you peacefully coexist if your tastes are different.


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

My Husband and I also have very different tastes. I am a classical music fan and he is a jazz fan. We have been married for 31 years, so clearly it has not sent us to the divorce courts yet.

I think it is just a bit of give and take, our CD player plays 3 at a time so it is usually a case of putting a mixture of music on. If he is on his own it will probably be jazz he is listening to, and I would be listening to classical or possibly some easy listening music.

I think it is good to have different tastes, otherwise we would never listen to anything else than one kind of music, for instance I never really liked jazz before, but now I can tolerate it.

I think going to see Cleo Laine at the London palladium slightly changed my mind. she was brilliant. 

But having said that classical music is still my first love.


Margaret


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

We met at uni both doing classical music courses. Go figure.

She was doing a Clarinet course, and I am doing composition.


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## fox_druid (Feb 12, 2007)

I'm still a high school student and of course i've not married yet.
well, as far as it goes, most of my friend would say "what a freak" or maybe "why do you listen to something like that" "it's rotten old" and so on. One of my best friend also said that what i'm listening to is uncommon for teenager and he also said that i am not teenager-alike. yeah.. only one or two would say that i have a good ear.. others only gives rubbish comment


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## Gustav (Aug 29, 2005)

fox_druid said:


> I'm still a high school student and of course i've not married yet.
> well, as far as it goes, most of my friend would say "what a freak" or maybe "why do you listen to something like that" "it's rotten old" and so on. One of my best friend also said that what i'm listening to is uncommon for teenager and he also said that i am not teenager-alike. yeah.. only one or two would say that i have a good ear.. others only gives rubbish comment


You have some crappy friends then, if they can't even accept your minor taste differences, how can you even call them "friends"?

when i was in Highschool i was fortunately be around a group of highly intelligent and sophisticated people. Not only did they have absolute fascination with my taste in Classical music, they even supported the music that I wrote, which was great. I made a few friends who are very musically gifted (i am not unfortunately), and they taught me a lot about composition and music performing in general.


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2008)

marval said:


> My Husband and I also have very different tastes. I am a classical music fan and he is a jazz fan. We have been married for 31 years, so clearly it has not sent us to the divorce courts yet.Margaret


*Marval * We must be about the same age group, both my Wife and myself have the same taste i,e Classical and Jazz, I have noticed that the majority of my friends in the same age group also share this combination but those of the previous generation go for Rock and Classical,


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

Hi Andante

it would seem like it. Most people I know round about our age group, seem to like Classical or Jazz. I think a lot of people I know of my age group were, like me listening to Classical with their parents. It was really the only music my parents liked. I was introduced to more pop type music when I went away to school, but Classical was still my favourite music.

It is good to know we are not alone


Margaret


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2008)

*marval*, I made an error in writing _previous_, I meant next or younger, just another thing that happens as you get older.


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

Hi Andante

When I read that I did wonder, as you say things like that happen as one gets older, but I guessed what you meant.


Margaret


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## Handel (Apr 18, 2007)

I share with most my friends an interest for classical music so there is no big problem. One of them is a big french baroque music fan. It's fun to share discoveries we made.


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## R-F (Feb 12, 2008)

My school is really bad for tolerating any type of music that isn't pop, rock or R'n'B, so I usually just keep my interest in music to myself. I have a few good friends that don't mind classical music, but none that share the same kind of love as me. Luckily the 3 music teachers in my school like classical music and are really easy to talk to, so that's where I discuss Classical or other types of music.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

My wife accepts my classical musical interests, especially if I am playing ... she loves to sit quietly and listen whenever I sit at the piano at home. She draws the line at Messiaen organ literature however ... that I listen to only when she is not home. 

Being an church organist, she enjoys watching and listening to me play ... and often turns pages for me when the need arises. 

She is into the John Denver era of music ... I like that stuff too, for about 45 minutes, anyway.


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## fox_druid (Feb 12, 2007)

Gustav said:


> when i was in Highschool i was fortunately be around a group of highly intelligent and sophisticated people. Not only did they have absolute fascination with my taste in Classical music, they even supported the music that I wrote, which was great. I made a few friends who are very musically gifted (i am not unfortunately), and they taught me a lot about composition and music performing in general.


Wow. That's surely nice. I wish that I could have such opportunity.

@R-F
yeah, I know, it's very hard to be "alone", in matter of taste. It's really annoying having an interesting piece of music but nobody is willing to talk about that. And if you're going to share your music, they will eventually shut their ears in less than 10 secs.


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## RebLem (Oct 6, 2007)

I am 65 and single, so I don't have these problems. I do have a dog. Scout, a 25 lb pug/lab mix, who seems to more or less like most classical music; when I listen to it, he usually lies on the floor at my feet. He doesn't do that when I am watching TV in the same chair.

But most of all, Scout seems to like country music. I turn on CMT every time I leave him at home alone, but I turn to something else as soon as I return.


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## GothicBard (Jan 8, 2008)

My fiancée and I have very similar tastes in music, and I've come to like pretty much everything that she does, although the reverse is not quite true... Yet? Haha. Probably never will be. Something tells me that she'll never quite enjoy Children of Bodom.

Once I started my classical music studies, I really opened into some new ares that she doesn't like very much yet, although she's beginning to. I took her to a recital for soprano and piano accompaniment, and she was bored out of her mind. She absolutely loved The Magic Flute and a performance of Bach's cello suites, though (cello being her favorite instrument, and Bach being... well, Bach, I should sure hope that she would enjoy it). So maybe she's beginning to open up a bit more. I hope so; I still have three years of studies to go, plus any graduate work that I decide to do, so the mandatory recital attendences aren't going anywhere any time soon.


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## Dividend (Mar 14, 2008)

My ex-girlfriend in China (yeah i lived there for two years) only listen to lousy chinese pop and some rock. In general chinese don't know anything about classical music, cant even enjoy jazz or anything more complicated than like ABBA. (Yes, im from sweden)


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## missmaestro (Mar 13, 2008)

my boyfriend dislikes the classical that i listen to, which it pretty much every kind

I also listen to metal and 90's alt rockand he dislikes that as well

he enjoys modern alt.....(girly-boy singers)lol


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## Rachovsky (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm not married, but since the other people had spoken about High School, I shall as well. During my first few years of high school, I liked the mainstream hits that were on the radio and such, but once I began piano lessons and picked up a few pieces, the music grew on me and now, of course, It is all I can listen too (unless I'm completely drained of the genre for the day). Most of my friends malign me for listening to it, but I have a few who can at least tolerate the music and not poke jokes at it. Just because it doesn't have lame lyrics and repetitive beats means they can't appreciate it. I live in the most stagnant, depressing part of Virginia where hillbillies run wild with their cups of skoal and bottles in their back pockets, so I feel like a pariah in this land of country/bluegrass loving people. Can anyone relate? lol


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2008)

*Rachovsky*, I think 99% of classical music lovers can sympathise with you and we all accept that we are in the minority 10%. But so what? So long as others don't try and force their music onto me I just don't give a brass farthing.


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## Cyclops (Mar 24, 2008)

Well we have very different and diverse tastes, but share some commonality(if thats a word!)
She likes some Classical, and one of her favourites is a part of Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody. She wanted to know what music it was but didnt know who it was etc, and I had it on CD and now she has it on her MP3 player.


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## Cyclops (Mar 24, 2008)

Rachovsky said:


> I live in the most stagnant, depressing part of Virginia where hillbillies run wild with their cups of skoal and bottles in their back pockets, so I feel like a pariah in this land of country/bluegrass loving people. Can anyone relate? lol


Actually I quite like some bluegrass but I could definitely live without it(my dad used to play it on his banjo and 12 string)but not without Classical!
I love the music in 'O Brother Where Art Thou', great film!

But i feel a bit of an outcast too as all my work mates like rap/RnB/dance stuff which I can definitely live without and yet, one of them,Johhny, who is in a noisy rock band, also likes classical guitar!


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## Methodistgirl (Apr 3, 2008)

My husband used to like gospel music in any fashion. Especially what I call
the good ole songs. I could care less about the pop music of today I think
it stinks. Just give me some hits from the 70's or some classical music that
I can pick up my guitar and play along. When ever I can get on the church
organ I will try to play the classics like Bach or Beethoven. My first husband
was into heavy metal and some of that stunk unless it was either Van Halen
or Bon Jovi. I just enjoy listening and playing my own music.
judy tooley


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## Pianoforte (Jul 27, 2007)

I love Gospel, soul, motown, traditional Asian, Irish, chinese, blues and classical in particular piano sonatas and symphonies. My girlfriend doesn't like any of it but she does like me playing for her. Sometimes!


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## Emilia (Apr 4, 2008)

Rachovsky said:


> I'm not married, but since the other people had spoken about High School, I shall as well. During my first few years of high school, I liked the mainstream hits that were on the radio and such, but once I began piano lessons and picked up a few pieces, the music grew on me and now, of course, It is all I can listen too (unless I'm completely drained of the genre for the day). Most of my friends malign me for listening to it, but I have a few who can at least tolerate the music and not poke jokes at it. Just because it doesn't have lame lyrics and repetitive beats means they can't appreciate it. I live in the most stagnant, depressing part of Virginia where hillbillies run wild with their cups of skoal and bottles in their back pockets, so I feel like a pariah in this land of country/bluegrass loving people. Can anyone relate? lol


I can totally relate to this--and my deepest sympathies etc. to you!! Until I went to music school that was EXACTLY where I grew up. Just stick to your guns, my friend, and you will be a happier person for loving the things you do.

I'm dating another serious musician, and music is an integral part of our relationship, so there's no real clash there.


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## Methodistgirl (Apr 3, 2008)

I know how it is to be single and free. If you are not married yet, enjoy your
freedom. The guy you might get you will have to stand your ground with him.
I did! Both of them. Right now I enjoy the music I like which is guitar music
or organ.
judy tooley


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## SamGuss (Apr 14, 2008)

Classical music is still very new to me. My girlfriend actually got me hooked and some of it is where we actually find common ground on our musical tastes, as for other genres of music we rarely are in sync with each other. As far as classical goes, we share common ground on a lot of stuff, while we both have our differences in some aspects. So far so good and we have definately connected musically with classical though.


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## fox_druid (Feb 12, 2007)

Last time I lent my friend a CD of JS Bach Johannes Passion. She played it on her computer, and when her mother heard the aria, she forced her to stop playing the song, saying that she did not want her daughter to age faster  

Her mother is probably 50 years old. But she has "younger" taste than me!


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

My wife understands me, she just doest understand my taste in music! But I dont push it. I use Headphones when she's in the house. She's out right now and I am listening to Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit at terminal volume through the speakers ( Joaquin Achucarro if anyone is interested )


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> Last time I lent my friend a CD of JS Bach Johannes Passion. She played it on her computer, and when her mother heard the aria, she forced her to stop playing the song, saying that she did not want her daughter to age faster


Okay, that's screwed up.


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## Kezza (May 13, 2008)

Well I met my girlfriend in my orchestra. She plays first violin and I percussion and we would always glance across the room at each other. So we definitely like the same music. We always play like Marimba/violin duets together which is really fun.

I always play my music at work and everyone hates me for it and tells me to shut it up but seeing as I'm their Manager I tell them to shut up and deal with it.

One girl said "why don't you put the radio on? It has REAL music"
So i did. My radio is tuned to ABC classic fm and so I said to her. "oh this is the same music as I was just listening too. It must be real music."

She shut up after that


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## SamGuss (Apr 14, 2008)

Kezza said:


> Well I met my girlfriend in my orchestra. She plays first violin and I percussion and we would always glance across the room at each other. So we definitely like the same music. We always play like Marimba/violin duets together which is really fun.
> 
> I always play my music at work and everyone hates me for it and tells me to shut it up but seeing as I'm their Manager I tell them to shut up and deal with it.
> 
> ...


ROFLMAO

I'm a manager where I work too and for the most part I don't put it on except in the early prt of the day when only a couple of co-workers are around. Usually, if I put on something a little heavy (pardon my lack of terminology) they are ok with it for a CD or two. I was real suprised the other mornign when one of my employees came in early, heard Dvorak Symphony No. 9 playing and commented "now why can't we hear this type of music at work all of the time?". I tried later, but productivity went to hell and so put back on their pop.


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## fox_druid (Feb 12, 2007)

Kezza said:


> I always play my music at work and everyone hates me for it and tells me to shut it up but seeing as I'm their Manager I tell them to shut up and deal with it.
> 
> One girl said "why don't you put the radio on? It has REAL music"
> So i did. My radio is tuned to ABC classic fm and so I said to her. "oh this is the same music as I was just listening too. It must be real music."
> ...


REAL music ???? 

Classical, surely 

It's so ridiculous that people consider those boring pop music as "real" music


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## Kezza (May 13, 2008)

Of course classical


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

We have rules in my house- when I am home she plays no Celine or Opera and when I'm home (and the wife also), I play no Zappa or Varese.......................


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> We have rules in my house- when I am home she plays no Celine or Opera and when I'm home (and the wife also), I play no Zappa or Varese.......................


 what if one were to make a mix of Celine, Opera, Zappa, and Varese into a 50 or so minute compilation?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Capeditiea said:


> what if one were to make a mix of Celine, Opera, Zappa, and Varese into a 50 or so minute compilation?


I think Zappa has already done it (SATLTSADW), it not the ZFT will be releasing it soon.............


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> I think Zappa has already done it (SATLTSADW), it not the ZFT will be releasing it soon.............


and here i thought i had a lot of albums... :O


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

anon2k2 said:


> My wife and I have very different tastes. I'm squarely a classical music lover, although I will gladly listen to well done music in just about any genre (including the ever polarizing categories of country/western and Rap)
> 
> My wife is distinctly a rock-and-roll kind of gal. She thinks of "my music" as outrageously boring or unlistenable. While she can somewhat stay still for a few minutes of Mozart or Beethoven, she immediately bolts for the door as soon as Mahler, Messiaen, or even Prokofiev eminate from the stereo.
> 
> ...


 My spouse gives my music the same treatment she gives me: she tolerates it.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Mrs Pat's tolerance of Hindemith is legendary, as is mine of Genesis. We concur on RVW.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Mrs. T's musical tastes run the gamut from Celine Dion to Josh Groban - and back.

She is also an enthusiastic viewer of "The Voice."

She does not at all mind me listening to classical on my headphones, nor does she mind at all if she interrupts me when she needs to point out something interesting she is watching or reading.

My wife - I think I'll keep her!


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

She thinks I'm nuts, but in a loving way.
Harpsichord records are a different matter....


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Ah the plague of Celine, I know it well


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

My wife likes to think she has eclectic musical taste, but she dislikes classical and jazz. Her favorites are Bob Seeger, Pete Seeger, Willie Nelson, etc. However, we both like the blues very much; we hang our hat on that category.


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