# So much (too much) music — what choices you have made?



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

It is a fact that one does not have the time or the energy for all kinds of music in the world.

Is there something you have either consciously or naturally decided not to get into? Have you decided to leave yourself out of some kind of music or a specific genre?

I admit to be totally ignorant of rap music and R&B. I dislike the sound and texture of both. I admit there must be a lot good stuff so I do not pretend to know anything about rap. But I consciously leave myself out of the genre. I do not have the time.

When it comes to classical music, I am very very picky about opera and vocal music. In all honesty I prefer instrumental music when it comes to classical. Maybe it is because there are so many mediocre vocalists who just do everything technically correctly — but it is painful to listen to them. Not everybody are Fritz Wunderlich or Karita Mattila, so to speak.

So it is a choice for me to be very picky about opera and vocal music, too.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I've made attempts to get into every kind of music, and found something to like in each. I don't think there is a type I've made a choice to avoid. I used to pledge certain allegiances to a kind of music or certain composers, which I see some others do. Maybe that suits them. Over time I get into different phases where I listen to a certain type and exhaust myself in it, and look for some other type afterwards. For me, Classical has the largest variety, and subgenres, so I tend to dwell more on Classical, and my musical 'home' is probably early 20th century Classical music.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

The last thing that would ever cross my mind would be to avoid any genre of music.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I avoid all music written by composers whose name begins with a B.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

SanAntone said:


> The last thing that would ever cross my mind would be to avoid any genre of music.


Of course I too have an open enough mind that if I hear an excellent rap song, I am open to it.

But the point remains: we have to make some choices of focus. I do not believe there are no choices made at all, conscious or unconscious.

It is easy do declare to be an open minded lover of all music. I am trying to be more realistic about it, that's all.

Then again, if it is to be found out everybody has a graciously open mind and an endless amount of time an energy, I am happy!


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Waehnen said:


> Of course I too have an open enough mind that if I hear an excellent rap song, I am open to it.
> 
> But the point remains: we have to make some choices of focus. I do not believe there are no choices made at all, conscious or unconscious.
> 
> ...


I guess what I am getting at is I don't feel any need to make this kind of decision at the outset. I listen to what I feel like when I think of it, and then move on to something else. This morning I've listened to some folk music then an act from a Debussy opera, then a work by Laurie Anderson for the Kronos Quartet with electronics.

After this? Who knows. Often my listening is inspired by something I've read or something someone says. It is mostly random.

I don't feel as if I "have to make some choices of focus."


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

SanAntone said:


> I guess what I am getting at is I don't feel any need to make this kind of decision at the outset. I listen to what I feel like when I think of it, and then move on to something else. This morning I've listened to some folk music then an act from a Debussy opera, then a work by Laurie Anderson for the Kronos Quartet with electronics.
> 
> After this? Who knows. Often my listening is inspired by something I've read or something someone says. It is mostly random.
> 
> I don't feel as if I "have to make some choices of focus."


Fair enough and well explained!


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I've spent a lot of time with lots of different music. I started heavy listening in HS with the Dave Matthews Band in College it was Phish and in Grad School to present it's been Mozart. But, in every period, I've listened to some other stuff, even though those artists were my focus.

As of right now, Mozart's complete solo piano works are my focus, and I haven't been exploring much outside of that, I feel content. I agree with you, we must focus our listening, consciously, otherwise we will do it unconsciously.

Most casual listeners do this naturally, and I believe it is the natural way. They know who they prefer and are ok with it. It seems to me, experts in a given field lose sight of their personalization with the subject matter.

It is possible to be knowledgeable about vast amounts of music, and continue to study it (if that's your thing), even when a favorite is found.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I also do not believe I will have another shift in favorite from Mozart, to me music can't get any better than his complete solo piano works. Such a delight, but I'll keep an open mind if something new catches my ear. If it does, I will probably see it being equal to Mozart.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

From my recent posts, you can make some interesting observations: 

- At every point in my life where music has played a huge role, I've been focused on a particular artist.

- My recent thread about Mozart's purity still remains true in that, I do still believe there is something that sets him apart from other composers. I can't prove it, but I feel it, and I believe it goes beyond merely him being my favorite (though that could be affecting it too).

- My thread about not having favorite composers only favorite works proved to be misguided, I think, hence why I wanted to discuss that notion and pick it apart. I wasn't making an objective conclusion, it was like a GRE statement in which you had to refute or agree with.

- My recent thread about favorite works showed lots of pieces I've enjoyed, but none come close to the majesty of Mozart's piano works (FOR ME).


Just my .02.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

I plan to focus on opera and avoid the majority of contemporary classical music. Also, I plan to avoid pop music, mostly. Folk music and religious Thaise music will stay in my life for social purposes, like sitting around the fire or meeting religious friends.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

There can be good "songs" and good performances in all genres. I don't seek out Country Music or Polkas or Rap ... but I have heard good songs and good performances in those arenas. When I say I don't seek out I likely mean exploring unknown artists in a genre or taking chances at new releases in a genre. I'll listen to jazz and classical on the radio, and often I'll hear something new or something by somebody new and follow up on that, taking a chance by maybe purchasing a handful of discs by the artist that caught my interest. I generally don't listen to rock on the radio, except for maybe "classic rock" stations on occasion, and my vocabulary for 60s and 70s rock remains pretty fluent, and it is the rock of these two decades that dominates my "pop" listening, though I remain open to the more avant-garde edges of the genre, industrial and experimental rock stuff for example. So, I haven't closed myself off to much of anything. Sure, there is a lot of music out there, an impossible amount if you plan to listen to it all. But I've heard a lot of music, and I've enjoyed most of it. The nice thing is, there's seldom reason to prolong one's exposure to pieces they simply don't like. Maybe in a torture chamber I would be subjected to Lawrence Welk or gansta' rap, but as long as I control my listening conditions (and I tend to be always in that arena) I'll be fine.

Don't be afraid to explore. You may actually be surprised by what you find out there. As an addenda I will add that I recently relistened to The High Lonesome Sound, one of my Roscoe Holcomb discs. I love this stuff. The man was a genius in his genre. As one critic wrote: this isn't Hillbilly music, it's American classic. Indeed it is. And had I completely shut myself away from "Country Music" I might never have had the pleasure of meeting this extraordinary artist's particular brand of music. Good songs and good performances.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Definitely not enough time to listen to all I'd like to listen to - way too much music available these days. As such, I haven't done more than dipped my toe into anything non-western. No Mongolian throat singing, Indian Raga, Gamelan, African music, Latino etc for Henry. Just classical, Rock, pop and jazz.

The thing is, even if I lived to 100, I still wouldn't have enough time to fully and properly listen to the symphonies of Mahler and Bruckner, never mind anything else!


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Trying to remain current and knowledgeable with the Music of the World is like trying to drink from a fire hose. Far too much material to process. I confine myself chiefly to CM, Rock, sung classic Flamenco, Pop, and assorted other odds and ends of any sort of music. Nobody can be that cool that they can truthfully claim to be hip to every sort of music.


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Does anyone ever feel guilty about listening to old favorites and not something new? I've certainly had that nagging suspicion that the time listening to another recording of Brahms 4 might be "better" spent expanding my horizons, and it's all down to there being too much music and not enough time...


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

fbjim said:


> Does anyone ever feel guilty about listening to old favorites and not something new? I've certainly had that nagging suspicion that the time listening to another recording of Brahms 4 might be "better" spent expanding my horizons, and it's all down to there being too much music and not enough time...


Not me. I know what I like and I like what I know. Seriously, I devote maybe 15% of my CM time listening to unfamiliar works, Sturgeon's Law is very much still in effect.


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Well, I could say that if listening to Brahms 4 gives me joy, then it's time well spent-I guess the question is if I'm cutting myself off from other things which could potentially also give me new joys by sticking with things in my comfort zone.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

fbjim said:


> Does anyone ever feel guilty about listening to old favorites and not something new? I've certainly had that nagging suspicion that the time listening to another recording of Brahms 4 might be "better" spent expanding my horizons, and it's all down to there being too much music and not enough time...


I know exactly how you feel, happens daily , mostly I make a list for tomorrow but sometimes I must hear....
Beethoven concertos 3 and 5 and as example.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I love jazz and rock music, but classical is more of my "forte" if you will and it's the music that I feel where I could spend the rest of my life listening to and exploring. The kind of fulfillment I get from classical goes so much deeper than any jazz or rock music I've heard. I'm certainly not trying to say I've closed musical doors, but, at this point in my life, classical music is where I feel most at home both emotionally and intellectually.


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