# Extramusical Associations



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Forgive me for the obscure title, I couldn't think how to label the things I want to ask you about. Anyway, here's a little explanation of what I mean:

One of the interesting and, I think, most fun aspects of music is that, perhaps because of its often deep emotional capacity, we tie certain images, experiences, or feelings to a piece of music that have nothing to do with it, and which no one else will ever have. A simple example: when I visited Melbourne this year, I happened to listen a lot to Mozart's Prague Symphony. Now, when I hear certain portions of it, I can't help but see (and almost feel) myself walking down certain Australian streets. The connection is so strong that I jokingly call it his Melbourne Symphony. 

Of course, I don't make these unique associations with everything - it's a rare thing that I just happened to be in the right frame of mind for, which I imagine is the same for most people. So, if you can be bothered, why not share a few of your own strange associations? They could be places, foods, smells, times, anything - but avoid pieces that make you remember your childhood because that's just too easy!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I almost read that as extramarital associations! I was looking forward to a juicy thread!


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

There are _many_ pieces of music that I associate with certain people in my life. This tends to happen if my introduction to the music is through a person I know playing it, though it sometimes happens with a piece I already know if I hear one person play it many times or have a particularly memorable experience with them involving that music. It's nice because the music I come to associate with individuals helps me remember them better when I listen to it, if they are not people I get to see anymore.

The first movement of Weber's first clarinet concerto belongs to Mike, who was principal clarinet at my high school in my freshman year and, by singling me out to be assistant principal and employing a mixture of praise and tough love, played a big role in making me into a more serious clarinetist and more confident person. He performed it with us.

The last movement of Mozart's 22nd piano concerto belongs to my housemate, Joyce, who recently won my school's annual concerto-aria competition! She is a sunny, generous person and probably the best non-professional Mozart interpreter I know, and I have heard her play this piece so many times that it is inextricably linked with her in my mind.

Chopin's G minor Ballade belongs to Jonathan, whom I dated in my freshman year of college, because he was working on it at the time and once played it with me sitting on the piano bench next to him, which was special for me.

Those are just a few of many.  This topic makes me happy. I will try to think of my extramusical associations with experiences/things other than people, and return.

Pardon my sappiness.


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## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

There are a few pieces that I associate with childhood. Bach's Gouldberg Variations, Cage's Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, Mozart's 1st and 41st symphonies. Each of them evokes different feelings and imagery, though. I also tend to associate many Requiems (especially Cherubini's, Mozart's, and M. Haydn's) with a diabolical novel that I'm in the process of writing.

But, in the end, my favorite extramusical association is Bach's _Art of the Fugue_ and the Universe. Perpetual beauty, as far as I can tell, has never existed in anything else in such a profound manner*. Just look at it! And listen to it!

*except maybe for boobies


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

It's wierd as I also associate a piece with Melbourne. When I was over there visiting ages ago. The weeks before I'd just been listening to repeatedly to Tchaikovsky's _Little Russian _symphony. This was the era before ipods and I didn't use walkmans, etc. I had that symphony going on in my head, esp. the final movement. I connect it now with memories there that are bizarre connecting it with the music. Eg. when I was walking through Old Melbourne Gaol, the site where famous bushranger Ned Kelly was hanged. I connect it esp. with that building for some reason. But maybe it's the excitement of that final movt., the rush of energy that kind of reflected my excitement of seeing the city that time?...


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

I still associate this with waking up in the morning:


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