# Extreme reactions to music



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Just stumbled across this note by accident:



> In the summer of 1892 Mahler took the Hamburg singers to London to participate in a six-week season of German opera-his only visit to Britain. His conducting of Tristan enthralled the young composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, who "staggered home in a daze and could not sleep for two nights."


Now, that's what I call "being impressed". Most of listening ends upon aesthetic pleasure, being pleased, perhaps moved to some extent. But sometimes it gets really extreme.

This is thread about such reactions, yours or famous composer's. Or famous musicians.

As for the latters, I remember that Witold Lutosławski had similiar reaction after hearing 3rd symphony of Szymanowski. I can't find exact quote, but I remember what he said, more or less: he was "like under a spell" for couple of days, he felt like doors for some magnificent garden about he didn't know that it exists suddelny stood opened before him.

As for my personal experiences, I share a lot with RVW's perception of Tristan, that is I'm not unnaturally sleepless after I hear it but for some time I am dazed and confused for so long it's not true, with mind affected with the work, it's impression on me, thoughts that it brings to my head and stuff. I have whole theory about why Tristan is such moving work and for many people it's so seriously strong experience much above lines of aesthetic pleasure.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Rimsky-Korsakov was like that. If he heard something that really amazed him (or made him envious), he wouldn't compose for many days, even weeks. Tchaikovsky's music had that effect on him, not necessarily positive (there was that rivalry).

Example, from a letter he sent to Glazunov:

"I must tell you that I left your house with such strong impressions from your Sonata [no. 1 for piano] that I couldn't set to work on my own music for several days. This is a superb work both in content and in the virtuoso-like execution of form and technique. You cannot imagine what kind of envy and sadness comes over me when I realize that I am incapable of producing anything similar, and even if I had once been capable, I repressed the impulse, and now it is too late."


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Yeah.. the first time I really listened to Tristan in full it was like that. I cried at the end, I couldn't get it out of my head for days. The hopelessness underlying the entire opera, i.e. the fact that the two main characters required an artificial stimulant for them to realize their full love for each other.. then the whole 'longing for the endless night...' is almost unbearable and it creates a very powerful effect on me. Just listening to the _Liebestod_ alone is always a very moving experience.

No other opera has come close to having that sort of effect. The only other piece that has had a similar effect on me has been Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony.

(Nice Zeppelin quote by the way, Aramis.)


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## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

It's funny what you showed us about Tristan.

Only last Friday in my orchestration class, our tutor cried at this very video!











My tutor is this guy:

http://www.aaroncassidy.com/

No word of a lie, his eyes were red at the end of showing us this video!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I remember reading that a while ago too. Makes me wish I could have heard Mahler conduct Tristan and Isolde! I have never seen any of the Ring cycle performed live unfortunately, but I can sense the sheer power in much of Wagner's works and would be interested to hear your theories on why his works evoke such emotion. I know The Ring is very much influenced by Norse and Icelandic mythology, so it could almost be an archetypal or spiritual type of happening people are experiencing when this music really hits them. 

Myself I quite often have extreme reactions to music, I cant say Ive ever gone sleepless for two straight nights either, but music (for example Mahler, Ravel and Bach) Have all caused me to experience extreme emotions or just take me places that are seemingly otherworldy and are very hard to explain, they shake me to my core, and leave me feeling completely faithful that I wish to dedicate my life to this mysterious thing called music. They cause me feelings of joy that nothing else on the physical plane of existence could come close to. Physical intimacy and material objects are nothing when compared to these timeless experiences.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I was much more susceptible when I was a teenager - the Franck symphony and Tchaikovsky's 6th induced temporary traumas. In the last decade Szymanowski's "Mythes" (Wilkomirska/Barbosa) has had a lasting effect.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

A couple of months ago I listened to Tristan und Isolde for the first time, and while I was able to sleep that night, I was still deeply affected by it (in a daze, crying and such), even though I wasn't following a libretto. I also had an experience like this with Mahler 9 a few years ago, before I knew any Wagner, or much Mahler for that matter.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

I try to keep my emotions bottled up as much as possible. However, I have been known to listen to the same piece of music exclusively for weeks on end. Does this count?


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*the rite of spring*

I was 17 years when I saw this in its ballet version...I was really surprised and I loved it!
I remember when I got home...I put it about 40 times, my LP was spoiled.

Martin


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Wow... Schuberts 8th put me in a bout of depression, dislike for the people I was with and withdrawal from social interactions even while on Holiday in spain.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Extreme reactions to music? Well, I vomitted my dinner when I listened to some weird electronic fart type of music.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

I fell asleep listening to Handel Oratorios


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

emiellucifuge said:


> I fell asleep listening to Handel Oratorios


That's not really that extreme. I'm sure we all fall asleep listening to something very boring every now and then.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Haha im glad you agree!

But seriously.. i was joking.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Last year, I went to two concerts on the one day. In one, they played Messiaen's _Quartet for the End of Time _& in the other Shostakovich's 10th symphony. Both can be pretty dark and powerful works. I had a bit of trouble sleeping that night, so deep & profound was the experience. But it wasn't the first time I had heard these works, I have known them for years from recordings. Hearing them live has left a deep impression on me, and this is why I try to space out my concerts more, the intensity of doing two in a day was quite a lot (but I still enjoyed it a lot, c20th music being my favourite repertoire). If I can, I try to avoid going to two concerts in a day, it really requires quite a bit of concentration and head-space, which I don't always find that I easily have, being preoccupied with other things...


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Extreme reactions to classical music are terrific, in my opinion. Gives the lie to my brother's opinion that classical music is so "relaxing". I couldn't think more opposite. Same Mom & Dad too!

I would consider it a revelation if I played a piece for someone and he/she had an extreme reaction to it! 

Beats falling asleep!


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