Getting into the groove of Classical music

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Getting into the groove of Classical music

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:43 am

Sunday Life
The Philippine Star

'No Other Love'
(Etude in E Op 10 No 3 major)
AUDIOFILE By Val A. Villanueva
Sunday, February 08, 2009

When my wife was pregnant with our only child Michelle, we took the advice of some friends to play classical music whenever and wherever possible to help in the development of the baby’s mental faculties. Even at such a fragile state, it is said that a baby can already hear sounds. We thought we had nothing to lose so my wife and I slept every night, and traveled to work and back, to the music of Mozart, Chopin, Bach and company. We even set the bar a little bit higher by adding personal Jazz favorites to this day and night repertoire.

At age two-and-a-half, Michelle was eager and capable to enter Nursery. She could read and write small and capital letters, identify colors and shapes, and do simple addition. At age three, she was already trying to write in longhand, and was enjoying math and reading classes at a Kumon school some 45 kilometers away from where we live.

A consistent advanced honor student in Kumon, Michelle was always ranked either first or second in her class from Nursery to Elementary and High School. She turned 15 in November 2008, and will be a college freshman this June. She took the college entrance tests of UP Diliman, De La Salle Taft and the Ateneo, and qualified for the quota course and campus of her choice in all three universities. The icing on the cake for us, her proud parents, was her inclusion in the Ateneo de Manila’s Directors’ List (a distinction awarded to the top two percent of thousands of ACET applicants, who have also distinguished themselves in academics and co-curricular activities).

Did playing classical music while she was developing inside her Mom’s tummy help? I cannot say for certain. What I do know is that Michelle enjoys listening to music that has been made long before she was born. It’s understandable that I cannot take her away fully from the kind of music churned out by the Jonas Brothers, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus. But for me it’s reassuring enough to know that she enjoys classical music too. She proudly told me that this was the only in-flight music she listened to during one of our foreign trips.

I’m relating this in an answer to the email of 18-year-old Canadian Cathy Shaw: “Why is it that classical music is so different from what you describe it to be (when I) actually listen to it? I was so enamored by one of your columns that I bought a classical CD you recommended. I just could not immerse myself into the music when I played it. Do I lack the mental level to enjoy classical music? Is there a way to actually enjoy it?”

Let me cite the case of a friend who came from a family of classical musicians. You would think he would imbibe his home atmosphere, but he became totally hooked to the music of Guns n’ Roses and Nirvana. It was only recently that he added Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli to his music collection. I may be wrong, but I guess one’s music preference evolves or grows over time; as our knowledge of the world and life expands, we get to know ourselves better and our focus on career and life gets clearer. Some call it sophistication; for me, it’s simply maturity. The exception occurs when one consciously makes an effort to enjoy and make a living of a particular genre, or if one is genetically drawn to say, classical music, even when his peers are banging their heads to the music of Metallica.

Education too has a lot to do with it. I just recently learned that music has been stricken off the curriculum of the country’s public schools. In private schools, music has been merged with physical education. No wonder then that some mistake Vivaldi for an Italian restaurant and adagio for a Japanese dish.

In answer to Cathy’s query: Yes, it is possible to develop a taste for classical music. It’s just like expanding your taste buds to enjoy different kinds of food, starting with something easier with the tongue. Before being intimidated by concertos, sonatas and overtures, listen to classical music that has been made into pop. The melody of the 1950’s song ‘No Other Love’ for instance is actually from Frederic Chopin’s ‘Etude in E Major’. Do you know most music played as background in most cartoons is classical cuts? What about ‘Waltz Of The Flowers’, ‘Swan Lake’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Nutcracker Suite?’ These classical pieces are easy on the ears and can serve as your door to the wonderful music of the noble periods of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic.

It also pays to know the composers behind these classics. A glimpse of how they lived, loved and made music is always an interesting read. For instance, Antonio Vivaldi was the Baroque period’s “The Red Priest” in reference to his hair color. Legend has it that he was relieved of his priestly duties because of conduct unbecoming. It was said that one Sunday, while celebrating mass, he unexpectedly left churchgoers on their own to jot down a musical idea. Ludwig van Beethoven at first concealed his hearing disability so as not to alarm his patrons. Even as he had become completely deaf, he continued to create his greatest works: brilliant sonatas for piano (my favorite, ‘The Storm, opus 31”) and the second and the third symphonies, ‘The Eroica’.

Again, as I often say here, music appreciation is subjective. Not enjoying classical music doesn’t make a person dumb. Don’t collect classical LPs or CDs for the wrong reasons. They are meant to be heard, enjoyed and appreciated and not to be bragged about. Never feel sorry if you can’t get into the groove of a particular genre. There’s just no other love that can warm your heart more than the music you fully understand and treasure the most.


For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit http://www.wiredstate.com or http://bikini-bottom.proboards80.com/index.cgi for quick answers to your audio concerns.
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby kabubi » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:01 am

ang galing ng bolpen mo, pareng Val!

nag-enjoy ako dun. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:03 am

Maraming salamat brader kaboobs, coming from you, lalo akong ma-inspire :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby insyte » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:04 am

Very nice read :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:07 am

insyte wrote:Very nice read :)


Many thanks :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby TheAnalogSource » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:28 am

val,

ive read your sunday column yesterday while having breakfast afterwhich the thoughts and wishes that someday our kids would also excel in the future. as a parent, im pretty sure that there is nothing that will equal to seeing our kids doing their best and succeeding.

congrats to you and your wife for being very good and successful parents. good luck and best wishes to Michelle in her future endeavors.

best regards,

noly
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby onedown » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:29 am

nice article, val. and congratulations for having such a fine daughter. wishing the whole family all the best.
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby Jon Agner » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:40 am

Puwede bang mag complain sa Philstar..... next time give you a bigger space, nabitin ako :o :(

Kidding aside, I know it's quite hard to come out with a short version of a write up that's of hundreds of years in the making. Perhaps another sequel to this would be very much appreciated.

A very nice article indeed :clap: :clap: :clap: .... and congratulations to both you and your wife for bringing up such a fine young lady :)

By the way, I did do that Mozart thingy to my eldest.... I guess it works ;) :D
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby Superman » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:40 am

Congratulations Val...to your daughter...and to you for being excellent parents to her! :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby obi » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:42 am

congratulations on your daughter's achievements, you and your wife's outstanding efforts and for another very well-written column :)

i was corresponding with mang oca last night when he mentioned the song 'no other love', being the subject of your latest column. thinking that with valentine just around the corner, romance + audio would be a nice subject. :) only to find out that the topic was about classical music pala. :)

anyways, while texting mang oca, 'favorite piano works by vladimir ashkenazy' was playing. whenever this is on, i always listen to the first 4 tracks repeatedly (grand vase brillante, minute waltz, waltz in c sharp minor and fantasie-impromptu in c sharp minor).

little did i know that the 5th track was what he had just mentioned, etude no.3 in e - op.10 no.3 (tristesse).

regards
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby dimfer » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:44 am

nice article Val.

talking about kids.
My daughter just confessed - she gets anxiety attacks whenever I play my music when she's at home. To my surprise, I asked which ones - she replied Andrea Bocelli, Tony Bennett, Michael Buble, Vivaldi et al :sweat: :sweat:

Well, I shouldn't be surprised - one of her grandmas had to phone me in the office when she asked her what she wants for a present on her 16th birthday - my daughter told her and my auntie went to HMV to buy it - she almost had a heart attack when she picked up what my daughter asked for - Nine Inch Nails.

kids can pull a trick or two on you once in a while.
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby pigdog » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:06 am

that was a very nice article, it is sad to note that in public schools Music has been scrapped. if parents and government officials can be as enlightened as you are and encourage kids to appreciate better music and learn a bit of culture for a change instead of the crap coming out of the radio these days. this is a well written article and i hope the parents who read this would make use of this advise. a big shame goes to the education officials for scrapping music considering that filipinos are one of the most musically inclined in Asia. interestingly there is a co-relation between music and math ....
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby Kogarashi » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:30 am

Wow coincidentally I have been exclusively listening to Classical music these past few days.

Listening to Orpheus Chamber Orchestra - Baroque Music (1991) right now.

Thanks for the excellent read.
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby chalapenio » Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:37 pm

Hi, Val.

great column as usual.

i think the listener has to have, first of all, an open mind when listening to classical or any kind of music for that matter. Not liking what you hear at first listen doesn't mean you'll forever dislike it. perhaps giving it one or two more spins can make the music grow on you.

another factor is maturity (in tagalog, pag tumanda ka na). when i was in high school, i wouldn't be caught dead listening to sinatra. my parents and i sneered at each other's preferences (standards and broadway for them and metal and pop for me). now, i gladly listen to and appreciate most genres, not least of all classical.

another factor is mood. there are times and situations when i will appreciate hearing classical more than pop/rock and vice-versa.

as i'm writing this, i'm eagerly anticipating a compilation from a friend's teenage kid which is my feeble attempt to keep up on today's music.
ooops, classical nga pala topic. sorry for the OT.

cheers
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:44 pm

halls wrote:val,

ive read your sunday column yesterday while having breakfast afterwhich the thoughts and wishes that someday our kids would also excel in the future. as a parent, im pretty sure that there is nothing that will equal to seeing our kids doing their best and succeeding.

congrats to you and your wife for being very good and successful parents. good luck and best wishes to Michelle in her future endeavors.

best regards,

noly


Thanks Nols, being a parent for me is the most rewarding job one can have. You know you've done well if your kids excel in whatever they do. I just hope my daughter continues doing well. We have done half of the job and we'll not rest until she's settled enough to be on her own. :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:46 pm

onedown wrote:nice article, val. and congratulations for having such a fine daughter. wishing the whole family all the best.


Thanks bro :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:48 pm

Jon Agner wrote:Puwede bang mag complain sa Philstar..... next time give you a bigger space, nabitin ako :o :(

Kidding aside, I know it's quite hard to come out with a short version of a write up that's of hundreds of years in the making. Perhaps another sequel to this would be very much appreciated.

A very nice article indeed :clap: :clap: :clap: .... and congratulations to both you and your wife for bringing up such a fine young lady :)

By the way, I did do that Mozart thingy to my eldest.... I guess it works ;) :D


Brader,buhos na lang nating lahat dun sa project natin ;) Thanks for your kind words :)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:50 pm

Superman wrote:Congratulations Val...to your daughter...and to you for being excellent parents to her! :clap: :clap: :clap:


Dapat maging parent ka na rin, bilis-bilisan mo :D
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby Superman » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:51 pm

audiostar wrote:
Superman wrote:Congratulations Val...to your daughter...and to you for being excellent parents to her! :clap: :clap: :clap:


Dapat maging parent ka na rin, bilis-bilisan mo :D


:geek: :geek: :geek: :emo: :emo: :emo: :rock: :rock: :rock: :hai: :hai: :hai: 8) 8) 8)
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Re: Getting to know, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi, et al

Postby audiostar » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:52 pm

Obi,Tongson, chalapenio: Many thanks guys :)
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