Mushashi Katsura -- Music Journey: Music Journey

Author: Wang Xin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: To understand Murakami, you must understand the music in his works, the music of the 1960s, and the 1960s behind the music. In Murakami's novels, characters often appear as inheritors and traitors, many of whom are fond of music. They whistle and hum songs while on the road, and music always plays in coffee shops and other places. In their homes, sound systems are always on. The world of music is a vast realm lurking behind the scenes of Murakami's novels—it is a crucial key to interpreting his work. To like and understand music is how I feel about Murakami. He listens to a wide variety of genres, from rock to jazz to classical, encompassing almost all types of music. He casually and skillfully selects pieces to add a musical backdrop to each segment of his novels. The music and the text fit naturally together, creating a three-dimensional context. At these moments, reading the novel feels like watching a series of music videos. Meanwhile, when choosing music, he reveals his own emotions, recommending the music he loves or that has influenced him to his readers as much as possible, hoping they will also come to like the music he enjoys. What kind of music does Murakami like? The answer is the 1960s. In Murakami's works, I have found many classic names from the 1960s. These characters once shone brightly on the Western music scene at the time, such as The Beatles, The Doors, Bob Dylan, John Cage, Glenn Gould, The Beach Boys, Albert Ayler, and Ravi Shankar. At the same time, as the central axis, the personalities of the 20 years before and after the 1960s are also the objects of Murakami's choice, covering a wide range from Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday to Michael Jackson and the Eagles. And the underlying theme that runs through all this music is the musical coming-of-age story of the youth of the 1960s. Murakami's life and the era of his novels intersect through music, connecting the present with the past, reality with fantasy, weaving together Murakami's world of music-infused works. The musical texts selected in this book also follow this main theme while also taking into account other musical communities. I think all the music Murakami likes should be introduced in this book.