Music Journey

Author: Wang Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: In the world of Murakami's novels, the characters are often very fond of music. They always whistle and hum while walking, and music always plays in coffee shops and other places. In their homes, the audio equipment is always on. The world of music is a vast realm lurking behind Murakami's fictional universe—it is a crucial key to understanding his work. I feel that Murakami enjoys listening to music and knows how to listen to it. He listens to a wide variety of genres, from rock to jazz to classical, encompassing almost all types of music. He casually yet skillfully selects pieces to add a musical backdrop to each segment of his novels. The music and the text fit together naturally, creating a three-dimensional context. Reading the novels at these moments feels like watching a series of music videos. At the same time, when choosing music, he reveals his own emotions, recommending the music he loves or that has influenced him to the readers as much as possible, hoping they will also come to enjoy the music he likes. What kind of music does Murakami like? The answer is the 1960s. I have found many classic names from the 1960s in Murakami's works. These characters once shone brightly on the Western music scene at the time, such as The Beatles, The Doors, Bob Dylan, John Coltrane, Glenn Gould, The Beach Boys, Albert Ayler, and Ravi Shankar. At the same time, figures from the two decades before and after the 1960s, centered around it, are also the objects of Murakami's choice. This includes a wide range of personalities, from Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday to Michael Jackson and The Eagles. And running through all this music is the musical coming-of-age story of youth in 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 thread while also taking into account other musical communities. I think that the music Murakami likes should all be introduced in this book.