Share the wonderful music

Author: Kong Zaiqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Breaking free from the constraints of classical music
Many people fear classical music because they may be like King Xuan of Qi, "not able to appreciate the music of the former kings, but only the music of the secular world." However, as Mencius said, "Today's music originates from the music of the past." Moreover, enjoying music alone is not as enjoyable as sharing it with others, and enjoying it with a few is not as enjoyable as enjoying it with many. The more people who listen to music together, the more enjoyable it becomes. Therefore, the author is willing to share some insights about listening to music with everyone.
Should one start listening to music with what kind of pieces? This actually varies from person to person and does not necessarily follow a "from simple to profound" approach, because "simple" or "profound" really has no standard. For the author, since they learned the piano from a young age, they started with piano pieces, gradually moved on to piano concertos with orchestras, and then to piano ensemble pieces with other instruments. However, one of the author's friends, who had never been exposed to what is called classical music, was captivated by the melody of Richard Wagner's opera "Tannh?user" on a opportunity and became a frequent buyer of records and attendee of concerts. The melodies of Beethoven's and Brahms' symphonies became familiar to them, yet they remained a fan of pop music, proving that classical and pop music are not mutually exclusive.
There are several types of music enthusiasts. One type is the "audiophile," who focuses on "explosive sound quality." Another is the "nostalgist," who believes that performers from decades ago are better than today's renowned artists, and poor recordings are not an issue. Many people are "background music lovers," who simply seek pleasant music to listen to while reading or doing other things. But those who truly enjoy music are the "scholars," who not only listen to music with undivided attention but also read music books and listen to introductions to compositions, teaching themselves music knowledge and even delving into the structure of musical pieces. They believe that only in this way can one enter a higher realm of music appreciation, immersing their body and mind in the melody and truly achieving a state of tranquility and joy.
However, you do not have to think that this is the only way to enjoy music. Although many friends' experiences show that once they enter this realm, they find great joy. But this does not mean that listening to music must be like Zhong Ziqi, who, upon hearing Yu Boya play "High Mountains" and "Flowing Waters," must grasp the essence of the music. Because many pieces of music do not have a specific "program content," such as many of J.S. Bach's compositions, which are characterized by their pleasantness. They are neither like Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony," which "struggles with fate," nor like Debussy's music, which gives one the impression of "mountains in a misty realm."
Therefore, how to appreciate the joy of music does not necessarily require setting many constraints, but having more knowledge about music is always helpful. The author fell in love with classical music because they loved watching cartoons as a child. It turned out that many chase scenes in cartoons often used excerpts from Franz Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" and the overture of Gioacchino Rossini's opera "William Tell." When a friend introduced this