Share 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 merely the music of the secular world." However, as Confucius said, "Today's music originates from ancient music." 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 share in listening to music, the more delightful it becomes. Therefore, the author is willing to share some insights on listening to music with everyone.
Where should one start when listening to music? This actually varies from person to person and does not necessarily follow a "from simple to profound" approach, as there are no fixed standards for what is "simple" or "profound." For the author, since they learned the piano from a young age, they began with piano pieces, gradually moving on to piano concertos with orchestras, and later, 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 and became a regular 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 is the "audiophile," who focuses on "overwhelming 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 are "background music lovers," who simply seek pleasant music to listen to while reading or doing other activities. But those who truly appreciate the joy of 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 harmony, truly achieving a state of tranquility and joy.
However, it is not necessary to think that one must follow this path to appreciate music. Although many friends find that once they enter this realm, they experience 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," grasps the essence of the music. Because many pieces of music do not have a specific "programmatic content," such as many of J.S. Bach's compositions, which are characterized by their pleasantness—neither like Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony" that "fights against fate," nor like Debussy's music that gives one the impression of "mountains in a misty realm."
Therefore, how to appreciate the joy of music does not require rigid frameworks, but having more knowledge about music is always helpful. The author fell in love with classical music because, as a child, they loved watching cartoons. 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...