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Thursday 14 January 2010

music that resonates...


Do you have a particular piece of music that always evokes some feeling within you?

I have one - not particularly original as it's quite famous, but never mind. 

Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14. - aka "Moonlight". 

I can be reading, writing, travelling, washing up...not really paying much attention to the music gently playing in the background.  But then "Moonlight" starts playing.  However absorbed I am, it filters through and I look up and suddenly pause.  It makes immediate contact with something buried inside me.  I feel a rush of peace and happiness, and at the same time, a resonation with any sadness I might be feeling.  It always manages to find something in my mood to meet it - whether it's drawing me into a more peaceful state or meeting me in a place I can already be found. 

I have to take a breath, lean my head back and feel a rush of tingling emotion.  A reassuring familiarity and yet still with the capacity to freeze me in the moment. It's a sudden appearance of a beloved friend, if that's not too much hyperbole.

Then I carry on with what I'm doing, but I am properly listening to the music now, relishing its company.

I can't tell you why, but that's what it does to me.

I'd love to know if anyone else has that experience, and what piece of music evokes it.

***

Illustration from stock.xchng

5 comments:

Lora said...

what a beautiful description!

as a musician, there are so many pieces that make me stop in my tracks...and it depends on the moment, honestly.

I think though, a worship song that ALWAYS inspires me is "Revelation Song"

Kathryn said...

I've had this feeling which you most eloquently describe, but not always to the same song.

Often when it happens for me i'm in a situation where i'm a bit pensive & hear a song i've not heard in a while & it instantly transports be back in time. Sometimes it is almost painful for i want to share the moment, & how do you do that?

But i appreciate your sharing here. Lovely job of describing what i find indescribable.

Unknown said...

'Moonlight Sonata' is the music which does that to me also, and you describe the feeling perfectly. It also calms me down if I really get cross, the effect is instant. I have a recording always within easy reach. It really takes me out of myself.

There are others which can evoke different emotions, not just classical, lots of pop can do that too, though I think these are attached to memories.

Teresa x

Unknown said...

So many pieces of music do that to me. Just a rush of emotions and feelings.

Stopping by from SITS!

bunnits said...

"Moonlight" is one of my favorites. When I was in high school, I would go into the living room at night, sit at the piano in the dark and play that movement, sometimes over and over until it worked its magic on me. It would always seem to meet whatever emotional or spiritual need I had at the time. It drove my mother crazy (she didn't "get that Classical stuff") and after a few repeats, she'd usually come in and ask me to play something else.

"The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."- Richard Foster