Sunday, December 30, 2007

Mozart and Brandon Flowers? At the same time? Of course!



Some of the most gripping sentences I read this week belong to David Byrne, over at 'Wired.' Byrne asks:

'What do we need music to do? How do we visit the land in our head and the place in our heart that music takes us to? Can I get a round-trip ticket?'

I have often been asked the following question: "How can one like Mozart and The Killers at the same time? How can one go to the opera one night and to a punk rock show the next?" I am of the opinion that one can and that one has, perhaps, a need to diversify and pursue different things simultaneously.

One of my travel playlists consists of the following audio files:
1) Verdi's Aida march
2) The Killers' 'Mr. Brightside' new remix as featured in their new project Sawdust
3) Pink's Who Knew?
4) Mandalay's Like Her
5) Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5 in E-Flat Major
6) Rihanna's Umbrella
7) Gianna Nannini's I Maschi
8) Mozart's Zauberfloete

So, when asked how I could possibly enjoy The Killers, Rihanna, and Beethoven with the same genuine enthusiasm, I provide an answer very much similar to that of David Byrne's from 'Wired':

No single model will work for everyone. There's room for all of us.
Some artists are the Coke and Pepsi of music, while others are the fine
wine — or the funky home-brewed moonshine. And that's fine. I like
Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man."
Sometimes a corporate soft drink is what you want — just not at the
expense of the other thing. In the recent past, it often seemed like
all or nothing, but maybe now we won't be forced to choose. Ultimately,
all these scenarios have to satisfy the same human urges.

There is, indeed, enough room for different things to coexist ever so beautifully and naturally. Beethoven gives me as much pleasure as Muse or The Killers or even various Italian pop. Just because my palate begs for a quotidian macchiato does not mean that it chooses to preclude the occasional soy latte.
Room for cream and sugar? Yes, please.
Room for Rihanna and OneRepublic?
Mais oui!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is a seriously beautiful picture of Brandon Flowers. And as one I know would say, 'so very gendered.'
thanks for the post. they were missed this last week.

Anonymous said...

Diversification is key. I agree.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, my favorite Blogista. Thank you for the entries.

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year's.
I've especially enjoyed the book reviews. Thank you!
Rich

Erka said...

I too agree, it's good for one to appreciate all kinds of music. Personally I am looking forward to checking out a couple of names I didn't recognize in your play list. I don't keep up as well with the new stuff that comes out.
Gianna Nannini, huh? I have had early nineties Italian music stuck in my head ever since I read your post this afternoon! :)

B.R. said...

Exactly, Erka. Music as ontology....
Gianna Nannini's new work is really strong. Masini's newer work is also quite raw and real. Masini at his best.
Thanks Eric, and Richard.
Have a great 2008 as well.
And thank YOU for your feedback and for reading.

Anonymous said...

yes, i also think there is room for Snoop and Verdi in the same playlist. in modern times 'diversification' would need to be key, yes?

EvaDress said...

I imagine different renditions of a song play into one's ontology as well? That is to say, I enjoy Sting's 'Little Wing' much more than that by Jimmy Hendrix.
My favorite classical piece is (Jean) Sibelius' Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Minor, Op. 47 Allegro Moderato, but not the way Joshua Bell plays it!!!!