Sometimes I worry my disagreement with this belief means either I don't really undersand music, or I don't really understand the human soul. :D
Perhaps you're an alien?
I remember reading through some Celan awhile back and thinking that it would be a travesty if a text like this were set to music (or used as the inspiration for music) because it communicated something intrinsically pre-timbral, if that makes sense -- something that had to be communicated through silence.
Interesting. Are you saying pre-music, or pre-sound? I can see the first better than the second, because when I read poetry, there's always a little voice in my head reading the words as if reading out loud, so text as pre-sound just doesn't compute for me.
I've never heard the Boulez, but your comparison is something I cannot imagine happening to me (though I fully get that it happens for you). I think it's because I have no tools with which to analyze music--I can only experience it, and if I do try to analyze it, I can only do it in the most basic terms of, "This makes me feel sad," or "I like that rhythm." Whereas text I can analyze in more sophisticated terms, and it comes more naturally to me to do that, so no matter how wrapped up in it I get, I always can, if I put my mind to it.
...I think basically I just said you are too educated to enjoy music. Um, sorry?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-03-29 04:26 pm (UTC)Perhaps you're an alien?
I remember reading through some Celan awhile back and thinking that it would be a travesty if a text like this were set to music (or used as the inspiration for music) because it communicated something intrinsically pre-timbral, if that makes sense -- something that had to be communicated through silence.
Interesting. Are you saying pre-music, or pre-sound? I can see the first better than the second, because when I read poetry, there's always a little voice in my head reading the words as if reading out loud, so text as pre-sound just doesn't compute for me.
I've never heard the Boulez, but your comparison is something I cannot imagine happening to me (though I fully get that it happens for you). I think it's because I have no tools with which to analyze music--I can only experience it, and if I do try to analyze it, I can only do it in the most basic terms of, "This makes me feel sad," or "I like that rhythm." Whereas text I can analyze in more sophisticated terms, and it comes more naturally to me to do that, so no matter how wrapped up in it I get, I always can, if I put my mind to it.
...I think basically I just said you are too educated to enjoy music. Um, sorry?