Musical Effects

[Blade]

We all know that books (books with literary merit at least) leave lasting effects on the reader, feelings on confusion, sympathy, anger, and so on. I'm curious as to if anyone has found any band/artist/song in which some of these feelings are evoked after hearing it/them.

[Shea]

Rachmoninov's Variations on a theme by Paganini (the theme song for the movie Somewhere in Time)

Forgetting the movie, that song just moves me everytime I hear it. I get shivers just before the song gets really soft. I need to get a new copy of it, I wore out my old CD. I use to put that segment on and hit repeat.

[Jay]

Sure, lots of bands, recently Evanescence and Dead Can Dance.

[emily655321]

Too many to name. Isn't that the whole point of music? That's the gauge by which I know whether or not I like a song. However, I've always had an especially strong reaction to Pachelbel's Canon in D. And then there are those haunting songs that just send shivers up and down your spine... for me, it can be anything from Clearlake or Coldplay to Nine Inch Nails, and an infinite number of the more obscure that lie between and beyond.

[Sancho]

When I listen to the Blues, I start to feel, well, Blue. I think you're right, Emily-bunch-O-num's, it is the whole point.

[simon]

The Requiem

[atiguhya padma]

Interesting to see some people posting classical pieces. However, these works are definitely not songs.

Rachmaninov's Variations are energetic and moving. Pachelbel, like most Baroque music, gets rather boring after a while. Still, when first heard, it is quite relaxing.

Einojuhani Rautavaara's Cantus Arcticus is a beautiful piece of music. All three movements are quite moving. Rautavaara journeyed to the North Pole to record the sound of Arctic birds. He lays this recording over his orchestral work, like a gently falling sheet of silk, until the two blend into the most exquisite sound. In one of the movements, he raises the sounds of the birds by a decibel or two, and then adds a string arrangement. It is beautiful.

Arvo Part's Cantus In Memoriam Benjamin Britten is lovely too. There is the sound of a bell opening the work, and this gives way to a melodic drone of strings, that carry the listener away into a dreamy utopia. The music cascades upon itself, reaching a crescendo with the return of the bell, at first a distant sound moving forwards, as the strings retreat, finally the piece ends on a single strike of the bell. Most of Part's later stuff is beautiful, but can get repetitious. After the Cantus, The Beatitudes is probably my favourite work of his. He developed what is called the tintinnabuli style: a reverberating string sound.

John Taverner's work is very moving. I can't really pick any single piece out. Tears of the Angels; Depart in Peace; The Protecting Veil; Funeral Ikos; Two Hymns to the Mother of God; The Lament of the Mother of God; Angels; and Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are all completely uplifting and moving pieces of music.

The overall feeling I get when listening to all these works, is one of compassion.

[crisaor]

Originally posted by Blade
We all know that books (books with literary merit at least) leave lasting effects on the reader, feelings on confusion, sympathy, anger, and so on. I'm curious as to if anyone has found any band/artist/song in which some of these feelings are evoked after hearing it/them.
Nice question. It happens to me with all of my CDs. I thought it was something common, after all, that is the way music is usually measured, right?

[IWilKikU]

I think that thats the point of all art, whether it's visual art, music, literature, poetry, conceptual art, sculpture, ect..

[emily655321]

Originally posted by atiguhya padma
Pachelbel, like most Baroque music, gets rather boring after a while. Still, when first heard, it is quite relaxing.

Aww, I love Baroque music. Handel, Bach, Vivaldi... good stuff. I like it cause it's string-based; don't dig all the French horns in Classical music. I like to just zone out on my bed and listen to a whole symphony.

And Chopin, of course. But then everybody likes Chopin. :p (Relax, I'm not including him in the list of Baroque composers! Just mentioning that I like him.)

[IWilKikU]

Blade, if you're talking about SONGS, my favorite bands that really make me feel somthing are (in no particular order): Radiohead, Muse, Tool, System of a Down... I think its the strong minor harmonic lines that do it. If your talking about other music (symphonies, concertos, ect...) try anything from the Romantic era (1820-1910) the whole point of that movement was to incite emotion in the listener. Also Beethoven. Technically he was classical, but his work really ushered in the romantic era. I'm doing an essay about his contribution to "the symphony" and its really amazing the emotional effect that his music had on the 19th century audience. Now days, we've heard the 5th symphony hundreds of times, but when it was written, no one had ever heard anything even close to that emotional intensity except for maybe "Eroica", Beethoven's 3rd.

[Blade]

my brother has the CD of the band "system of a down" and i took it because i'm bigger and stornger than him (harharhar) and had a listen, i found it interesting that they use quotes form the bible and the BCP ex. "father into your hand i commit my spirit", anyone familiar with the BCP or bible will know that these were Jesus's last word before he died on the cross. i'm curious as to the meaning the band was trying to establish

[emily655321]

I prefer System's self-titled CD -- Serj does more funny voices on it. :D But especially reading the lyrics is just neat. He's a smart boy, that man. They also strike the perfect balance between deep intellectualism and off-the-wall silliness in the way that only extremely intelligent and self-aware people can do.

"PogopogopogopogopogopogopogoBOUNCE!"

[Koa]

Originally posted by IWilKikU
I think that thats the point of all art, whether it's visual art, music, literature, poetry, conceptual art, sculpture, ect..

That's what i think too...
My favourite bands are those who make me FEEL so deep, whose words I'd paint on every wall... Recently I've been listening far too much to The Cure, and it's always a soul-touching experience...

[IWilKikU]

All three of System's CDs are unique and original. They are my favorite band. As for that song (Chop Suey!).

I think that what Serj (singer/lyricist) is saying is that he doesn't have faith in Christ's death. The rest of the Sacrifice related lyrics:

"I don't think you trust
In
My
Self-righteous Suicide"

Calling the crucifiction a "Self-righeous suicide" certainly makes sense for someone who doesn't believe in Christianity. "Father into your hands I commend my spirit were also the last words of a famous Armenian nationalist/philosopher that he idolises. They sing a lot about the Armenian genocide of 1915, carried out by Turkey. I think that they're drawing a parallel between all their country-men that died for no reason, and Christ who (to him) died for no reason. There are alot of lyrics that have multiple levels like that, that you won't understand unless you know the band well. Alot of thier lyrics are alot deeper then even true fans understand. Serj writes on a personal level that no one (even other band members) really understands except for him.

www.systemofadown.com <the band's official site
www.serjicalstrike.com <Serj's record label's site where you can buy his poetry book Cool Gardens

[emily655321]

I agree with your interpretation, kik. That's how I took it too. He's a cool dude, all right. He still shouldn't have cut off all that cute hair, though. :p

[IWilKikU]

Yeah, the hair was cool, but I've gotten used to him w/o it and now his old pics just look silly. Just like Metallica.

[emily655321]

*Gasp* Comparing Serj to Metallica?? Sacrilege!!! :D (Can you tell I don't care for metal?)

By the way, I think we should organize a national day of mourning -- just tonight I happened upon none other than the great Modest Mouse being played on an Mtv countdown show! :( Now not only will they be in heavy circulation on the mainstream airwaves, but demand will rise, they'll have to switch to a major label to supply said demand, the major label will pressure them to churn out hits, the music will become watered down, and they will be yet another group of lost souls in the sickly void of pop music. WAAAAAHHHH!!!!! I'm sad. Enjoy their splendor while you still can, guys. It happens to the best of them.

[Blade]

well said em

[fayefaye]

I think music can have a huge effect on people. NOt just music itself, but the moments and memories we connect to them. Stupid things. A karoake moment in a car. A good day spent with a tune stuck in your head. little things. Most of the songs that have impacted on me have done so through some stupid attachment to something else.

[Blade]

agreed, i think the best songs are the ones that when you hear with a buddy or something it makes you go "hey you remember that time..."

[fayefaye]

yeah. like 'I will survive' sung at the top of your lungs at a party. :D

[Blade]

exactly, haha, it's funny how our lives come with a soundtrack

[fayefaye]

LOL. Yeah, one day I should compose the 'fayefaye' soundtrack replete with Red Hot chilli peppers songs. :D

[Blade]

RHCP hell yes, hmm i think i'll start a new thread for that

[emily655321]

LOL I did that once. I think I got up to like 300 songs or something before I stopped.