Monday, April 20, 2009

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” - Victor Hugo

I am a fan of music. A lot. Especially of Movie Soundtracks that are instrumental based. I find that this type of music evokes more of a emotional response than a song with lyrics would. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of lyrical music as well. So, I don’t want to come across as putting it down. But most of the time, my soul sings to the sound of the song than the words that expresses there in.


For example, let’s take the Braveheart Soundtrack. When I close my eyes while listening to it, I can feel myself running through the green mountains of Scotland or preparing to fight the British at Falkirk. Or when listening to the Gladiator Soundtrack, through my mind’s eye I can feel and see the epicness that is the Grand Coliseum.


But that’s not it. Have you ever listened to either listened to Unforgiven or Nothing Else Matters by Metallica just for chords and rifts? Next time you hear a song that has a good rhythm that you like, just pause and listen. Try and listen to the instrumental and not the lyrics. Close your eye and let it wash over you. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do.


But whatever happens, let the music move you.

4 comments:

bluefish said...

My favorite music has an excellent tune, but what I really look for is something with brilliant lyrics that speak to me. The best music, to me, is almost a poem set to music.

Of course, there's also the richness of classical music, when the entire orchestra tells a story of emotion without words.

Smurfs O'Malley said...

That’s where I find I’m different from a lot of people. As you said the lyrics speak to you, I find that’s true with the majority of people. For me, not so much. I guess I can puit it this way: Im more of a "Feeler" than a "thinker".

The Seamons Family said...

Once again I'm with you, I prefer soundtracks too. My favorites are the Lord of the Rings soundtracks, which actually have some lyrics here and there. Other favorites include the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Stardust. I am a really big fan of David Arkenstone, a New Age artist that rarely uses lyrics but tells stories through the music. His CD titled Atlantis is about the best of the lot. For me there is a possibility of getting soundtrack overload then I have to put in something with some lyrics to break it up, but on the whole I'm with you on the soundtracks.

F.G. Shaw said...

Smurfs!
I sort of stumbled on your blog, so I'm playing catch up with all of your posts.

I wanted to suggest to you two composers (well, could suggest a lot of composers, but...) Aaron Copeland and Igor Stravinsky. Both were writers of ballet music (amongst other pieces) and both wrote rather evocative stuff. From Copeland: Appalachian Spring, and Rodeo are the two pieces to get (typically they show up together on the same CD's) as well as 'Billy the Kid.'
For Stravinsky: The Firebird, and The Rite of Spring. His music is much more robust and frentic than Copeland's, but very cool stuff. Not soundtracks in the traditional sense, but ballet music has a tendency to be very soundtrack like (which makes sense as it's narrating a story.)

Post a Comment