Video+Article+-+The+Power+of+Classical+Music

Benjamin Zander is a leading American conductor as well as a well-known writer and regular speaker on how to focus on the passion in music.
=== In this video he addresses how to find the passion in classical music, and shares his views on how classical music can be a part of everyone's emotional lives. === === Watch this video and share your own thoughts about what he has to say. (feel free to agree or disagree!). === === Consider the following questions, but also feel free to raise your own questions or comments: === === • Can the emotional connection found in classical music also be found in other types of music? === === • Following Zander's idea of "one buttock playing", how can this modify your approach to practicing and to performing? ===

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Brian Liu Zander's idea of "one buttock playing" is certainly applicable to an orchestral setting. Ms. Pady constantly hassles players to sit on the edge of seats. (Mike :D) This is similar to the "one buttock playing" idea. When playing near the edge of the seat, the player is able to move freely and, in same sense that Chopin and Mozart drove Zander to sit on one buttock, allow the music to express itself.

One statistic that Zander mentions catches my attention: only 3% of a given group enjoys or understands Classical music. I find this vaguely depressing. If anything, the music history unit in grades 10 and 11 have taught me and my peers the importance of Classical music, how classical music once was part of everybody's lives and reflected an individual's worth. Now, only 3% inherit that heritage and culture. I cannot help but wonder if Zander's quest to teach the remaining 97% to love Classical music is a tad ambitious and ignorant.

David

Firstly, I am happy that I finally understand what was meant by the grade 12s last year by “one buttock playing.” Being “pushed over” by the music, being moved, so to speak, can help a performer see what is being said in the music so as to be able to better articulate in serving to deliver the message. It is as was said by Thomas in //Music and emotion in time,// “even the most ambitious masterpiece can have as its central mission to bring you back to a fragile and personal moment,” and if the performer can understand the music (if they can be moved by the music, so to speak), the performer can then help spread that understanding.

Now, with that out of the way, his idea was very interesting, “that classical music is for everybody,” that “Everybody loves classical music – they just haven’t found out about it yet.” When the Chopin was playing, it brought me somewhere, and I’m not even sure where it brought me. It was a connection that was made also when I heard it during the Romantic Era Overview presentation during the music history unit. A deep, penetrating, and longing sadness, not one that was overwhelming, but more so one that is peaceful. It was a feeling of finally being at peace. When it comes to classical music, I’m a conservative listener at best, but the Chopin found something in me.

I think that these emotional responses can be found in almost all of modern music, though to varying audiences. I imagine that even something as alien to me as rap might hold significant meaning and perhaps even beauty to others around me. It might be why every genre of music has its own audience, a community of people who find their genre not only to be likable, but who also find something of value there, something that they can see while others may be oblivious. Every genre, from rock to pop to classical, country, and even rap, is capable of making emotional connections; it simply depends on within whom it is being made.

Rose

I think that emotional connections are present with any type of music. Although classical has a way of moving people elegantly and subtly, I believe that songs with lyrics are very powerful in achieving the same reactions. For example, If a person went through a breakup, they would be able to relate with a song that is made specifically for people going through a hard time. By listening to the lyrics, people are able to connect and relate to the song. I strongly think that music in general is a very powerful and moving subject. It has the ability to touch a person's heart and control their thoughts and feelings. As a result, one does not have to listen to simply just classic in order to achieve an emotional connection. I agree with Benjamin Zander on how classical music is so important to us. It truly has the ability to touch our feelings and allows us to connect more deeply everything around us. In addition, i found it very interesting how he said that no one in this world is tone deaf. This was very nice to hear because I always thought that I was tone deaf and hearing him say how that isn't possible, made me happy and made me realize that maybe there is hope for me in the music department after all.

Sandy

I agree with Rose that emotional connection can be found in every type of music depending on the person’s like and dislikes. Different types of music speak to the person in different ways as to expressing themselves and how it relates to them. As to the modern music of today lyrics are a big component of describing feelings and putting them out there as words making it easier to deal with our emotions at certain circumstances. I feel that music in general connects people with their emotions and they feel enlightened by them. In classical music, to me, I find that the connection and enjoyment is to experience making the music. While modern music I often enjoy listening to it while it describes what I feel for me. So to me, classical and the modern music have different types of connection although both have the enjoyment of making and playing of the chords.

Allan Liu While every genre of music (pop, rap, blues etc.) has an audience, I would argue that the connection found in classical music cannot be found in other genres of music. With the fleeting durability of modern music (just think how often trending music is replaced), the ability to form strong and lasting connections with music has vanished for many people. I would hazard to guess that most people are interested in one song for at most a month. A few memorable tunes last for several years. Now consider this: classical music has lasted for over 300 years. Handel’s Hallelujah was written in 1741, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy was written in 1785, and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik was written in 1787. These compositions are still appreciated today and stand as testimony to the unique connection the world has found in classical music. So, while people are able to connect with modern genres of music, the connection is often temporary and is not the same kind of connection found in classical music.

I found this Ted talk to be the most inspiring and informative. Zander’s explanation of impulse in the earlier part of the presentation is very applicable to orchestra and solo performance. For example, in Egmont, the lower strings have a substantial amount of repeated eighth notes for accompaniment. To avoid monotony and provide a sense of phrasing, we can emphasize important beats (usually beginning of a bar) to create an engaging impulse.

Lucy

I think people can connect emotionally to many different genres of music. Each piece of music has its own meaning and, based on a persons experiences, they may or may not be able to understand and connect that specific piece. A Classical piece may be able to reach more people since Classical music doesn't have lyrics and therefore the piece can be interpreted to mean a wider variety of things. However, a modern piece with lyrics that describe a relatable experience or feeling can have an equally profound emotional connection. Moving with the music is definitely important because it forces the performer to truly feel the music. Movement also helps the audience feel the emotion behind the piece. I find it easy to get caught up with the notes, especially when a piece is more difficult. It is important to remember that the most important part of music is the emotions it conveys, not 100% technical accuracy.

Jason Sohn

I feel strong sympathy for Zander's idea of "one buttock playing" because it helps the players to get into the music physically and it also connects emotionally between the player and the music. “One buttock playing” doesn't really improve your musical level however it can bring out a smoother musical flow. As Zander already mentioned, sadly only 3% of a given group enjoys or understands Classical music. Classical music can deliver true excitement and pleasure to people’s heart. What I feel very informative and necessary from this video is that Classical music is not boring or old. Because it is so amazing that we became the base and role model of contemporary music. The structures and melodic lines of classical music is so heart-touching that people still don’t believe how the composers thought of those.

Kelly No

People may question or believe that forms of music other than classical do not form an emotional connection with the listeners; however, I believe that all forms of music do convey a sort of message. Whether it is shown explicitly through numerous styles in classical music, or shown with a very limited scope in a pop music, all works of music possess an emotional connection. For example, when you listen to a specific pop music in the summer time and listen to the same song again in the winter, it would remind you of the time in the summer. This is because all music makes us feel something and that is why all music gets establishes an emotional link between the music itself and the listener.

Zander’s point about how classical music expresses so much in everyone’s lives is true. Classical music, unlike forms of music with lyrics, is more calming and triggers a personal emotion more than other types of music. For example, pop music focuses towards the lyrics and the main melody. However, in classical music, you are able to hear the different instrumentations and be able to feel more connected with the music, since it has more depth that is perhaps made through numerous layers of instrumentation. I feel that because of this distinctive feature of the classical music, it has the most emotional connection.

Bethany

Zander’s idea of “one buttock playing”, prompted me to think about the means of playing music. There are notes on the music sheet, and we often play what’s written on the page, note to note, rather than playing music that’s driven by our feelings. The “one buttock playing” idea shows how our posture reflects directly on the music we play. Sitting on the edge of the seat or only on one buttock allows the music and us to flow and move together. It creates a sense of connection of the music we produced rather than just a sound vibration that we create. Thus, sitting on one buttock or edge of the seat allows more engagement to the piece and for the music to speak.

I found his introduction on the process of learning play music very true and relatable to most music players. When most of us started playing music, we have no awareness on where to put impulses and we only aim to play all the notes clear and loud; so, it ends up having an impulses in every note. However, we learn and practice, we realize and feel the flow of the music and the phrase. Music is not about the notes, but the overall melodic idea that’s portrayed throughout the piece rather than a 5 bar phrase. Another thing he brought up was that classical music might be perceived as boring. For instance, in Chopin’s Prelude in E-minor, it has many repeated chords, which makes it dull and not very exciting. However, it that’s the point, it’s to tell a story like “when he comes home after a long day, turns off the key in his car and says, "Aah, I'm home.”” It portrays a story and perhaps after knowing the intention of the piece, that the piece will generate a more meaning connection with listeners.

Mike Yang

Every style and genre of music can create emotional connections with listeners. Each of these connections is unique, as each type style of music would deliver a different emotion. For example, a pop song with a fast and energetic beat being played in the summer would convey a very happy and exciting feeling. While a slow blues at night would convey a more saddened and lonely feel. In this video Benjamin Zander took his time to lead the non-classical listeners a journey through his emotions and how to experience the wonders of classical for themselves.

A technique of "playing" Benjamin introduced is the "one buttock playing". In my opinion, this isn't really a technique that will improve your technical playing skills, but rather, more of a position to free up more room for the body. Think of the "one buttock playing" as a yoga position. It loosens up the body and gives it a more of an opportunity to play more openly and being able to express more emotions. This then creates better sounding tones and presents an insight to the listeners on the feeling of the musician.

Emma Li

This video was very interesting as well as enlightening. To begin, the world of classical music feels like a wide expand with no horizon. There is so much encompassed in the genre that I feel no one person could fully call themselves an expert of all classical music. Classical music is revered and played in such a way that it is famous as the “the age in which music flourished as it never has before and never did again.” Listening to the radio today, Bach would probably be quite alarmed. The now popular pop culture has reduced complicated movements and cadenzas to a single voice accompanied by a melodic beat. We can argue all day about the direction music is taking, yet the change might not be for the worse. Music today might lack the thought and layers that was prevalent in classical music, yet some of it still has depth. Going through a traumatic event, such as a breakup, you can be comforted listening to someone else sing about their feelings about the same event. Music today is also more accessible and easier to understand and enjoy for those with no musical background. Music today has evolved leaps and bounds since the music from the classical era, but clearly both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Malcolm Hall

In my opinion, all of what Mr. Zander had to say was true. Of course when he says “one buttock playing” he if referring to when musicians become so involved or caught up in a piece of music they’re playing that it manifests itself in their body movements. He encourages performers to show expression in their playing, which I suppose involves some degree of physical involvement. Furthermore, he doesn’t think that music should be treated as a technical exercise, but rather a way of communicating thoughts, feelings and emotions. This is evident when he tells the audience that “in order for [him] to join the B to the E [he] has to stop thinking about every single note along the way and start thinking about the long, long line from B to E.” In other words, as a performer, your objective isn’t just to play all of the notes correctly, but also to communicate to the audience exactly what the composer had in mind when he composed the piece of music. **Can the emotional connection found in Classical music also be found in other types of music?** Yes of course it can. Take Hard Rock for instance. I know quite a few people who play it on the stereo in their car during their commute to work because they find it invigorating. Smooth Jazz is quite popular as a means of relaxing/unwinding after a long day’s work. Zen music is widely used by people who meditate or practice Yoga. Disco music was extremely popular during the 70s and was typically played night clubs to create an exciting atmosphere. Gospel music is a staple at many churches and can be traced all the way back to the days of slavery in the United States; slaves would often use it to boost morale. What all of these genres of music have in commons is that they all have an effect on the listener’s mental/emotional state and can alter their moods.