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I love Sufjan Stevens, Tori Amos, Mitski, the Carpenters, etc. a lot, but for about a week and a half a month, I’ll only listen to classical music. It’s like an acid peel for the soul, and I always feel refreshed afterwards. You have to be really making an effort to classicalmaxx as well & trade up your standard compilation choices for Lawes, Saariaho, Dutilleux, Lutyens, Gesualdo, etc.
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I got Apple Music classical recently. absolutely love it. If you’re reading this and haven’t taken the classical-pill yet, you have to give it a try. It has all the calming space out lock in effects of ambient music— but if you care to really tune into the music itself it’s astonishing how beautiful it can be. Growing up, I thought it was music for the diaperproles— babies & senior citizens. I was so wrong. Such grace, such clarity, such overwhelming force, such tenderness, such vehement, electrifying ENERGY all expressed completely wordlessly. By a means that surpasses words. Wordcelsisters, we never stood a chance…
I’ve been on a huge Russians kick currently. Prokofiev, Rachmoninov, Stravinsky, Scriabin, Tvhaikovsky. Some pieces that I’ve really been enjoying recently, in no particular order:
Schumann’s piano concerto in A minor performed by Marta Argerich.
Rossini’s overture from la gazza ladra
Prokofiev‘s dance of the knights from Romeo & Juliet
Stravinsky’s rite of spring
Vladikir Ashkenazy’s rendition of Chopin’s 15th nocturne
I’m also convinced that “Smile Sessions” is the best pop album ever made. If anyone can provide any evidence to the contrary I’d be delighted. But in the meantime, I’ll continue listening to ”The Teenage Symphony to God” front to back ad infinitum
Apr 27, 2024
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My playlist where I dumped some of the songs I listened to. I’ve played a lot of these like Danse Macabre so it really takes me back I need to start seeing the symphony again it’s actually sick that I don’t bc I have one of the best symphony orchestras in the world like ten minutes away from my house 🤨
Dec 20, 2024
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I’m talking romantic era circa 1870. rachmaninoff, tchaikovsky, sibelius, saint-saëns, and even later composers like scriabin and ravel. I’ve recently been fixated on sibelius symphony no. 2 and ravel piano concerto in g (the second movement definitely being the most emotional). oh, and this is neoromantic but I can’t pass up an opportunity to recommend ennio morricone’s compositions. I recently relistened to the guiseppe tornatore suite and it’s just wave after wave of bliss from the sonic landscape. I hate to be that pretentious classical music guy but I just really like talking about it lol.
Dec 18, 2024
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I’m so rabbitpilled.
Feb 22, 2024
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you’re free, but at what cost?
Mar 8, 2024
I gave up social media for Lent and got annoyed whenever I had to reactivate the first few weeks because I wanted to copy out a recipe, the name of a painting I forgot, a book a friend had suggested, etc. When I was on the bus a few weeks later, I reread Elisa Gabbert’s essay “Notes on Keeping a Notebook,” which outlines her own experiences with a commonplace book / the utility and beauty of writing down small details. I started using a little goatskin-bound one I bought online a few years ago and haven’t looked back since. I never leave the house without it and spend more time leafing through that than checking for texts when I’m out & about now.
Mar 21, 2024