I’ve been listening to the soundtrack of Pride and Prejudice, watching The Tudors, reading ‘The Rivals’ by Sheridan and explaining English history to people all day. Yes, I realise how creepily obsessed with ‘England’ I can be sometimes, but all of this furore over nationality and patriotism is something I’ve never been able to comprehend.
After all, till date my only motivation in watching any sport remains the attractiveness of the men in question: unfortunately, I haven’t found anyone in the Indian cricket team worth supporting. But then again, I haven’t watched cricket in a while, and the last time I watched football was– well, last week, but that was pure chance.
But to get back to my point in writing this, I’ve been listening to an eclectic mix of music this week and honestly, it’s never been clearer to me that music can completely change your mood around. On a grumpy Monday morning, on the way to college in a noisy auto, listening to ‘The Militia Marches In” from the P&P soundtrack can really make you laugh out loud with happiness; listening to ‘Evenstar’ or ‘The Council of Elrond’ or ‘The King of the Golden Hall’ from the LOTR soundtrack can make you feel like nothing you’re doing is of any importance, that reality can be transcended.
Listening to hip-hop is mindless, transporting you into a hazy world of remembered drunken nights tinged with the smell of sweat, perfume and cigarette smoke spent in close quarters with strangers. Listening to the Beatles and ABBA makes me feel happy, self-contained, at peace with the world; Dire Straits and Pink Floyd remind me of my parents, every time.
And Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven – the music seems to creep into my toes, into my blood, into everything.
I really want to start learning to play the piano again.
Pointless post, in the end, but I was just killing time until episode 10 of the Tudors loaded anyway :)
Finally, it’s not just me who finds LOTR’s soundtracks to be brilliant and mind-numbing!
Nothing can beat mozart/beethoven/tchaikovsky and “creeps into my toe” is said like never before.. If you want more creeping into toes and what-not, check out CSNY, Phish, The Band, Grateful Dead and Traffic :)
Thank you! I shall add them to my list of things to download. And I am indiscriminately a fan of all things LOTR :)
Incidentally, there was a classical music concert recently in Chennai where the Madras Chamber Orchestra played pieces by Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach and Griegg – was quite, quite wonderful!
The Beatles & Pink Floyd – YAY!
And yes, the right music and totally turn your outlook on life around, if only for a little while :)
I know! :( sadness in life.. I read about it in the papers and wanted to go, even saved the contact in my phone.. Surprise surprise.. Forgot about it until I read about the “stunning concert” in the papers the next day! :( Guess my friend’s ADD’s rubbing off..