Blue sky this morning, with just a few wispy clouds. It's good for morale, to see the sky after all the overcast weather we've been having. We're just sat drinking coffee. Earlier, I was listening to Bach. G's now got Barry Manilow on. G and I have very different musical tastes.
The way we all like different music is intriguing. I've come to appreciate Barry a bit. I certainly respect his skills - he's a great musician. But I don't get what I want from him. He leaves me if not cold, then lukewarm.
I spend a lot of time with my Bluetooth headphones on. I wouldn't impose my tastes on anyone. Recently, it's been Throbbing Gristle. Before that, James Chance and the Contortions. Then there's the Bach. I look for different things to listen to, settle on something for a while, then move on. I do come back to the things I like most but I like to think of music as a journey full of surprises. The things we can do with noise.
And the results can be overwhelming. Music is a powerful drug. I was going to say it can be so powerful that I'm surprised repressive governments haven't banned it but, of course, at different times and in different places, they have. Music was tightly controlled in Britain in the time of Cromwell. The Soviet Union kept a close eye on what its composers were doing. Even Bach was warned to not make his church music too invigorating.
I think I'm right in saying Indian classical music specifies certain scales for different times of the day. There are things you play in the morning and things you play in the evening. It has always seemed a great idea to me. If you've jobs to do in the evening when you feel like putting your feet up, there's nothing like the throb of a heavy beat to keep you going.
Coffee break over. Barry's 'This One's for You' has come to an end. I'm now going to go and get the Christmas decorations out. Talking of music, Christmas is a great time for it. As a music teacher (which I am) I never tire of teaching people to play carols. Every year, there are children I teach who, struggling to read music in November are fluent readers by January. It's not down to me - it's the 'Christmas effect'. Whatever you feel about Christmas, it's certainly a time when music serves a real purpose in the community. People who are learning to play instruments or enjoy singing suddenly find they're in demand!
Did I say Barry Manilow leaves me lukewarm? I take it back. I've just watched this. Wow! Is there anyone who doesn't like 'Copacabana'?
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