What musical features engage you?
Our era exalts the idea of mass approval, mass appeal.  Yet even though we recognize Rodney King’s genial entreaty “Can’t we all get along?†as nice in theory, it does disappear in practice. Â
Making choices is not a betrayal. When we get right down to what items are on any single listener’s playlist of favorites (‘can’t-do-withouts’), there are all sorts of cut-outs operating to arrive at those very selections.   It can only be a positive that composers and listeners possess a developed sense of self, even as they remain open – wisely – to explore within an infinity of options. Â
My personal threshold is pretty high. But I know that if a piece misses my expectations in basic ways I’ll turn aside – and fast.  Â
What do I expect from a piece? Â
- It requires active, not passive, listening.
- It is ‘fresh’ in some way — let the composer spin convention, even if just a little bit.   Â
- It is genuine.Â
- The music conveys, somehow, that the composer cares about the notes.
- And, preferably, the music does not give up its entire essence on a single hearing.
What frames your listening?
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