rowuk

Sunshine can burn you, food can poison you, words can condemn you, pictures can insult you; music cannot punish – only bless.

-Artur Schnabel ‘Music and the Line of Most Resistance’ 1942

Vulgano Brother

I guess music has changed since 1942...we have electric violas now.

rowuk

Since 1942 we have a separation between music and entertainment. Many non-musical things can be entertaining.

Vulgano Brother

I liked this quote about Artur: "Much has been made of Leschetizky’s evaluation of his young pupil [Schnabel], 'You will never be a pianist; you are a musician'”
Biography Artur Schnabel

ecarroll

Robin,

I long for a return to a day when people pause to put their face in the sun, would prefer to linger over a real meal rather than popping a fast Chicken McDropping, would take time to read a book rather than scan a website for keywords, and would go out of their way to linger over a beautifully composed image. It might be worth the sunburn, tummy ache, and personal/visual assault.

I know that creating and listening to music works well too.

Cheers,
EC (analog ears in a compressed, mp3, age)

rowuk

I guess you will have to move to France or Italy.............................

ecarroll

Robin,

France or Italy work for me but I'd probably choose either Bergamo in the north of Italy or Montepulciano in Tuscany. Both places are my idea of heaven...

I'm bringing 2 of my students (one from CalArts and one from McGill) to play a concert of new trumpet music at the Donezetti Conservatory (Bergamo) in May, by the way. Stay tuned.

Ciao,
EC

Vulgano Brother

Sorry if I can't agree completely--yes, music is a blessing to most all of us, but here at the Mission we are seeing more and more young people (in their 20's) who have burned some pretty big holes in their brains by using Methamphetamines. Music has been a part of drug culture from the most ancient of days.

The following comes from the University of Cambridge (If wished, skip to the bold print):

"Methamphetamine (METH) is a drug of abuse used for its stimulant effects. Its neurotoxicity is very variable, and is increased by a number of factors, including crowded conditions and increased ambient temperature. The effects of such factors are increasingly important, with the widespread use of these stimulants at nightclubs and 'raves'. Here, we compared the effect of another dominant feature of nightclubs, continuous loud noise, on the toxicity of METH in mice. We found that mice exposed to loud music exhibited longer lasting stereotypy, an altered place preference in the open field and had more seizures than mice given METH in a quiet setting or when exposed to loud white noise. A greater increase in reactive gliosis was also seen after exposure to METH and loud music. Thus, METH appears to be more toxic when taken while exposed to loud music."

We also see people who have been literally brainwashed by combinations of drugs and certain types of music. I am not trying to imply that satanic forces are creeping into the minds of our youth like the polemic MODERN DAY PROPHETS THAT WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS, but music can be (heck, is) a powerful force. Anything powerful, by accident or design, can, in certain cases, be dangerous.

I believe music can punish, and I believe music can heal. I also believe that we can choose to be healers, but that it is a conscious choice, not an automatic by-product of the art we love.

RG111

I don't think the loud noises being listened to by the druggies is music.

Roy

misty.sj

That's mostly a generational / cultural judgment call. I bet your parents didn't think your taste in music was valid either. :) Druggies really enjoyed Pink Floyd and Rush in the 70's but I think a lot of people consider their music to be 'music.' Just sayin'....