The 'How Does Music Affect You?' thread (in association with Shard)

(Yes, it's yet another thread with which I try to distract myself from myself, and from the troubles I constantly bring both to me and to all-round much better people):

How Does Music Affect You?

There's an interesting article on the NAS website about music therapy for autists. One unfortunate person who struggles to communicate his emotions has been helped by way of this therapy: thankfully, he can now use musical instruments to have a 'voice' when, ordinarily, he might be lost in silence. After reading this feature, I wondered how music affects our lives? Not only in the 'helping' sense but also in music's basic power to change or sustain our moods? It doesn't matter if your own examples are standard or unusual ones. I'll start us off ~

*Cue the obligatory and dreaded 'Simon examples', listed because he has no actual life-experiences beyond those in his mind*:

1. When watching Kate Bush's 'The Sensual World' video, I feel transported to a world of Romance. It's like a Pre-Raphaelite painting come to life. A medieval fairytale in crimson, adorned with Autumn leaves. It is breathtaking. Who needs reality?:

'And how we wished to live in the sensual world...
You don't need words -
Just one kiss, then another

Stepping out of the page
Into the sensual world'

2. I often have images in my mind when listening to music, but sometimes I get it 'wrong'. On hearing a Classical piece, I was unshakeably convinced that it soundtracked a slender ship cutting through the ocean, casting blue waves aside; later, I found out that the piece actually represented the flowering of an English country garden. Doh.

More interestingly, (I hope): How Does Music Affect *You*?

Parents
  • I was unshakeably convinced

    You must learn Young Padawan Simon, apparently it was spared you at achool during literature classes, I was failing those over and over, but now I know, the failure wasn't mine, but the teacher's unable to accept a new interpretation.

    It's a classic problem, autistic is expected to guess interpretation expected, comes with own one, and ends up ridiculed for being foolish, because everyone knows what the interpretation is, except poor autistic.

    But those interpretation were made by someone else and not the autor, so who says that those are correct ones and others are not?

    To the point - Simon for you it was ship cutting the ocean, and that's what it is. The greatest pieces of art allow receipents interpret them to suit their needs, and that is what I think about interpretations. That is why saying ''If you're bad at something you might get a chance at teaching it'' came to be.

    When I listen to Albinoni I can see wide open space filled with green fields, and a blue sky hanging over my head, lagoona blue, nobody anywhere in my field of view, yet I can hear a shepard's flute from a distance. Reminds me of blissful childhood days.

  • Young Padawan Simon

    I laughed like heck over ^that^. Smiley It's *so* fitting. Thank goodness I have wise and patient mentors on this board.

    Your description of your Albinoni image is perfect and apt, I think.

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