A casual fling to falling in love with Music
A bit of flashback:
If someone asked me a few years back- how long have you been listening to music? I would have said 16–17 years. But while pondering on a question from a stranger on a trek two years back, I recognized it was a wrong answer. I wasn’t listening to Music. It was a preferred background noise for me. Whenever I felt like changing the sound around me I would play any one of the ear-catching chart-buster songs. The question asked to me was “what music do you listen to?” What “music” do I listen to? Bro, the question I expect is what “songs” you hear. This was the first time that my mind split the concept of music separate from songs. So till that time, I was a guy staring at his crush from a distance.
The next development in the story came when, recognizing my messy brain, my girlfriend gifted me headphones. I would rate that as one of the best and thoughtful gifts to this day. Really, the music therapy helped me a lot in keeping myself sane and functional. The closeness between music and me increased as I was able to appreciate the different instruments and genres. Yes, I would flow with the music, dance with it. Sometimes, I would even select the music to paint the atmosphere around me in the mood which I felt. But still, the relationship with music was platonic as I always kept a distance. I never let the music lead and play with the depth of my being.
Back to the present time:
The COVID period will definitely be a big temporal landmark event in most people’s lives. Though there have been losses, life should move on until it cannot anymore and it does. Lock-down forced us to break our monotonous routines and look at the things in a new light (Ahem..Clear Sky..Ahem). And so it happened.
Before lockdown I was developing a habit of dropping in the cultural center of my city (Delhi) and listening to live classical performances (free — at least for me, the rich people were paying somehow I guess). But I didn’t follow up on it. Lock-down provided a little more time for me to spend with music. On a suggestion of an old friend, I again landed on classical music. First the Hindi classical and then the English. Ohh Boy oh boy! and was I blown away. It was the time I realized that classical music cannot be listened to objectively (maybe only if it is your profession). It would seem boring, stretched, and a chore if you keep the boundaries up. It needs your involvement. It plays on the stage of your imagination and emotions. Thus, sensing no other way, I let the guards down. And it washed me. I felt that while the rest of the music flows to ears from outside like a brook but this was generated between the ears, in our mind. It was alive. It makes you feel alive. You have to surrender to it and it would take you to surreal places and times.
Then “Bach” happened:
It was just another slow day of lock-down when I was lying down on my bed half asleep and half surfing the void with headphones in. An auto generated playlist of English classical on youtube was streaming in my ears. A musical piece started. Joyful music, two instruments playing with each other like children in a vast green garden. Chasing each other. One leading other then following then again leading. Though half-asleep, I was surprisingly aware of the bursting emotions being felt. The feeling of happiness building up inside me. I felt the numerous tiny muscles around my mouth moving with music, and slowly turning into a big smile on my face, appreciating the beauty. I broke sleep by my own cheerfulness and what a way it is to rise up smiling. I immediately looked up the music, it was a composition called BWV 1060 that J.S. Bach composed in the 1730s {1}. This brilliant German intrigued me and I explored more of him. The beauty this man creates with simple and elongated notes make him one of the best. It didn’t take much time for me to realize that I have fallen in love with the music. Though I am not religiously inclined but still I often find myself listening to a 1.5 hr long rendition of “Bach’s Mass in b minor” {2}. Well, no wonder people would believe in God when such heavenly music is played in Church. No more the music can remain only in the background for me to focus my smartphone-addicted brain. Some pieces would make me stop my work and float {3}.Then if I am running short on time there is “Air” by Bach to sweep me away in less than 5 minutes {4}.
As evident from my crazy link throwing party above, Mr. Johann Sebastian Bach is the reason I have fallen in love with classical music. When you fall in love, you fall for one look, one gesture of a person which you always remember even when you start loving everything about them. Similar is that moment of waking up with a big smile listening to BWV 1060. It will always be kept safe in the depths of my heart as I now explore more music. I hope that this is true love and will continue to enrich me for a lifetime.
A heartfelt thanks for reading if you have reached here. This article was written for three valid reasons. Firstly, to document my present feeling for later when the times may not be as good. Secondly, in genuine appreciation of the great musician — Bach. Thirdly, to introduce more people to these beautiful creations and bring more joy in their life. So please, take out a few minutes for yourselves and lend yourself to the music.
Music clip links:
