Music To Work To

[MrGongGong]

Personally, I cannot stand background music. Silence is wonderful.

Mr Grumpy

Cage was right
come on you KNOW you want to say it
take a deep breath and let it all out ..................

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Cage was right

... but I can't work and listen to 4'33" any more than I can have the Eroica as "background" Music. Listening to "silence" needs attention and commitment as much as (?) Music does.

[french frank]

Just writing this while the breakfast coffee is re-heating - in silence. I don't find silence at all oppressive: it's deep and conducive to thought. A fundamentally good thing.

I divide most music into two sorts. Not plain 'Good' and 'Bad' but irritating (bad) or distracting (good or bad, but definitely bad when I'm trying to concentrate on other things). The only exception I've found is Bach's keyboard music, preferably played on the harpsichord. It has particular qualities which I've tried to analyse, why its movement and patterns contribute to, rather than disturb, thought and concentration.

It may be an elitist view but I think it's a waste of music to use it as a background: a bit like chatting sociably throughout a meal and not noticing how good the food is ...

[MrGongGong]

Every time i have tried to write or do anything like that while music is playing I always either turn it off or stop what i'm doing to listen !
A friend of mine was recently telling me how he was 20 minutes late picking up his (teenagers so it's not like leaving them in the pub by mistake ) children from school after stopping in a layby to listen to Sibelius 2 on the radio

[Serial_Apologist]

Some music is just so powerful it doesn't permit other activity.

Years ago I remember visiting a friend. We were in the middle of conversation when he put on the turntable an LP of Bach cello suites. Within a short time the conversation faltered. Where were we? What was I saying? "I know", my friend said, "it just forces you to attend to it".

[french frank]

Some music is just so powerful it doesn't permit other activity.

Years ago I remember visiting a friend. We were in the middle of conversation when he put on the turntable an LP of Bach cello suites. Within a short time the conversation faltered. Where were we? What was I saying? "I know", my friend said, "it just forces you to attend to it".

Yes, and I've tried the violin solos and they don't work either. I have to stop and listen. I don't know why the keyboard works should be an exception for me.

[DracoM]

Yes, unless I am doing something pretty mindless then I can't have those fantastic solo Bach partitas / suites. I have the Naxos HIP versions - rich and absorbing - can't possibly do anything else to them!

[Mary Chambers]

Personally, I cannot stand background music. Silence is wonderful.

Mr Grumpy

Mrs Grumpy here (except I'm not really very grumpy).

How on earth is it possible to write with music on? The words and the music will have conflicting rhythms, for one thing - the reason I can't read with music on, either.

[Osborn]

I'm exactly the same, Mary. Even my daughter never, ever said "Dad, what music do you suggest I play while I do my homework?" Or would have dared to ask.

[Pianorak]

I suspect this mad craze for multi-tasking has persuaded some people (who shall be nameless) that they are cleverer than what I am, innit?!

[Roslynmuse]

Another grumpy one here - for me, music of whatever sort is to be attended to with full concentration or not at all.

[teamsaint]

There are plenty of work tasks that go a lot better with background music on. Tedious, repetitive type work tasks.
And if its radio on, then something new might just grab the attention, for proper listening later.
Its functional. Functional music has a place. Not for everybody all the time, but a place nontheless.

[EdgeleyRob]

Planet Rock.

http://www.planetrock.com/

[Flosshilde]

Years ago I remember visiting a friend. We were in the middle of conversation when he put on the turntable an LP of Bach cello suites. Within a short time the conversation faltered. Where were we? What was I saying? "I know", my friend said, "it just forces you to attend to it".

So why did he play the CD? Was he bored with the conversation? Perhaps he was using it to tell you it was time to go home

[Serial_Apologist]

So why did he play the CD? Was he bored with the conversation? Perhaps he was using it to tell you it was time to go home

Well as happens it was! But we had been chatting all afternoon to the acompaniment of his record collection.