Musical Personalities

A thought we like to flatter ourselves with is that we are individually different and interesting. Our ponderings are original and probably important and there is no-one quite like me. Genetically speaking, apart from identical twins this is technically true of course, though it could be argued that differences between siblings are merely variations on a theme. Having pride in our unique qualities however, whilst bolstering the ego ignores the fact that we don’t live in a social vacuum and it is often with a sense of relief when we connect with someone who sees things in a similar way or who has shared interests.

Thus it is for those with music in their lives; many of my peers reassuredly connected through playing in bands or orchestras, sharing albums, joining fan clubs, going to gigs. I don’t see as much of that with the young now, but that might just be because everything is done through headphones and so much social interaction happens through mobile devices. (Am I right in thinking that parents tend not to demand that ‘that bloody racket’ be switched off these days? I swear it was a standard gripe from the parents of my contemporaries, but then that was a long time ago and it was easier to shock then… )

Anyway, back to our egos. In a valiant attempt to keep anxiety at bay, we are currently telling ourselves that ‘just being me’ or ‘being the best version of myself’ is the way to go and of course it makes perfect sense. Try as I might, I am never going to be taller than 5ft 2” and a degree of acceptance about this is essential for living a sane life. Working with, rather than against who you are is an excellent way of conserving energy, playing to your strengths and so forth. But… there is still that little seed of vanity lurking in all of us that we are individually a bit exceptional isn’t there? It is why we think our personal tastes and interests are absolutely correct, why our contradictions can be justified and why there are good reasons (even if no-one else realises it) for our idiotic mistakes. It is a source of fascination to me therefore that musicians who you admire can be so apparently wrong or perhaps just dull in their listening. More than once I have been disappointed in the musical choices of a great player or composer, or even talented pupil; ‘how can you be that brilliant whilst your taste is up your arse?’ I find myself thinking, or worse ‘why didn’t you ask my opinion? I could have refined your preferences…’ OK, I don’t really think the latter, but my vanity does - that devil that thinks that everyone else is misguided and that my views are uniquely meaningful.

The history of our choices is meaningful though, and I suspect far more profound in the shaping of our personalities than we think. Why for example does a certain piece of music make your heart soar and others grate or bore or even really piss you off. Until recently I used to think that there was some sort of magic formula, some kind of zapping from heaven that made me love the sonorities that I do. Early twentieth century French piano music? Yes please. This has the same effect on me as soothing a baby; a calm sense of happiness, contentment and almost impossible to describe sense of peaceful other-worldliness. But then, hang on - I was a baby when I first heard piano music from this era - the ‘Berceuse’ from Gabriel Faure’s Dolly Suite - theme music from ‘Listen with Mother.’ It probably was this very music that had that soothing effect - it was meant to. Likewise guitar-based folk music; Simon and Garfunkel albums that my big brother owned when I was a toddler - ‘Feeling Groovy’ still makes me skip along like a spring lamb, and all those gorgeous children’s programmes like ‘Bagpuss,’ or ‘Trumpton’ with delicious folksy homespun accompaniments. Why does Nat King Cole make me smile so much? Probably because my parents were Radio 2 listeners and this music was on during the calmer periods of the day. Why do Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire make me happy? Do they remind me of the summer holidays? Perhaps. I still think these artists and pieces are fabulous now, but it would be naive to ignore the subconscious memories connected with them. I heard an interview with Simon Rattle the other day and was astonished to find out that his favourite piece of television theme music is ‘Z-Cars.’ I couldn’t believe my ears. ‘What? That piece of harmonically dreary shit? Why not the John Dankworth theme to ‘Tomorrow’s World’ or ‘Alexis Korner’s interpretation of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ for the ‘Top of the Pops’ theme? But then of course it emerged that Rattle’s connection with ‘Z-Cars’ was deeply nostalgic and bravely unsophisticated; his first percussion teacher played the snare drum on it and he still loves it.

I have noticed also that the types of players and listeners we become emerge in a similar way. Big C and I have had some stinking rows about music because of this very thing; I am outraged that he listens to so little music (‘how can you call yourself a musician and not listen to this you fucking philistine?’ Or ‘this piece of music is disgusting. It offends me - switch it off immediately’). We do manage to meet in the middle with Count Basie thankfully, otherwise we would be doomed. But it’s interesting isn’t it that such strong reactions can explode out of us and that our musical personalities are so different. Big C loves to play and isn’t much interested in listening at all and I am the opposite. So it is with with many I have taught over the years; some are deep listeners, some are great technicians, some gifted readers, many are none of the above. But their relationship with music is still diverse and important - even if it isn’t a priority in their lives at all - it tells us something about their personality.

So the relationship we have with music is indeed profound - but not necessarily because of the fairy dust that I always believed made it so. It is because of its interweaving with the course of our lives - which are a precious gift and really do matter.

Listening of the day: - I have mentioned so many pieces and artists today, that I recommend you listen to lots of the above. See what reactions they trigger.