Theory & Impro Do we really need theory?

[Alice]

Listening to a piece of music to appreciate it seems like a rather pointless activity.

I agree to a certain extent. There is too much music that I love which I have yet to explore so I am loathe to listen to anything which I don't particularly like. In fact music that I do not like has a detrimental effect on me.

 

[richardr]

Does "appreciating music" mean understanding why the composer wrote it or the musician(s) played it in certain way?

 

[jbtsax]

Listening to a piece of music to appreciate it seems like a rather pointless activity.

I would counter that "listening to a piece of music to become familiar with it" prior to forming an opinion would be a worthwhile activity. There are many pieces and artists that I "didn't get" the first hearing that I later "grew into" by becoming more familiar with their work. This is just one example:

 

[Alice]

Does "appreciating music" mean understanding why the composer wrote it or the musician(s) played it in certain way?

I think to appreciate something you do have to like it somewhat or grow to like it.

 

[ProfJames]

U have to disagree @Alice You can appreciate well played music but not like it. I appreciate that many jazz players are very good but I cannot stick listening to it for very long

 

[richardr]

I think to appreciate something you do have to like it somewhat or grow to like it.

Perhaps not necessarily. My daughter was ace at English Literature - the art of understanding the way a book is written and writing an essay on the subject. She chose not to pursue this beyond A-level, despite the decision costing her a place at Cambridge, because she couldn't stand any more reading of books she didn't like in order to analyse them.

 

[Alice]

U have to disagree @Alice You can appreciate well played music but not like it. I appreciate that many jazz players are very good but I cannot stick listening to it for very long

Oh I see what you mean.. I was thinking more along the lines of "appreciating" meaning that one is getting a good vibe from it and enjoying it. But I see from "look up" that my interpretation is wrong and what this really means is that you recognize the full worth of something or are grateful, obliged or indebted for or by it.

 

[Alice]

Perhaps not necessarily. My daughter was ace at English Literature - the art of understanding the way a book is written and writing an essay on the subject. She chose not to pursue this beyond A-level, despite the decision costing her a place at Cambridge, because she couldn't stand any more reading of books she didn't like in order to analyse them.

I felt the same way about "Murder in the Cathedral". I seriously did want to throw that book out of the window.

 

[jimmylh]

Does "appreciating music" mean understanding why the composer wrote it or the musician(s) played it in certain way?

I think a lot of time the word "appreciation" as in the context of a Music (or fill in the blank) Appreciation course, loosely means to expose people to a lot of different styles and types of music or what ever the subject might be about. You learn a little about each and if you like something, fine. If you don't that's fine too.

 

[richardr]

I was thinking more along the lines of "appreciating" meaning that one is getting a good vibe from it and enjoying it.

If this were so there would be no difference between appreciating music and simply liking it.

 

[richardr]

I felt the same way about "Murder in the Cathedral". I seriously did want to throw that book out of the window.

I hated English Literature from the start and ditched it as soon as I could.

 

[Alice]

If this were so there would be no difference between appreciating music and simply liking it.

Well I see my mistake now 😳

 

[Tenor Viol]

But I can! I can play the theme ( obviously not the multitude of different parts played by other sections of the orchestra ) and the saxophone parts and the sax solo at the end! *proud* can I get a gold star?

I have played an orchestral arrangement - here's some idea of what the cello line looks like - bear in mind this is a simplified version. As you can see, the counting is tricky - especially at the speed it goes....

 

[richardr]

I think a lot of time the word "appreciation" as in the context of a Music (or fill in the blank) Appreciation course, is mainly to expose people to a lot of different styles and types of music or what ever the subject might be about. You learn a little about each and if you like something, fine. If you don't that's fine too.

Reminds me of when I had to attend a gig by the Alley Band (aka The Halle Orchestra) at the Bridgewater Hall. When I remarked to my host that it all went right over my head, he pointed out that there were classes which one ought to attend prior to listening to an unfamiliar piece of music.

 

[ProfJames]

Music appreciation to me is..............I listen, if I like it...great. If I'm not sure, I may listen again. If I don;t like it. I won't go out of my way to listen again. Why then would I want to go on a course to appreciate it if I don't like it??

I appreciate what I like..........appreciation is not finite!

 

[richardr]

Music appreciation to me is..............I listen, if I like it...great. If I'm not sure, I may listen again. If I don;t like it. I won't go out of my way to listen again. Why then would I want to go on a course to appreciate it if I don't like it??

I appreciate what I like..........appreciation is not finite!

I should have added that I didn't go on the course, nor have I needed to listen to the Alley Band again. But perhaps one has to appreciate their music in order to like it.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Is a grouse a

Incidentally, is a grouse a Scouse who hasn't had his coffee yet?

Scouse comes from Lob Skaus which is Scandinavian - do they have grouse?

 

[ProfJames]

Nah! I would suggest you may be putting yourself under pressure to try an like it. Chill out man! Relax dude! If you like it then cool. If not......who cares! You can't like everything!

 

[ProfJames]

Scouse comes from Lob Skaus which is Scandinavian - do they have grouse?

It's just a working man's stew from Scandinavia. Scandinavia also has a foreign language like the north of England!!!

 

[Nick Wyver]

I would counter that "listening to a piece of music to become familiar with it" prior to forming an opinion would be a worthwhile activity.

And I'd say that familiarity with a piece of music is not quite the same as understanding the theoretical basis of its construction.
But I would agree that with constant exposure to a piece of music one can come to enjoy it - or hate it.