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A review by kirkdean547
Counterpoint: A Memoir of Bach and Mourning by Philip Kennicott
3.0
I think there are a few requirements to really enjoy and understand this book.
1. Listen to and know the Goldberg Variations well. Have a score handy to understand all of the minor details that the author wishes to point out.
2. Be a pianist. Any other musician who’s repertoire almost always requires another instrument to perform (woodwinds, brass, etc) cannot relate to the awe and sacredness that the author puts on practicing and preparing music alone on a keyboard. True music performance does not need to be shared with anyone. So, good luck to all of us folks who’s entire musical upbringing required ensemble play.
3. Play an instrument that was written for by Baroque composers. Anything else is sappy and does not aspire to what music actually seems to be to the author. An academic exercise devoid/separated from the listener’s own enjoyment or experience of it.
4. Have all the music you play memorized. It’s a moral failing if you use sheet music.
5. Ignore the amount of music specifically written for lament and mourning/thinking that people listen to music only to heal the soul. That will allow you to agree with the author’s ideas about music in general.
6. Don’t be religious. Otherwise you’ll listen to the author and struggle to comprehend why it took 52 years to come to terms with life’s insignificance in the grand scheme.
Overall, I disagree with most of the author’s thoughts on music and it’s performance or the experience of it in general. I’m not a pianist, I play woodwinds. So that has certainly affected my perception of music and what I both love and loathe about it. Everything not focused on the general idea of music was well-written and very poignant/personal. It’s hard to share the things that the author has and I commend him for it. I wish the author luck in all his continuing practice. Maybe one day we’ll be blessed with a recording-mess-ups and all.
1. Listen to and know the Goldberg Variations well. Have a score handy to understand all of the minor details that the author wishes to point out.
2. Be a pianist. Any other musician who’s repertoire almost always requires another instrument to perform (woodwinds, brass, etc) cannot relate to the awe and sacredness that the author puts on practicing and preparing music alone on a keyboard. True music performance does not need to be shared with anyone. So, good luck to all of us folks who’s entire musical upbringing required ensemble play.
3. Play an instrument that was written for by Baroque composers. Anything else is sappy and does not aspire to what music actually seems to be to the author. An academic exercise devoid/separated from the listener’s own enjoyment or experience of it.
4. Have all the music you play memorized. It’s a moral failing if you use sheet music.
5. Ignore the amount of music specifically written for lament and mourning/thinking that people listen to music only to heal the soul. That will allow you to agree with the author’s ideas about music in general.
6. Don’t be religious. Otherwise you’ll listen to the author and struggle to comprehend why it took 52 years to come to terms with life’s insignificance in the grand scheme.
Overall, I disagree with most of the author’s thoughts on music and it’s performance or the experience of it in general. I’m not a pianist, I play woodwinds. So that has certainly affected my perception of music and what I both love and loathe about it. Everything not focused on the general idea of music was well-written and very poignant/personal. It’s hard to share the things that the author has and I commend him for it. I wish the author luck in all his continuing practice. Maybe one day we’ll be blessed with a recording-mess-ups and all.