"Click Moment" in listening music

Hi guys! Have you ever faced some "click moments" in music appreciation, which are sudden sparks and inspirations for you to get into the music and the composer? When you listen to a new work or works from composer that you are not familiar with, you probably have to use some time to get familiar with it to understand what the music is telling you. Sometimes the process can be very long and difficult, while sometimes you can instantly get what the composer is doing and unlock his works easily!

I have several moments like this. First it's the example of listening to Mahler. I started with his sixth but didn't get it. I then listened to his seventh and first but I didn't get it. I then listened to his second and at first I didn't get it, until I reach this moment:

Those big chords suddenly woke me up from the sleep chamber. I got it! And after listening this I re-listened his 1st, 6th and 7th and still got it.

Another example is Beethoven's String Quartet op.135 in F major. I am a huge fan of Beethoven especially his late quartets. But at that time I didn't like his op.135, thinking it "diminutive, classical". Then suddenly I listened to the minore section of the third movement of it and could not stop crying, and I got it again: (I want to use the Yale Quartet Recording but there is none in youtube, so I use this one)

These are just two examples of the "click moments" of listening music for me, as I have many others too, but these are the most memorable ones for me since they completely change my perception of the music and the composer. Do you have similar experience and face the "click moments" of listening music as well? Feel free to share them here and post the music which you have instant sparks and inspirations!!

Henry

I have 2 of these click moments in mind. The first one is concerning Brahms, which I couldn't say I "understand" at 100% to this day. I find it pretty difficult not to get used to his music, but to really GET it.

That's the moment where I decided, "I need to dive into his music". I found this climax so cool the first time I heard it, even though it is just the 1st theme developped into the 2nd section.

The 2nd one is from Saint-Saens 2nd piano concerto. The way I generally get into composers musics is by studying their piano concertos, it is a easy manner for me to understand how they compose, since I'm also a pianist. That is also why I have trouble to dive into composers who usually do not compose for piano 😞

Same formula, a climax that shaked me up and that encouraged me in discovering his music 

Wow, these two excerpts are really great climaxes. No doubt why you are overwhelmed by them and get into their music!! I love Brahms too, but I guess the first piece I have ever get into him is his Piano Quintet op.34 in F minor, probably the Scherzo movement especially the end of it:

As for Saint-Saens I still don't get into him...

Btw I have listened to your piano concerto in C minor once but did not have time to review. I will if I have time!!

Henry

Very cool topic!

This one always gets me, the part at 4:44:

And also, I know no one here cares about this type of music, but here's some non-violin/cello/flute/trombone/timpani/instrument-from-the-1800's music that blows my socks off. I've posted this recently before, but it's the inspiration for a whole instrumental album I'm planning once I get a 7/8 string guitar, starting at around 1:41:

5 minutes ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

This one always gets me, the part at 4:44:

Yes Debussy! Even though he is not one of my favourite composer, he always has some special harm in his music!! 

I just cannot click into the second link though😅.

Just now, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I just cannot click into the second link though😅.

Most people fear the Stravinsky-riot-inducing-type music of our time. You're not alone

Just now, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Most people fear the Stravinsky-riot-inducing-type music of our time. You're not alone

What I mean is that I cannot play the video link😅😂

Come to my place in Colorado someday, I'll introduce you to a whole world of music that will blow your mind (for the good or possibly the bad 😄)

1 hour ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

And also, I know no one here cares about this type of music, but here's some non-violin/cello/flute/trombone/timpani/instrument-from-the-1800's music that blows my socks off. I've posted this recently before, but it's the inspiration for a whole instrumental album I'm planning once I get a 7/8 string guitar, starting at around 1:41:

Now I can click into the video and play it. Actually for me it sounds great! Even though it does not "click" in my heart, I certainly enjoy it! Thanks for sharing different types of music here, Vince!

Henry

2 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

These are just two examples of the "click moments" of listening music for me, as I have many others too, but these are the most memorable ones for me since they completely change my perception of the music and the composer. Do you have similar experience and face the "click moments" of listening music as well? Feel free to share them here and post the music which you have instant sparks and inspirations!!

Henry

Ha!

I remember Mahler's 6th. I dozed off in the last movement that rambled on like all Mahler does with his Landlers, suddenly woken up by this crash at the close. Better than Haydn's Surprise Symphony. I've never got on with Mahler.

But the moments you speak of were: The first movement of Bruckner's 9th (cond Soudant) which led me to a life long love of Bruckner. And Beethoven's Op 131 Quartet which turned me on to the quartet medium while knowing I could never compose anything as sublime as that first movement. I also latched on to the Op135 coming to realise that if Beethoven had survived a little longer he'd have entered a new phase of compositional style. The scoring of that Quartet is so hugely imaginative. And then there were his Symphonies 3 and 4. Changed my attitude toward the classics rather a lot. 

But there have been others and perhaps the work that set my (preferred) through-composed style was Villa-Lobos' Quinteto em forma do Choros. It woke me up from a sloth -  what was expected of me in college had trashed music composition as personal expression. I'd as good as given up!

Interesting topic, Henry.

Hi @Quinn!

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

remember Mahler's 6th. I dozed off in the last movement that rambled on like all Mahler does with his Landlers, suddenly woken up by this crash at the close

Yes that huge blows!! Especially the last one when hope seems to win but easily crushed!! I do hope Mahler retained the 3rd hammer blow though, even though Bernstein had retained it.

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

But the moments you speak of were: The first movement of Bruckner's 9th (cond Soudant) which led me to a life long love of Bruckner.

It's sad I never get into Bruckner. Maybe now it will better after listening to Mahler's works for me.

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

But there have been others and perhaps the work that set my (preferred) through-composed style was Villa-Lobos' Quinteto em forma do Choros. It woke me up from a sloth -  what was expected of me in college had trashed music composition as personal expression. I'd as good as given up

I listen to literally no Villa Lobos' pieces too. I should have listened to some of it!

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

And Beethoven's Op 131 Quartet which turned me on to the quartet medium while knowing I could never compose anything as sublime as that first movement.

Yes Yes Yes that first movement!! And the last movement too!! When I listen to this quartet for the first, I got clicked and I knew that this is for sure one of the greatest in the music history and I would never get away with it. I know that I will never compose this sort of pieces but that's my goal to reach that height, if not too arrogant to think of that!! That 1st movement is so transcendental, so is the last movement!

It's interesting that within this quartet, I initially dislike the 4th movement since it's too long for me, lol. Once I listened to it attentively I got clicked and got the beauty of it easily.

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

I also latched on to the Op135 coming to realise that if Beethoven had survived a little longer he'd have entered a new phase of compositional style.

Yes that's quite sad to think so. He's trying those modal things already and would have achieved the fourth period had he lived longer.

50 minutes ago, Quinn said:

And then there were his Symphonies 3 and 4. Changed my attitude toward the classics rather a lot. 

Both Yes! For the 3rd I can't get into it when I was younger, until one time I got its energy and clicked! For the 4th I didn't listen since it's considered as "dwarf between giants". So stupid of me. I got clicked once I listened to it for the first time. What sheer energy and power it contains!

Thanks for your sharing!

Henry

2 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

For the 3rd I can't get into it when I was younger, until one time I got its energy and clicked! For the 4th I didn't listen since it's considered as "dwarf between giants". So stupid of me. I got clicked once I listened to it for the first time. What sheer energy and power it contains!

Same when younger. In fact I wasn't 'into' Beethoven's orchestral music at all. I'd sat through one or two concerts without much reaction and didn't like the 5th which I'd heard much on record. Then it was a double click: Beethoven 3 and Klemperer. I remember well thinking "Klemperer? What? So slow.... " I was mistaken about both (though I still think Klemperer took B's 5th far too slow. Almost comes to a standstill in the Scherzo). I was looking for study material on orchestration but avoided the 3rd in case dissecting it broke the spell!

However, this is about those click moments. That was one for me. 

For more modern works it was Elisabeth Lutyens Quincunx that really started me composing after my college debacle.

(For anyone interested, here's a Youtube extract - one of the quieter sections)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_45iwU2xRT4

22 hours ago, Quinn said:

For more modern works it was Elisabeth Lutyens Quincunx that really started me composing after my college debacle.

(For anyone interested, here's a Youtube extract - one of the quieter sections)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_45iwU2xRT4

I listen to this for the 2nd time today. Is the plucked instrument zither? I love the pointilistic touch and the sf chords. The baritone is fascinating. The section begins in 3:30 is so mystic. I love the use of female voice with other instruments in it, creating a bewildered atmosphere. That's a wonderful listening, thanks for your sharing!

Henry