And it still works!
What’s the value of music for a girl’s emotions?
Everything.
We watched the Masterpiece Theater version of A Room with a View last night and laughed every time Lucy Honeychurch turned to the piano to vent her emotions.
It was an uneasy laugh–we recognizing aspects of our past.
My sister-in-law told me once she only survived her rocky teen years because she could play out her emotions on the family piano.
I nodded. I knew the feeling well.
How many days and nights did I spend at my old piano, playing Chopin for the misery, Bach for order, Beethoven for passion and Scarlatti for joy?
I laughed with Scott Joplin and stumbled through sight-read Christmas carols each year.
But in the totally bleak moments that so often characterize teenage girls, I pounded the bass notes and scurried up the keyboard in a composition I wrote myself: Opus I.
There was no Opus II.
Opus I was sufficient!
It unlocked my emotions in a healthy way–if you didn’t mind all the crashing in that lower register.
The piano survived and so did my relationship with the rest of the family.
Perhaps it was funneling the emotions into my fingers–something else unlocked and lightened in the sweet treble’s higher notes–but I catch glimpses of it even now when I play my clarinet.
That surprised me. I thought it was the pounding of the piano keys that enabled the emotions to scatter.
I play almost exclusively in church now, but on some of those pieces, the music takes over. Sitting in my seat behind the black music stand, I sway and nod, and shiver.
Sweet longing and worship comes out in church. I’ve never loudly honked or squeaked deliberately to release anger there!
My favorite clarinet music is Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A–I want to weep whenever I hear that long sweet drawn out sound that comes early in the second movement.
Here it is:
It rips my heart out just listening to it now. How about you?
Other teenagers and music
Many young people talk about how important “their music” is to them–which is why they spend so much time listening to it, often with earphones.
I laugh to see so many commuters with white wires leading from their ears into a hidden spot–on the metro, standing at the corner, walking down the street, in the car with others driving.
They block out what’s going on around them–and that can be a bad thing when it precludes conversation.
But if it’s the only thing that calms them down enough for their emotions to function–can we really complain?
(Of course we can, we’re their parents.)
Certainly music can be used as an emotion tool to the bad and to avoid dealing with problems.
I chipped off several ivory keys in my –shall we say–vigor.
Often, though, playing my heart out was the only thing that kept my mouth shut and the lines of communication–eventually–open.
What’s a family to do?
Lucy Honeychurch and her family used the piano the same way. When something tremendously dramatic came from the keyboard, her family looked among themselves and quietly left the room.
Humorous–we laughed–but wise.
I don’t play my piano very much anymore. But my children grew up listening to classical music on the radio.
The louder I turned up the music, the more they glanced among themselves.
It either meant company was coming and I was cleaning or . . .
They usually stepped right in to help.
Kids can recognize the value of music to dissipate emotions, too!
Tweetables
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I play the piano to relax, and the choice of music does depend somewhat on my mood, but also on how I’m feeling. Some days I feel energetic, and play something dramatic and difficult like Albeniz; other days, I feeling tired and strained, and Mozart’s sonatas are more suited to my fingers. My violin comes out on when I’m feeling especially alert and enthusiastic.
I find that the music I listen to changes with the seasons. I prefer edgy modern music during late winter and early spring, perhaps because of the dark and dreary time of year. Spring and summer seem to fit classical music, as they are both pastoral in content. Fall and early winter call for ancient, meaning medieval and Renaissance music, ending with the glorious old carols for Christmas.
Very interesting that your taste changes with the seasons. I’d never noticed that about myself. Almost all classical, though, with a switch to all sorts of Christmas music in December.
I enjoyed your article. Just curious – have you ever read “Music: It’s Secret Influence Throughout the Ages,” by Cyril Scott?
Thanks for the suggestion; I haven’t heard of it but will take a look for it right now. Best wishes.