I'm a violinist with a problem. The problem is, I'm a violinist. So much of my relationship with music throughout life has been spent focused--somewhat obsessively--on violin playing that I've neglected to listen to and study entire genres and sub-genres of music (which, thankfully, have been patiently waiting for me).
Well, in recent months, I've found myself in desperate search of new music to stimulate my tired brain. Like a junkie always looking to relive the experience of that first high, I've been seeking music that would set off my endorphins in the same thrilling way I first experienced listening to music that pushed the limits of what can be played on the violin. After deciding I was ready to take the plunge, I started perusing the astounding library of YouTube videos that now exist for all to explore on the Interwebs.
While much of the modern world has been busy shuffling their I-Pods and picking out their favorite Pandora stations, I've been delighting in creating my own YouTube play-lists of varying types of music. This satisfies my need for control over the DJ booth while also satiating my cravings for new sounds. What I've found I could not resist sharing with you, my anxious and eager reader. I present a random sampling of five of my favorite YouTube discoveries which have gotten me through the winter so far.
Miles Davis Quintet - It Could Happen To You
Relax while you get started on those taxes.
DJ Spooky - Asphalt (Tome II)
Urban Sound-scape. Mild profanity. Groovy track. Go!
The Lovin' Spoonful/John Sebastian - Coconut Grove
Great 60's songwriting. Fall asleep in a hammock.
Krzysztof Penderecki - Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima
You may recognize these frightening sounds from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining or Alfonso Cuaron's film Children of Men.
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror)
Ponder the cosmos.
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