Classical music: how to get into something difficult

Thank god for teens on Spotify. Their knowledge on so many topics is as lacking as mine, whether we’re talking about classic 80s hip-hop they weren’t there for or Romantic classical music when they’re not sure if romantic is an era or a mood. The beautiful thing about the teens, though, is that even if they don’t know any more than me then they’re less afraid to show it. I spend a lot of my time listening to other people’s playlists on Spotify, taking on board the vibe that they put out into the world and learning about new artists, whether contemporary pop or centuries-old classical, and it’s through them I’ve been growing my knowledge of the behemoth of classical music. It’s a non-exclusionary, non-patronising way to learn that puts all the control (to skip, like, google, or find a different version of) quietly at my fingertips.

It’s not just music where my horizons need expanding: like most people, I get stuck in a rut of things I like easily, watching the same movies or types of show over and over again for comfort or because there is so much in my brain already and I’m tired. I read authors that I already know I like or reach for shorter reads like magazines, and when I craft I use the same dress pattern and fabric that looks like clothes I already own. It’s a part of the human experience to be attracted to the same things over and over, and as we age and experience more our awareness of what we like solidifies as we develop less time and inclination to put into enjoying new things. Suffice to say, my hobby is putting things into my ‘watch later’ playlist then scrolling endlessly for something that takes my mood – but I don’t want it to be.

The hardest part of learning to like something new is working out where to start. As a librarian, I had some tips for my students when they were confronted with so many books with so little knowledge of what they like, and I think those tips are broadly applicable:

• Judge a book by its cover. Somebody spent a long time designing that to try and represent the book inside. The same can be said of album covers, graphic design, and restaurant menus.
• Find an expert, ask a friend. ‘Fan favourites’ are different to ‘most popular’, and those Spotify playlists made by people with no more knowledge than you can be a first step. Click to ‘read more’ on the songs you like the most and allow yourself to be guided by somebody whose passion you want to share in.
• Make a list of things to engage with later. My whole phone is screenshots of game reviews, pictures taken in bookshops, a 22-hour Spotify playlist called ‘listen later’. You’re not always in the mood to engage with something new, but save things that appeal to you for when you are.
• Go with something curated – in a library, the books on the stands are put their because they’re recommended, so googling a list of ‘best musical theatre shows’ or ‘old Hollywood films’ will throw up a treasure trove of somebody else’s knowledge like the Spotify playlists – even if you disagree with their ranking, they’re usually a good place to start.
• If all else fails, choose something you’ve heard of: things get famous for a reason, and it usually means a large number of people have enjoyed it at some point.

On This Topic:

• Ask me about my interests: want to know how to get into the Romantics? Where to start with Sylvia Plath? Which Girls Aloud songs showcase each girl’s talents best? Like all humans I’m an expert on the shit I like, and I’m here to tell you about it in detail.
• For anybody interested in where I fell in with classical music, I’ve got really into Louis Vierne and Gustav Mahler
• There are some things, however, I will be sticking to my lane in – Gen Z fashion is not for me, and I don’t want it.

To-Do:

• Prep for new job
• Clear out gmail inbox
• Print business cards and flyers

Today’s Culture:

• I ordered a pair of citrine earrings that should be here by the time you read this… invite me out so I can look cute!
• Cold weather means knitwear season! My berets and jumpers are once again out in force, and I am so happy.
• I’m thinking of taking a trip to Gladstone’s Library and not answering my phone, emails or socials for a couple of days…