“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.”
This is a no-brainer, right? Almost everyone I know listens to music to relax, but what is interesting is the different composition of each person’s playlist. I was talking with my older son’s fiancée yesterday about her affection for alternative rock. This is also the genre of choice for my younger son and his girlfriend, so I have been listening to “Alt Nation” on SiriusXM to see what it’s all about. I like it. I like that they like it.
My playlists are all over the place. Note the plural–playlists. Like with so many other things, what soothes me depends on my mood and what I am doing. For example:
- While writing Megan’s Christmas Knight, I listened to the Nutcracker. Not just any Nutcracker–Baryshnikov’s Nutcracker. Even though I wasn’t watching him dance while I was writing, knowing that I could see him if I just clicked the tab gave extra energy to my writing.
- While writing Maisie’s List I listened to a playlist by my younger son because alternative rock was Peter and Maisie’s music in college, and it is the music that brings Peter back to his younger, carefree self when he goes to a concert with Donna. Train belongs on this list. I love Train. I also like Muse, Cage the Elephant, and The Black Keys.
- More generally my music of choice while writing is on YouTube. I like classical music for studying/concentration/relaxation as long as it includes selections by Bach and Beethoven. I admit it. When it comes to classical music my tastes tend toward the popular, like the Brandenburg concertos and Moonlight Sonata. So sue me.
- In the last few months I have been listening to instrumental soundtrack compilations on YouTube. As I write, I am enjoying a list that includes selections from Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Master and Commander. Love it, love it, love it.
- Unless you are a writer, you probably hear most of your music in the car. I do that too. Sirius is awesome! I was only peripherally aware of it until I got my Cooper Mini, but now my husband and I cannot imagine not having it. He prefers 70’s on 7 and 80’s on 8, but my own go from those to The Blend and The Bridge, Symphony Hall and Laugh USA. And of course I wait eagerly for the special Sounds of Christmas channels, the Billy Joel Channel, and the Eagles Channel.
I could go on and on, but I bet you have a list that would enrich mine even farther. Isn’t music wonderful? It certainly both calms and energizes me, and I bet it does the same for you.
What’s on your playlist?
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