Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Why can't I love the music

These days when I try to listen to expressive music, I don't really feel anything, it is as if there's a barrier blocking my mind from loving the music, anyone experienced the same thing?

Yes... Quite a few times...

I just get on with my life and try to find other things to do. tricky when you're a pro musician, but other than that dealing with everyday things helps smooth things out a bit, I think.

Sometimes people don't enjoy doing what they usually enjoy doing when they are depressed. I hope this is not the case with you though. Maybe you just have other thoughts that prevent you from enjoying music right now?
As Nikolas suggested, I wouldn't worry too much if you just feel you can't enjoy music at the moment but there are no major issues associated with it. Maybe you just need a break and can then go back to classical music with a fresh mind.

I agree with the possible depression component broadly speaking. When I'm depressed, nothing is as good, from the taste of food on up. Anxiety by the way will have the same effect.

Try orchestral music for a change? I'm assuming you are talking about piano music, so I'm sorry if I am incorrect.

Brahms' 4th symphony.

And if you already do listen to orchestral music, try choral music.

Eriks Esenvalds: O Salutaris Hostia.
Herbert Howells: Salve Regina.

Maybe it's just overexposure ... like working at the candy store ...after awhile it's the last thing you want to eat

Take a break and go fishing or something that has nothing to do with music

" ... expressive music ... don't [...] feel anything ... barrier ..." I don't understand what you are asking, so my answer is "No".

Regards,

Not enough information -- are you talking about music that you're trying to learn? Music that you want to learn? Stuff in the background? Classical/pop/rock? Give three examples of the type of music that you're talking about, that you expect to like because it's "expressive" and don't.

You either love it, or you don't.

Not all styles of music inspire all people - I agree we need a lot more information - but if you just can't 'feel' or 'dig/groove with' the pieces you are trying to play, try exploring a different style or era and see if those works stir you more. I, for one, have a bit of a dead response to a lot of impressionist and romantic works. They're supposed to stir my emotions and imagination, but to me they just feel a bit manufactured or even over-acted, depending on the piece.

That doesn't mean I'm depressed, that means my brain takes a different stimulus than those pieces to get it moving. A cheery, punctual Mozart might cause my heart to soar in a way an expressive sonata never did, simply because my tastes are different.

this happened to me a couple months ago -- i completely burned out on classical music i guess, and my listening reverted to more rock-oriented stuff for the majority of the summer. somehow that reset my mind, cause the other night i downloaded Svetlanov's Mahler cycle and pretty much cried all the way through the 8th and 9th symphonies. Just try taking a break for a little bit -- it works wonders!

Yes, try listening to a different style of music other than the usual one - if you constantly hear romantic music, try Bach/Vivaldi/Handel for example. And if those didn't work, try Prokofiev for a change - his 3rd concerto is totally diferent from the more romantic music (I suppose that with "expressive" you meant romantic), and it's a great experience I assure you! (and if you've heard it before, hear it again )