| As I played some Wii with my coworkers (and | | | | know about this route though - it seems like |
| lost badly at that tennis game), one of their | | | | being a perpetual child, trying to keep |
| kids came around the corner. He looked around | | | | myself from knowledge. It's the antithesis of |
| with large curious eyes, poking at | | | | being a scientist. |
| everything. It reminds me of myself as a kid, | | | | |
| with everything so new and exciting. Every | | | | Living The Character - I had a friend who |
| little thing was a wonder to look at and | | | | sang in opera last year explain this to me. |
| explore. | | | | She said that when she is on stage, she |
| | | | literally becomes the character for that |
| In many ways, this is how I've always viewed | | | | particular moment. Her thoughts, actions, and |
| music. It's a fabulous thing that soothes the | | | | speech become completely congruent with the |
| soul and warms your heart. It has the power | | | | character's for that particular moment. In |
| to motivate you, or drive you into | | | | this way, the emotional appeal of the music |
| hopelessness. Listening intently to music | | | | may penetrate any kind of 'analysis barrier' |
| (especially dramatic pieces like musicals or | | | | that tries to spot imperfections in the |
| operas) is like looking at a whole new world | | | | music. After all, music is about telling a |
| through the eyes of a child. | | | | story and conveying emotions. If that is |
| | | | sufficiently strong, any kind of logic that |
| I recalled a moment about a year ago when I | | | | you can come up with for why the singing is |
| was looking at a sheet of music and wondering | | | | bad is pretty meaningless. |
| if I should learn all the intricacies of | | | | |
| singing well. As you can see from [[Running | | | | A Greater Appreciation - Knowing more would |
| And Singing]], I can become extremely | | | | allow you a greater appreciation of the |
| motivated by music. That is one of its | | | | music. While you would lose the magical |
| primary attractions for me. I had wondered if | | | | feeling that comes with innocence, you may |
| learning all the little details would ruin | | | | appreciate the more intricate complexities. |
| the experience of an otherwise inspiring | | | | For example, you might now give a standing |
| performance. | | | | ovation for a guy who sang a high C well, |
| | | | whereas that was just a letter before. |
| For example, say I don't know the piece of | | | | |
| music at all. When a person starts singing | | | | We Can Temporarily Forget - The technical |
| it, I can admire the piece of music and the | | | | stuff can be set to one side for a short |
| story that it tells. However, if I was a | | | | period of time, still allowing you to fully |
| world class director who has heard most | | | | appreciate the music in the state you were in |
| pieces and knows how to sing extremely well, | | | | before. |
| my experience would be very different. | | | | |
| Instead of admiring the music and the story | | | | It seems like the middle two explanations are |
| being told, I may instead compare the | | | | more congruent with growth and the process of |
| performance to the other ones I have heard | | | | a child learning to become an adult. Every |
| before. Instead of hearing an inspiring | | | | time we grow, we lose a little part of |
| rendition, I may instead hear the few errors | | | | ourselves. The innocence and magic |
| that 'stand out'. The magic of the moment may | | | | disappears. However, we also lose fear and |
| be interrupted by the minute imperfections | | | | uncertainty along with those. In their place, |
| that I haven't even noticed before. | | | | we have knowledge, confidence, and other |
| | | | things to capture our imagination. The more |
| There's a few arguments on either side of | | | | you learn, the more you have to learn |
| this: | | | | |
| | | | I guess specific 'magical' things can really |
| Ignorance Is Bliss - Not knowing is better as | | | | only stay magical for so long. |
| I'll be able to maintain the magic. I don't | | | | |