(no subject)
I never really listened to or cared for classical music as a teenager-didn't really listen to any at all until sophomore year of college when I started listening to Shostakovich. It seemed for a while that I really only liked 20th century classical, listening to a lot of Steve Reich and John Cage. Recently though I've been listening to a lot of Beethoven's piano Sonatas and it's hit me that I really just don't like orchestral music most of the time despite how much I respect it; it's piano solos that really grab me. There's a particular minimalism to the piano that gives it a contemplative sound no matter how perky it is; and when a person can make a piece that's truly atmospheric from just the piano, there's a sparseness to it that just makes it that much more beautiful than the sound of multiple instruments all working to make as much sound as possible. Maybe one day I should make another attempt at learning classical piano...