9/11. There came a moment a day or two into the coverage when I’d taken in all the footage I could manage. I turned off the TV and headed for my CDs. First, Bach. His suites for solo cello. A day later, Rachmaninoff’s Vespers or All Night Vigil. Bach organized the sadness, Rachmaninoff let it out.
Music is many things to many people. I’d be very interested to hear about your experiences with music in the wake of 9/11. What did you want to hear? What didn’t you want to hear? Your comments are welcome.
Unfortunately, five years ago, I was not in touch with the part of my soul that could turn to music to reach the feelings inside me. Thanks for reminding us of the power of music to help us through whatever is going on inside us.
For me, I turned to the late quartets by Beethoven, particularly opus 130 & 133. Those works expressed the pathos of what I was feeling back then. And the Mahler 9th! The Rondo-Burleske especially expressed the rage I felt deep within.
What I remember about Sept 11 is that WDAV played some remarkable music that day. I have no memory of WHAT, but I do remember the solace and strength it gave me that awful day and the days after. A playlist probably exists.
My feelings on 9/11 were overcome with the desire for revenge. The music that I think of with those emotions is Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries.
9/11 gave us many important lessons; including the depths of soul sadness and joyfulness. Mozart’s Requiem expresses the fullest extent of human anguish and power of God-all in one work!