by James Hogan
Tonight’s performances of Gershwin, Mozart, and Adams by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra were thrilling. As soon as Gershwin’s Cuban Overture floated out into the house, I was basked in warmth and quickly forgot about the sub-zero cold blowing outside.
Isn’t it wonderful how music can so quickly whisk you away somewhere else? Just this week, I was reading a manuscript a friend sent me, and I needed something to put me in the mood to read and comment. Beethoven’s fourth symphony was just the answer, and soon I was losing myself in the narrative. My friend’s story was quite good, but the music brought me into its setting with an even fuller immersion.
So I’m curious. Where does music take you? And how does it take you there? These sound like elementary questions, but with some thought, they can be quite complex. Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section.