Nietzsche vs. Flaubert; Or, What to Listen to While Walking
John GibbonsFlaubert says somewhere that thinking and writing have to be done while sitting. Nietzsche vehemently contradicts him, saying that only ideas reached by walking have any value. Well, in this age of IPODs it is probable that large numbers of people routinely hear musical ideas while walking. The streets separating me from my workplace abode aren’t exactly impassable after our recent snow, but the narrowing caused by the combo of encroaching snow and two-sided parking made bicycling inadvisable. And if I drive, I’ll never work off those Pilsner Urquells. So, walking it was this week, an hour at a crack, twice a day, with my IPOD.
What’t the best classical music for walking?
All of the following is corroborated by recent experience. Number one, throw out Webern, throw out Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande; you can’t hear the darn things even with excellent earphones. Also, operas with secco recitative are a bad choice. Secco recitative is never very exciting (that’s why Mozart farmed his out, at least some of the time), but it provides virtually no distraction while taking a lengthy and potentially boring walk. And this sort of recitative is likely followed by a da capo aria. Literal repeats (the da capo, of course) don’t suit the activity very well. Does it seem like coloristic music, say, Respighi or Rimsky-Korsakov would fit the bill nicely? Mais non, messieur, it’s not enough intellectual distraction, firstly, and secondly, this repertory sounds much better live or on a good stereo. I love all the above mentioned music, by the way, but it is not good walking music.
You might think especially rhythmic music would be good walking music, and here you would indeed be right. Can’t do much better than a driving Shostakovich scherzo. But these are his shortest movements, and one is about all you can take in any given hour. Oddly, profound adagios by Shosty or even Bruckner work well, possibly because the sort of music which may cause you to fidget when imprisoned in a chair is even more beautiful when you are physically liberated. The largo from Shostakovich Six and the slow movement from Bruckner Nine provided downright epiphanic experiences. And Shostakovich and Bruckner are perfect, because lots of their symphonies take about an hour.
In general, exceptionally dissonant music worked poorly, perhaps because the ambient sounds and visual stimulation of a contemporary urban environment don’t provide the right sort of counterpoint for early Hindemith, or Varese, or Carter. Of course, it you are the sort of person who likes to put chocolate sauce on chocolate ice cream, this may be perfect. Lieder works poorly, as well, because it is hard to absorb the words and the meaning of words while dodging maniac drivers, intent on crippling you for life. And piano music sounds tinny, even with excellent earphones.
What works best? Ballets and string quartets. But not the “Rasoumoffskys”…these are too densely argued, have too much continuity and complexity. Go with Beethoven’s op. 18…not just the perfect music, but the perfect walking music. Go with ballets by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Stravinsky-the combination of brief formal structures coupled with robust physical energy is a winner.
So there. Zarathustra has spoken.
Reader Comments (16)
I thought that listening to one of the CSO's seven "Pictures at an Exhibition" recordings in the Ravel orchestration with Adolph Herseth playing the opening promenade ("a leisurely walk taken for plaeasure") would be the greatest walking music ever? Dance/ballet, after all, is a theme+variation on walking so it should be a natural. Enjoy your promenading. P.S., it must be hot fudge on that chocolate ice cream!
I have found that if I put on Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody #1 in the car, it is very difficult not to speed. If you listen to that walking, it may turn you into a sprinter.
Thanks for the tip! Actually, Enescu is a pretty substantial composer. I recently got acquainted with a couple large-scale, virtuoso piano sonatas of his. Yeah, the Romanian rhapsodies are charming indeed.
Best walking music:
Dvorak Slovanik Dances. They are like little chocolates. They are full of all of the great Dvorak orchestration devices but you don't really have to think about them.
But they are definitely worth thinking about. The closest equivalent to these masterpieces are the Chopin mazurkas; quirky little tone poems, every one.
I didn't mean they are trivial but most of them on my way to work today sounded like a simple ABA form with smaller a and b sub groups. IT's not like Mahler 9 or somthing. Beautiful simple themes grouped together nicely with lovely, interesting orchestration. Perfect for a walk in the snowy city or the countryside. They work well for driving as well!
If you interested in getting a bit of exercise while listing to the music, focus on the beats per minute of your selection. 115 - 120 BPM is a nice firm pace
Thanks for the tip,They are like little chocolates. They are full of all of the great Dvorak orchestration devices but you don't really have to think about them.
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Thanks for the useful tip and I have found that if I put on Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody #1 in the car, it is very difficult not to speed.
Regards:
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Walking music is a great way to give you a boost of energy while exercising. This article will provide you with a complete guide to selecting the best songs for your walks.
You'll find helpful advice to:
* Create your own personalized play-list of your favorite walking music. Read on for GREAT song recommendations! You'll find songs for every walking pace.
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Thanks for share this informative blog becuse when we hear the music,we feel rest.
thamks,
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