Music to the Muse

The other day, I saw a TV program-"Symphonic Landscapes"- that featured the work of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. It's that opus containing the glorious "Ode to Joy," hummed by persons everywhere. Indeed, one pleasure of the program was hearing different people describe how the music affected them, what it meant to them. Interviews included a police officer, hairdresser, cook, librarian, as well as those connected to the music industry such as composers, instrument-makers, and students.

Many artists use music to facilitate , prepare, and accompany them throughout the creative process. Some even use it as their actual subject matter. Certainly other disciplines- books, film, dance etc., have their influence too. But what does ballad, rap, canon, hip-hop, jazz, opera, glam-rock etc., do in the studio? Of course what we like is usually what we put on, but not necessarily. Mellow, soothing harmonies have a soporific effect that can dull an entire morning's work for me. But bring it on after a stressful day at my part-time job and I'll fill a bath with it and epsom salts. Still, another artist would welcome such during their process because it helps to tranquillize performance anxieties and ground all those exquisite but counter-productive neuroses we may have acquired in the course of our art-making careers. Despite age differences- whether young, middle-aged, or senior- artists listen to music when they work mostly for the transfusion of desired energy.

It's fun to discover whether or not, the kind of work an artist does, matches in any way to their selections. Most of the artists I polled, whose work evidenced classical, formal training, did declare the classics as their primary choice. CBC Radio2 is quite popular. And speaking of Beethoven- there's nothing like a dead guy genius with a full orchestra to slap the muse awake, ride your back until you're spent, the canvas soaked, and your brushes worn down to the stubs. I did encounter one figurative artist whose work contains some of the most gesturally expressive drawing I've ever seen. Her line quality is fluid, vigourous, and could pass for musical notation itself. Yet she never works with music at all. Not everyone wants or needs musical aid. Quietude and silence have their own invocations to the muse, allowing for entrance, focus of intent and promotion of effort. Actually, music can also be a distraction. (Try working with a neighbour's heavy-metal collection sawing through the walls). It can arguably be a waste of time as well, especially when entire albums finish without notice because the artist was too engrossed in their tasks. Hopefully, we still benefit from whatever music subconsciously provides, even when we ignore it.

One of my colleagues does paintings that straddle the delicate balance between high realism and linear abstraction. She prefers Elton John as her companion/studio mate when I could've sworn she'd be a Chopin groupie or at least, someone who gravitated more towards the purely instrumental. I only found two artists who employed upbeat, popular music that reflected qualities similar to both their warm, cheerful personalities, and their often colourful, light-filled canvasses. My survey was limited though. (Friends, colleagues and openings I attended). I'm sure examples exist where artist, musical taste and creative products align... and not always towards the light.

Who/what serenades me in the studio? Bruce Springsteen. My personal listening preference is extremely partial towards Canadian musicians, in particular, singer/songwriters. But nobody bawls his guts out like the Boss when he's worked up about that pathos-ridden small town he lives in and struggles to survive. When your own work is careful and precise, sometimes you just need to hear what evisceration might truly sound like in order to loosen up, and avoid visual art-thritis.