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10 Examples of Why Music Moves Us
Music is my religion.
Whether I’m listening or performing, my favorite pieces provoke strong emotions and fill my soul more often and more completely than any other solo activity. Yeah, it’s that powerful!
Recorded or live, slow or fast, often with others or sometimes alone: the right chords, rhythms, and lyrics can transcend this crude matter called a body. The right music heightens your senses and elevates your emotions to a place that, for some, just can’t be reached via visual art or prose alone. I believe for most musicians, to some degree, this is true.
The visions, emotions, and thoughts that materialize in your head can be born not only from the music you hear but also from the scenes, words, or characters tied to that music. This is especially true for movie scores (for example, any of John Williams’ iconic film themes), and these emotions can stick with you for your entire life, sometimes even becoming part of your general philosophy.
The following list features ten great pieces from oldest to newest, each including the title, composer, composition year, musical style, a one-word description, and a few personal thoughts. Keeping this list to ten was quite a challenge, but here’s a…
