Categories
music

The Big Bach Set – Various Artists

I grabbed this after seeing it on Andy Ihnatko’s Twitter feed. I trust him on a variety of topics, like computers, cameras, and mobile devices. I follow him because he tells me stuff I need to know or stuff I’m interested in regarding various digitalia. He gets paid for doing this, by the Sun Times and by Twit.tv, but I feel like he answers to a higher calling.

I’ve never heard Mr. Ihnatko discuss why he puts links to deals on classical music in his feed. I’m assuming it’s because he likes it. Whether he truly appreciates classical music or whether he uses it for background noise doesn’t really matter to me, I’m just thankful for the tips, because cheap is important for my purposes.

I just need background music, man, for the most part, but I feel the urge to dig a little deeper. About a decade ago I got a Handel CD from somewhere and just wore it out while working. I loved it, but can’t really tell you why. That’s a trend in my life I’m trying to end. I want to be able to give reasons for everything that I like, thus, this.

So now I pop on this Big Bach Set of 120 songs and try and decipher the very Bachian nature of this thing. Heck, it was $0.99, at least for that day, so it was a low risk purchase that I can tool around with without any buyer’s remorse. I’m going to start with the Wikipedia page and go from there.

Or maybe I’ll just play it and forget it, hoping it will sink in enough without any effort that I suddenly start to recognize Bach chords at weddings, funerals, or on TV news programs. But what if I do start learning the nuances of Bach’s music? Then I can’t use it as background music anymore because I’ll be thinking about the music, bringing it in to the front of my mind, so it’s not background music any more.

That seems to defeat the purpose. Hmm. I’ve just talked myself into one big circle. I’m out, we ain’t going around again.