The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: What classical music do you find necessary and why?

By Jacob Stockinger

The Ear has heard many themes for concerts and festivals.

But he really, really likes the title of this year’s Token Creek Chamber Music Festival (below, inside the refurbished barn that serves as a concert hall).

It runs from Aug. 26 through Sept. 3.

Here is a link to complete details about the performers, the three programs and the five concerts that focus especially on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel and Robert Schumann:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/classical-music-this-years-token-creek-chamber-music-festival-will-explore-necessary-music-by-bach-schubert-schumann-ravel-harbison-and-other-composers-from-aug-26-thr/

The theme or concept is NECESSARY MUSIC.

Of course, as the festival press release says, the Token Creek organizers recognize that the whole idea is subjective, so they refuse to be prescriptive:

“In what way, and for whom is a certain kind of music necessary?

“Certainly the presenters of a chamber music festival would be presumptuous to offer a program as a sort of prescription for listeners. And at Token Creek we won’t.

“So often the music we need arrives by chance, and we did not even know we needed it until it appears. And other times we know exactly what we are missing. And so we offer this year’s programs of pieces that feed the soul.”

The Ear likes that concept.

And he thinks it applies to all of us.

So today he wants to know: What music is NECESSARY FOR YOU and WHAT MAKES IT NECESSARY

Of course, the idea of necessary music changes over time and in different circumstances.

Do you need relief from the anxiety of political news?

Are you celebrating a happy event?

Are you recovering from some kind of personal sadness or misfortune?

But right now, what piece or pieces of music – or even what composer – do you find necessary and why?

In the COMMENT section, please tell us what it is and what makes it necessary?

And please include a link to a YouTube video performance, if possible.

The Ear wants to hear.