Musing on Music

In his book Insurgence, Frank Viola argues, “Listen to a gorgeous piece of music enough times, and you will grow weary of it.”[1] Is he kidding me?

I was introduced to classical music as a teenager by my choir director Predel Pierre. Whenever he got a chance, this dude would brag on Beethoven, Haydn, and his favorite piece Mozart’s “Petite Musique de Nuit” (Eine kleine Nachtmusik). To hear him brag all the time gave me a particular appreciation for classical music. And I’ve been hooked ever since. When it comes to music, everybody is different. But for Viola to think that I’ll be, eventually, bored with Offenbach's Jacqueline’s Tears is a nonsensical. I like to listen to Boz Scaggs "Look What You've Done to Me". I can never get enough of Orchestre Tropicana D'Haiti in Anita. I’ll play over and over Rico Mazarin and Les Fantaisistes de Carrefour in La Femme and Emeline Michel’s “Ban m la Jwa”.

How about you? Do you agree with Viola? Do you have a favorite piece of music you can’t get enough of?

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Gen yon otè ameriken ki rele Frank Viola. Nan liv li a ki rele “Insurgence” li di konsa, " si w koute yon supèrb moso mizik anpil fwa, ou gen pou rive bouke ak li." Èske misye se blag l ap fè?

Se mayestwo koral mwen Predel Pierre ki te entwodwi m nan mizik klasik pandan m te nan koral legliz Fobou Salomon. Nèg sa a chak fwa li te jwenn yon chans, se pa ti dyòlè li fè pou l montre w ke w dwe apresye Beethoven, Haydn, ak misik li te pi renmen an, konpozisyon Mozart sa a, "Petite Musique de Nuit" (Eine kleine Nachtmusik). Paske m te anba bouch li tou tan, mwen te vin gen yon apresyasyon espesyal pou mizik klasik. Depi lè a, mwen pa ka pase m de misik klasik. Nan renmen mizik, tout moun diferan. Men, sa pa fè sans pou Viola panse ke mwen pral anniye m ak moso mizik sa a, Jacqueline’s Tears de Offenbach. Mwen renmen koute mizisyen ameriken ki rele Boz Scaggs nan “Look What You've Done to Me (Gade sa ou te fè m). Mwen pa janm ka sispann tande Anita ak Orchestre Tropicana D'Haiti. M ka jwe plizyè fwa nan yon jounen Rico Mazarin ak Les Fantaisistes de kafou nan La Femme ou byen Emeline Michel nan "Ban m la Jwa".

E ou menm? Èske ou dakò avèk Viola? Eske w gen yon moso mizik ou renmen ou pa ka jan m sispann finn tande?

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[1] Frank, Viola. Insurgence: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2018, 55.