Stories & Soundtracks

Over Choir Tour this year I read the book Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. It was a fascinating read, although I'm not entirely sure I liked it. Anyhow, by accident I just stumbled upon the soundtrack for the movie on Spotify. The music is by Hans Zimmer and it is REALLY cool. And I didn't even know there WAS a movie. While I might not recommend the book to everyone, if you read the book, make sure to also listen to the soundtrack. Because dude. It's awesome.


Hey Blahggers.

I don't know what it is about music, but it can make all these different emotions arise that before the music started, you didn't know existed. The quote (I think by Hans Christen Anderson) "Where words fail music speaks" really illustrates this point.

Or how about in scary movies when suddenly the music STOPS. Without knowing it, you've been listening to the music and it's been affecting the way you're watching the movie and suddenly there is no music. Isn't that just the most terrifying part ever, because you KNOW something huge is about to happen.

Anyway, I guess I'm interested in how music can affect or illustrate a mood so well. It's incredible. Is it possible to learn the skill of composing like that or does music have to be in a person (hypothetically speaking) before they could do something like that? Like think about everything that goes into making a piece of music. All the different instruments: strings, a great percussion section, woodwinds, brass. Then there's rhythm (wow that word has no vowels),  blend, what parts will have melody, harmony or counter-melody, dynamics, WOW. I'm in awe.

I think I could get so much more into books if I had a soundtrack playing in my head while I was reading. But that soundtrack would have to be related, so as not to distract me. Wouldn't that be sweet? Maybe Audible (those book-reading people) should throw some cool background music on their books. Woaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Madelaine Smith
The Mad Musician