Lisztomania
Gratitude Challenge - Week 38 - Music You Love
In the 1840s, lisztomania was a term for the fan frenzy surrounding Franz Liszt, a classical composer and renowned musician. The craze swept throughout Europe, prompting a fiery passion for music, overturning the previous posh, uptight nature of music listeners. Characterized by massive crowds and swooning female admirers, lisztomania was essentially the "Bieber fever" of the 1840s.
In the 1840s, lisztomania was a term for the fan frenzy surrounding Franz Liszt, a classical composer and renowned musician. The craze swept throughout Europe, prompting a fiery passion for music, overturning the previous posh, uptight nature of music listeners. Characterized by massive crowds and swooning female admirers, lisztomania was essentially the "Bieber fever" of the 1840s.
Frank Ocean famously said, "When you're happy, you enjoy the music. But when you're sad, you understand the lyrics." Music moves people. It possesses a power that is still unharnessed, growing every single day. A good song, one that touches my soul, lifts my hopes in the human race and its universal sense of feelings and community.
Though years pass and styles change, the potency of music does not diminish. In fact, I think it has strengthened. The rise of technology has brought about a booming music industry. Music is available at all hours.
This Spotify playlist includes ten of my favorite songs. Each one has a special meaning to me, some simply because I love the music but others because they represent a particularly lovely part of my life. It is a collection of my own lisztomania.
1. Polaroid, Imagine Dragons
This is one of my favorite songs by Imagine Dragons. I went to their Smoke + Mirrors concert over the summer (my first concert ever), and I cannot capture in words how amazing the experience was. The power of live music makes me want to dance and sing, and this song's catchy rhythm lifts my spirits, making me smile any day.
2. Yellow, Coldplay
I danced to this song in a contemporary ballet class in 7th grade. This performance sticks in my mind for a few reasons. For some reason, a few classes before the show, I was the only dancer to show up to class. Because of this, my teacher and I choreographed the end of the dance together. She let me dance this part by myself, as the other dancers watched. It was one of my first experiences with choreography as well as one of my first contemporary solos.
3. Say Something, Pentatonix
I sang this song with my high school show choir during my junior year. Even though I did not have a solo, the experience of singing this song was moving. An a cappella song, without accompaniment, resonates within the singers in a different way. The song's message and movement changed the way I thought and sang.
4. Traveling Song, Ryn Weaver
My dance teacher used this song for stretching in class. Ryn Weaver's raspy voice and ghostlike music contrasts with the upbeat nature and quirky lyrics of the song. Known for her "lyrical rapping", Weaver wrote this song about her grandpa and the adventures they had together.
5. You and I, Ingrid Michaelson
I just love this song because the refrain has the best lyrics.
6. Folding Chair, Regina Spektor
I danced to this song during a summer intensive. It was toward the end of the camp, and, as a treat, the choreographer let us have fun and move with the music. Sometimes we laughed so much we could not finish the dance, and I still smile just thinking of that day.
7. Budapest, George Ezra
George Ezra's deep, milky voice betrays his mere 22 years of age. Yet another song where I love the lyrics and message. Ezra says, "but for you, you, I'd leave it all," exhibiting a selflessness and lack of material attachment I long to attain. Though this song speaks of a lover, it often reminds me of God speaking to us. Jesus gave everything up for us on the cross, and He invites us to do the same in return, relinquishing our worldly goods in pursuit of heavenly glory.
8. Riptide, Vance Joy
For a choreography class last summer, I created a short excerpt to this piece. I dream to choreograph the full song, maybe even for my first choreography project in college. The song speaks of overcoming one's fears, a perfect message for choreography as it is difficult to put something so personal out into the world for criticism.
9. Better When I'm Dancin'
In my jazz class, we used this song for warmup. The song perfectly captures my love of dance, and it combats the exhausting cardio of my 7:45 pm jazz class. In dance and in life, music gives me strength when I think I cannot continue.
10. Lisztomania, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
I danced to this song a few years ago for many Spontaneous Urban Performances (i.e. a flash mob). My fellow dancers and I would arrive at malls, festivals, and nursing homes, unannounced, and perform our piece. I wish I could remember the choreography, but as the years pass, I lose old choreography as I learn the new. To this day, this song encourages me to get up and dance, to celebrate life, and to explore the realms of lisztomania.
1. Polaroid, Imagine Dragons
This is one of my favorite songs by Imagine Dragons. I went to their Smoke + Mirrors concert over the summer (my first concert ever), and I cannot capture in words how amazing the experience was. The power of live music makes me want to dance and sing, and this song's catchy rhythm lifts my spirits, making me smile any day.
2. Yellow, Coldplay
I danced to this song in a contemporary ballet class in 7th grade. This performance sticks in my mind for a few reasons. For some reason, a few classes before the show, I was the only dancer to show up to class. Because of this, my teacher and I choreographed the end of the dance together. She let me dance this part by myself, as the other dancers watched. It was one of my first experiences with choreography as well as one of my first contemporary solos.
3. Say Something, Pentatonix
I sang this song with my high school show choir during my junior year. Even though I did not have a solo, the experience of singing this song was moving. An a cappella song, without accompaniment, resonates within the singers in a different way. The song's message and movement changed the way I thought and sang.
4. Traveling Song, Ryn Weaver
My dance teacher used this song for stretching in class. Ryn Weaver's raspy voice and ghostlike music contrasts with the upbeat nature and quirky lyrics of the song. Known for her "lyrical rapping", Weaver wrote this song about her grandpa and the adventures they had together.
5. You and I, Ingrid Michaelson
I just love this song because the refrain has the best lyrics.
Oh, let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance
Let's get rich and build a house on a mountain making everybody look like ants
From way up there, you and I, you and I
I danced to this song during a summer intensive. It was toward the end of the camp, and, as a treat, the choreographer let us have fun and move with the music. Sometimes we laughed so much we could not finish the dance, and I still smile just thinking of that day.
7. Budapest, George Ezra
George Ezra's deep, milky voice betrays his mere 22 years of age. Yet another song where I love the lyrics and message. Ezra says, "but for you, you, I'd leave it all," exhibiting a selflessness and lack of material attachment I long to attain. Though this song speaks of a lover, it often reminds me of God speaking to us. Jesus gave everything up for us on the cross, and He invites us to do the same in return, relinquishing our worldly goods in pursuit of heavenly glory.
8. Riptide, Vance Joy
For a choreography class last summer, I created a short excerpt to this piece. I dream to choreograph the full song, maybe even for my first choreography project in college. The song speaks of overcoming one's fears, a perfect message for choreography as it is difficult to put something so personal out into the world for criticism.
9. Better When I'm Dancin'
In my jazz class, we used this song for warmup. The song perfectly captures my love of dance, and it combats the exhausting cardio of my 7:45 pm jazz class. In dance and in life, music gives me strength when I think I cannot continue.
10. Lisztomania, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
I danced to this song a few years ago for many Spontaneous Urban Performances (i.e. a flash mob). My fellow dancers and I would arrive at malls, festivals, and nursing homes, unannounced, and perform our piece. I wish I could remember the choreography, but as the years pass, I lose old choreography as I learn the new. To this day, this song encourages me to get up and dance, to celebrate life, and to explore the realms of lisztomania.
Comments
Post a Comment