Mozart is Sweet Sunshine

It’s been suggested countless times before, so I’m totally unoriginal when I say that I believe the solution to enjoying life comes in three supplementary parts; to acknowledge what you have, understand what you need, and recognize what you can do without. What Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart produced in about three decades, from age 5 to death, deserves to be categorized in the first part…acknowledging what you have. Why? Because Mozart’s music speaks of universal truths; the ability of us all, despite opposition from others or within, to resolve tension and reconcile differences; to find peace and do just right; to strike a beautiful balance and be whole. Mozart conveyed all these ideals with his music, and by the grace of whomever, or whatever, left it for it us. As Arthur Miller has famously been quoted, “Mozart is happiness before it has gotten defined.” The quill strokes that originally formed Mozart’s compositions might be one of the greatest gifts one man has left for the rest of mankind, especially if you’re willing to listen.

When I share these feelings with my friends or people I meet, I am rarely greeted with a tone or sign of confirmation. Instead, most respond by claiming that classical music is too long, or there are no words, or it’s too “smart” for them. They say they can’t understand. Now that can't be right! We're not any dumber than those who lived in Vienna 250 years ago. Rather, what I believe to be true is that this disinclination or outright refusal to listen to classical music is simply a reflection of our time. Twenty-four hours now seems like ten, as the daily responsibilities of an average man or woman has increased remarkably since just 100 years ago. We are online and on the phone all the time. For many, even taking vacation is a chore. Why do you think McDonald’s operates over 31,000 restaurants in more than 119 countries on six continents? Unfortunately, too many people fail to realize that speeding up does not always mean moving forward.

I watched a great online talk originally hosted at a TED Conference in July of 2005. You can watch the video here. Basically, the speaker discusses how the Western world’s emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. TED is one of my favorite websites on the internet and it makes the best talks and performances from its annual conferences available to the public, for free. Visit TED Talks.

Another TED talk that is certainly worth watching can be viewed here. It is given by Benjamin Zander, a leading interpreter of Mahler and Beethoven. He tries to help us all realize our untapped love for classical music -- and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, and new connections.

If you are not convinced by now that paying attention to what Mozart has to offer is a worthwhile endeavor, then I’ve failed. If not, below is part 1 of an 18 part BBC video series titled “The Genius of Mozart.” Do yourself a favor and make time to turn off your cell, close the door, slowdown and listen.



If you’ve been stimulated or are otherwise interested, you can explore Mozart’s operas, symphonies, concertos, chamber works, etc. at this website. To read more on the life of Mozart, visit here. And you can read at least part of a wonderful biography on Mozart, hosted by Google Books, here.