Describing music in writing

[The Judge]

I have the same character listening to Mozart's Lacrimosa in an earlier scene (a sex scene actually!!)

Blimey! I've heard of post-coital tristesse, but tears and lamentation during...

I reckon I'll change that to unsettling. It'll fit the scene better too.

Since she knows her music, she'll definitely know the minor key equates to sadness etc, which is why it's so effective here in those first bars.

 

[Mouse]

Blimey! I've heard of post-coital tristesse, but tears and lamentation during...

Heh heh! She's not right. She also tells the guy that she wants to kill him too, but he thinks she's joking.

Since she knows her music, she'll definitely know the minor key equates to sadness etc, which is why it's so effective here in those first bars.

Yeah, hopefully readers (get me, like I'll have any!) who know the music will get that's what's happening. The whole point of this scene is leading up to her getting a knife...

I've now changed it to:

The CD stand was in the corner of the room, so full that she'd had to pile up some of the cases on the floor beside it. She scanned the rows until she found something that took her fancy* and popped the disc into the player. Mozart's Requiem. The first movement, Introitus, pushed quietly through the speakers; bassoon first, then the violin and cello, the chords low and unsettling but becoming more dramatic as the brass instruments came in. She closed her eyes and let the music take her, listening to the timpani and then the powerful voices of the choir.


Basically, I've just copied what you'd written in your post, TJ.

*this is crap and needs rewording.

 

[Grimward]

Those who know me here (and elsewhere) know that I'm partial to this author, but Janny Wurts does a wonderful job of evoking images, painting feelings, and even establishing plot and conflict with the way she describes music and central character Arithon's mastery of its mystical uses in the world she created for her Wars of Light and Shadow series. It might be a little more esoteric than you're looking for, mouse, but that series is the most thorough incorporation of music into all aspects of a SFF work that I've read.

Re the tears and lamentation, was just going to agree with The Judge and say that's not right, but now see this was intentional. Nice twist!

Finally, nice site, Springs. Hadn't visited that one previously, but have bookmarked it now.

 

[Mouse]

Those who know me here (and elsewhere) know that I'm partial to this author, but Janny Wurts does a wonderful job of evoking images, painting feelings, and even establishing plot and conflict with the way she describes music and central character Arithon's mastery of its mystical uses in the world she created for her Wars of Light and Shadow series. It might be a little more esoteric than you're looking for, mouse, but that series is the most thorough incorporation of music into all aspects of a SFF work that I've read.

I'll go and look it up, ta!

Re the tears and lamentation, was just going to agree with The Judge and say that's not right, but now see this was intentional. Nice twist!

Thanks! I'm actually ridiculously pleased with my choice of music for that scene, I'm just hoping there will be people who'll 'get it.'

 

[Glitch]

I'm not a connoisseur of music; but if I'm listening to a piece of music I know well, and not while doing another task. I'm either one step ahead of the music, i.e. I'm thinking about the next sound, or rhythm I'm about to hear. I assume a connoisseur would know the music in detail like this - or is it just me ?

Other times I'm associating the music to memories. Closing my eyes and recalling short snippets in slow motion. I've always felt music is great for flashback scenes.

What I'm trying to say - if the music is evoking emotions then she's actually thinking about something else.

 

[Mouse]

What I'm trying to say - if the music is evoking emotions then she's actually thinking about something else.

Hmm... yeah she is, she's thinking about death. But she uses music as a distraction a lot of the time, as well as a sort of accompaniment to her mood. If that makes sense.

---

In a later scene (closer to the end) I want to have Verdi's Requiem. Now, I think that's a really recognisable piece of music but would people know it from its name?

 

[Grimward]

Oooh, and thinking about the use of Mozart's Requiem, the stabbing movements of the string section in the Introitus (?) are an excellent choice for presaging her violence.

I'm either one step ahead of the music, i.e. I'm thinking about the next sound, or rhythm I'm about to hear. I assume a connoisseur would know the music in detail like this - or is it just me ?

I think I know what you're getting at; I've just thought of music in that sense as a background that can morph into catalyst at any given moment, and for mouse's scene, at least, apparently has....

 

[Glitch]

Hmm... yeah she is, she's thinking about death. But she uses music as a distraction a lot of the time, as well as a sort of accompaniment to her mood. If that makes sense.

Yes it does. I was just thinking about showing, not telling.

In a later scene (closer to the end) I want to have Verdi's Requiem. Now, I think that's a really recognisable piece of music but would people know it from its name?

I looked it up and the yt video is an hour and half long!

Perhaps you could include a digital download with the book. At the start of the chapters (play track 12) etc...

 

[Mouse]

Grim, I knew you meant Mozart's one.

Glitch, that's starting to sound like the 50 Shades CD which they've just brought out! Listen to it while reading the book. Ew.

But yeah, there's a really well-known bit in the Verdi one - the start of the second sequence (is that the right word?).

 

[The Judge]

The CD stand was in the corner of the room, so full that she'd had to pile up some of the cases on the floor beside it. She scanned the rows until she found something that took her fancy* and popped the disc into the player. Mozart's Requiem. [if you're having her looking like this, then I'm sure she'd also pay attention to the conductor] The first movement, the Introitus, [it just means "opening"] pushed [for myself I'm not sure that gives the right feel, but I'll leave that for you] [quietly] [don't think it's right here, as it's only quiet at first -- you need it after the colon when describing the opening bars] through the speakers: the bassoons sombre, distinctive, under the strings, [first, then the violin and cello,] [no -- they all start together, and though her ear might be good enough to distinguish the violins from the cellos I doubt she'd think of them as individuals, would she? I think we need Chris p's ear here to describe the relationship between the strings and woodwind -- my idea is just a placeholder until you get something better] the chords [um... Chris might point out we've got that wrong, as we were using "chords" in a non-technical way...] low and unsettling but becoming more dramatic as the brass [instruments] came in, then the powerful voices of the choir. She closed her eyes and let the music take her [, listening to the timpani and then the powerful voices of the choir]. [although the timpani does come in first, it's a scarce half-bar, so "listening" isn't right]

*this is crap and needs rewording. I'll let you fiddle with that bit!

NB Just in case you hadn't realised, a bar is rather short, only a couple/few seconds of music (I'm operating at the limits of my non-knowledge here, y'know...).

Re the Verdi, that's more operatic than ecclesiastical, so a very different feel.


NB Re the lacrimosa -- you do realise it's less than three minutes long, so this sex scene...

 

[Mouse]

NB Just in case you hadn't realised, a bar is rather short, only a couple/few seconds of music (I'm operating at the limits of my non-knowledge here, y'know...).

No, I know nothing! I'll change it, ta!

Re the Verdi, that's more operatic than ecclesiastical, so a very different feel.

I just want that one section of music and it's not going to be told from her POV (thank god!) it'll be from Mercer's. So he'll recognise it but not know what it is, I imagine. I'll have to find out what films it's been in and use that!

NB Re the lacrimosa -- you do realise it's less than three minutes long, so this sex scene...

It is at the end of the, um, sex that she's listening to that specifically. I must've listened to it about 50 times when I was trying to write that. Like now, I've listened to the start of Mozart's Requiem loads too but I can't write and listen at the same time so I have to keep pausing it!

 

[Glitch]

Glitch, that's starting to sound like the 50 Shades CD which they've just brought out! Listen to it while reading the book. Ew.

I wasn't aware of that. I could probably lived a quite happy life without becoming aware of that

it'll be from Mercer's. So he'll recognise it but not know what it is, I imagine.

Us guys are not generally known for our multitasking abilities. A plane could crash into the building and he probably wouldn't notice

It is at the end of the, um, sex that she's listening to that specifically. I must've listened to it about 50 times when I was trying to

write that.

Ok, back to being serious. When you're listening to the music, what are you thinking / feeling?

I'll have to find out what films it's been in and use that!

I' ld say that's a fair point. I think most people would know the name of the movie, rather than the music.

 

[Mouse]

I wasn't aware of that. I could probably lived a quite happy life without becoming aware of that

Ha. Sorry!

I'd say that's a fair point. I think most people would know the name of the movie, rather than the music.

Yep. Been in Battle Royale apparently. (That's a man film isn't it?) And Water Drops on Burning Rocks, but I've never heard of that before. I'm sure it's been in more films than that!

I'm pondering O Fortuna now though too, instead of the Verdi.

 

[Glitch]

Been in Battle Royale apparently. (That's a man film isn't it?)

Hadn't heard of it before. Looked it up - Japanese film with a cult following.

Water Drops on Burning Rocks, but I've never heard of that before.

Not heard of that one either. Has an interesting film poster!

I'm pondering O Fortuna now though too, instead of the Verdi.

Have you thought of find a movie with the right emotional feel and then looking up the music?

 

[Ursa major]

If she's listening to the Karajan recording of the Lacrimosa, it lasts 3'08".

(Every little counts.)

 

[Mouse]

Not heard of that one either. Has an interesting film poster!

It does too! Actually sounds quite good. And if it'd been better known (or known at all!) it would've been perfect.

 

[Mouse]

*sidles back into thread*

I'm now trying to describe dies iraes. Mozart's one. I've got urgent timpanis and almost manic violins. Music people, correct? I've listened to it so many times, it's now stuck in my brain and I've almost learnt Latin.

 

[Ursa major]

Don't forget that the voices are very much to the fore in the Dies irae of Mozart's Requiem.

 

[anivid]

Don't forget that the voices are very much to the fore in the Dies irae of Mozart's Requiem.

Yep, and the music behind bars

 

[Mouse]

Yes, I mentioned the choir being the main thing.