What is your favorite classical music to listen to while reading?

For me, this does change with the book. Right now, Erik Satie's music seems to be most fitting (odd, as I'm reading a book set in 1980s India, The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, but there you go).

If you need a quick intro to Satie, I wrote about him briefly here (along with a music sampler): Music Notes: Erik Satie’s Gymnopédies.

Would love to know how others pair up their books with their music choices and perhaps get some new recommendations.

Thank you.

Classical guitar music by Andre Segovia during light reading.

razzamajazz, yes, he's lovely. I've heard bits and pieces and especially like his Tarantella. What's your favorite of his works?

Manuel Ponce 1882-1948

Concierto del Sur- 25'19

Many other compositions by Joaquin Rodrigo, Luigi Boccherini,Isaac Albeniz

Other classical guitarists: John Williams , Narciso Yepes, Julian Bream, Charlie Byrd

It's odd - I've always played music when I read, but, these days, I'm finding it more and more difficult to do.

Trouble is, any kind of classical, jazz, opera or classical guitar continually distracts my attention from the reading. I just have to stop and listen. Unless I don't like it, of course, which is even more of a distraction - an irritation.

I occasionally try easier stuff, popular music from the 'fifties, 'forties, 'thirties - just as a pleasant background noise; but, even then, I can get distracted by a particularly good arrangement or backing player. It only occasionally fits, anyway - never the right mood for anything from the nineteenth century or earlier, better with modern non-fiction.

These days, for fiction at least, I'm tending more and more to switch off the music (or play the music and put aside the book!)

How to enjoy music ( strictly music, no lyrics or liberetto) while reading:

1. Use a portable combo set, do not play with external speakers or amplifier.

2. Play only music ( jazz,classical,orchestra music,single-instrument music- eg piano,guitar,flute,saxophone,trumpet),ethnic music and etc.

3. Not a loud music.

4. Tune your volume/tone to "low" just right for your ears.

Try this. See the results.

Some soft music: James Galway - classical flute; Kenny G: Richard Clayderman;

Miles Davis = trumpet,jazz: Charlie Parker; John Coltrane ; Ramsey Lewis Trio:

Modern Jazz Quartet; Strauss's Waltz music and many musicians that provide good

background music as in the cocktail lounge bars.

Some great recommendations there, razzamajazz. Thanks. I like Miles Davis for reading too. Stan Getz too.

I find it really hard to concentrate on reading when there's music playing--especially if the music has lyrics (that's why the tv and other people talking are also out!). BUT I do occasionally like to have some instrumental music playing, as a lot of you have mentioned, because it's relaxing and creates a nice atmosphere. I think my favorites to listen to these days are movie soundtracks! I actually like to put those on when I do work too. Some Hans Zimmer or the soundtrack to Amelie or Shakespeare in Love, for example. I'd like to start listening to more jazz too.

All about listening to background music you can use while dining with guests or reading at home . Some good recommended compact disc titles.

http://www.nytimes.com

search: The Best Restaurant Music Ever Made

I never even think to put music on when i'm reading, i don't think i'm capable of enjoying both things at the same time. Just imagining it is getting me a little anxious. Then again, i can't relax while there's someone badly parked down the road. Help me, please.

Give yourself a test: A Free Anxiety Test ( This is not a spam ), Find out your anxiety's tolerance level.

www.calmclinic.com

#11 -

Dear calmclinic,

I'm a sucker for online quizzes and tests, but then I get irrationally annoyed when I work my way to the end and then find that they want my email address before I can get the results. Am I paranoid?

Go for vacation and relax.

yeah, good advice.
this is an interesting topic, it has made me question what is the more powerful, music or type.
thanks for the push, jenny...

What made me start the thread was this bit of news: http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/booktrack-studio/.

I don't know that I like the idea of predetermined soundtracks to my books (plus, I don't really read digitally anyway).

But, I always have music on when reading, so I wondered what others preferred.

These days, I'm into movie soundtracks. My current playlist: Out of Africa, Legends of the Fall, Last of the Mohicans, The English Patient.... oddly, they are all movies that were originally books. :)

The BBC is doing a Sound of Cinema Season that I need to explore further: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01fs3cy

Music depends upon the book. Easy reading, such as most fiction, I can listen to any pre-20th century classical music. I like 20th century classical music for non-fiction. Scarlatti and Bach work well for more intense fiction, such as Gravity's Rainbow, Finnegan's Wake and Infinite Jest. Harpsichord music is excellent for plays and poetry. For philosoophy, physics and foreign language reading, especially ancient languages, I prefer silence.

Baroque music is best suited to be used as background music. Vivaldi's Four Seasons is one of grand music of that era.

Can't-I have to do one or the other. Listening usually trumps reading, if I put something on. Unless I don't like the music, in which case it distracts.

I can't concentrate on my reading and listen to music at the same time. I've seen playlists creep in at the end of some YA books (Rachel Caine's for example). That's great for readers who can multitask (ie, not me)! The French SF author Alain Damasio went even further: his novel La horde du Contrevent comes with its own original soundtrack/music on CD. I must confess I've not even unwrapped mine. I just read the book, which as far as I know, is still not available in English, although that might change once the animated film comes out Windwalkers: Chronicle of the 34th Horde.

I tend to go with piano music or anything that's not extremely loud like a symphony, usually Rachmaninoff or Debussy.

I'm in the can't crowd. I love listening so much, that it draws my attention away. I can sometimes listen to something while working (developer - used to be called computer programmer), generally not classical though, that's too interesting to me.

Bump!

I'm also in the can't crowd. My mind can only handle one serious engagement at a time!

I listen to classical radio stations with the volume way down all the time, but I cannot abide opera or lieder (even at low volume) while I am reading --- I will change that station presto!

I always picture Curly Joe singing that aria or lied while Larry Fine accompanies!

I'm in the "can't" crowd--I have never been able to read and listen at the same time. Music distracts from my reading--my brain just has to focus on the music, whether good or bad, familiar or unfamiliar. So has to be complete silence when I read. I can't even read in waiting rooms, airports, etc., while people are talking, unless it is so distant that no individual voice (or background music) is discernible.

I've occasionally tried using as background music stuff that I don't find unpleasant but don't particularly like either. It's surprising how often this can lead to a new appreciation of hitherto indifferent-to-me music. Which means, of course, that I've completely forgotten the book I was reading ...

>12 alaudacorax: Needlessly. Just use the email address that *I* provide: hermanmunster@gmail.com

He'll appreciate more spam.

I cannot have music on the background without paying attention to it, so I prefer quiet when reading. Strangely, when I hear someone practice a musical instrument, it does not bother my reading as much - depending on the instrument (harp being the least "invasive" and violin the most distracting for me).

Violin distracts me a bit, but I like Jack Benny. I caught an old episode of the Quiz Kids the other day with Jack as a guest panelist (as "little Jackie Benny") and he was hilariously acerbic. They would ask a musical question, another QK would answer, and Jack would say something like, "I would have got that one if I had my violin with me." or would say "HMMMPH. Smarty pants Quiz Kid. Knew the question (harumph)." It was hilarious.

>10 bad.poet: I can't read whilst listening to music either, or not really. I can just about manage a newspaper while Radio 3's on in the background, but the moment someone starts to talk, my concentration goes out of the window.

Wow. Justin Time Here. Not a Pun not here anyhow. Before local NPR removed WKSU there was a great simulcast from Minnesota Public Radio. One of their own DJs programmed his personal Classical Favorites. Made Indoor Reading an Outdoor Concert experience. Bookmark with a pen- Write down Composer/ Orchestra footnote. Continue Reading til Next Brainstorm

>2 razzamajazz: BOCCHERINI-GUITAR QUINTETS 3 Volume Set NAXOS

>6 razzamajazz: Wow. Like Culture Shock Meets Back to the Future new remake. WCPN 90.3 FM Here was great JAZZ background music

>9 razzamajazz: Hmm What were their Favorites for Previous 8 months??? And Last 12 years Here Online?? Personal Favorites Only. No Need to Scroll through Un Needed Extra websites