I’ve been pretty busy these day and I quite believe that this situation will only last or get worse till the end of my life. I have several tasks simultaneously; I’m doing well,for the moment, everything being done in time. I’m even luckier than most of the busy guys because I like doing most of my tasks: experiment in my lab, webpage designing, programming. But what is as unlucky as others is that I need a rest badly.
I can have a rest at any time, however. I can easily afford an evening or two doing nothing, having no influences to the progress of my tasks. Even so my mind won’t slow down. That’s not what I need. I tried to listen to those music lists which I’m used to listening-concertos, symphonies. But they are too tense, too dramatic, having too many notes, and doing no help to me.
Thanks to the String Quintet in G Minor K.516 by Mozart. Without the echo of a large hall, the sounds is connotationally harmonious. It helps to separate me from all the ‘not me’. It will not call up my memory and push me into the pain of regretting, nor will it fire my emotion and agitate me. It doesn’t ask me questions. Though I may be still doing my jobs, my mind is calm and peaceful. I don’t have to beware what to finish in time and what to do in next moment. The mind is bathing in a mood of G minor, Mozart’s touching key.
Besides Mozart, most of the chamber works in the classical period have the similar effect. The later works by romantic and modern composers, however, start trying to express more personality and providing less space for me. Even Mendelssohn, known as the purity of his work, tried too much to place different meanings to his Piano Trin in D minor, op.49. Schubert may be calm, but sounds like coming from another intact, childish world and can’t understant the pain in this world.
Beside K.516 I also recommend Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet in A major, K.581.