ozahs

I have a question that has been bothering me for some time. Can anyone explain why some people are passionate about music, and others are not?

My wife and I talked about this recently; I am very passionate about music while she is not. She says she likes happy songs that make her smile; she loves Barry Manilow. But she thinks going to concerts is a waste of time. I, on the other hand, love seeing almost any live music. Certain songs can render me emotionally devestated (any bootleg version of Springsteen's "Racing in the Street" comes to mind - its not about racing in the street, btw). Singing Handel's Messiah with a like minded, well trained chior is exhilarating, to say the least.

Why does the saxophone solo in Dire Straits' "Your Lastest Trick" rip my heart out every time, while the person next to me might just think it is "pleasant"?

I experience similar levels of emotion when listening to Supertramp's "Child of Vision" or "School", or Cat Stevens' "Foriegner Suite". It does not even have to have any lyrics, like the Allman Brothers' "Jessica", or Handel's "Water Music".

I know my music selection dates me, but that is not the point. Everyone who is passionate about music has favorites that they connect to on an emotional level. I am just trying to understand how some people can be immune to the spell that music has cast upon me.

Does anybody have any insight?

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