What Does Music Mean?

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Joshua Weilerstein

Clarinet, Timpani, Performing, Trombone, Cello, Trumpet, Bassoon, Classicalmusic, Performing Arts, Arts, Violin, Flute, Piano, Conductor, Music, Weilerstein

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 October 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today is a bit of an unusual episode. Last month I was invited by the British Society of Aesthetics to address their annual conference. My task was to give a lecture on whatever topic I wanted, having to do with music. So, considering it was an Academic Philosophy conference, I chose the easiest and most straightforward topic possible - What Does Music Mean?

Obviously, this is a topic that has been interrogated from just about every different angle, and I certainly would never claim to have all the answers. But for my lecture, I decided to focus on how to find meaning in these amazing works from a performer's perspective. How do I study and learn these pieces so that I can find the meaning that I think is inside of them? What does history teach us about these pieces and can we use history to find meaning in these works? To try to answer these questions I chose three pieces to explore - Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, Barber's Adagio for Strings, and Shostakovich's 5th Symphony. After the lecture I realized it could easily be a podcast episode, so I've slightly changed a few things to make the lecture a bit more podcast-friendly. I hope you enjoy this one, and thanks to the British Society of Aesthetics for their invitation and their warm welcome!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Sticking Oats, the Classical Music Podcast.
0:11.0	My name is Joshua Weilerstein, I'm a conductor, and I'm the Chief Conductor of the All-Borg
0:14.8	Symphony and the Music Director of the Phoenix Orchestra of Boston.
0:18.5	This podcast is for anyone who loves classical music, works in the field, or is just getting
0:23.3	ready to dive into this amazing world of incredible music.
0:27.0	Before we get started, I want to thank my new Patreon sponsors, Amy, Michael, Julia,
0:31.9	Selby, and all of my other Patreon sponsors for making season 9 possible.
0:37.1	If you'd like to support the show, please head over to patreon.com slash the You Know
0:40.6	It's Podcast.
0:42.1	And if you are a fan of the show, please take a moment to give us a rating or review on
0:45.3	Apple Podcasts.
0:46.3	It is greatly appreciated.
0:48.0	So I have some exciting news to share before we get started with the main show, and that
0:55.3	is that from September of 2024, I will be taking into the position of Music Director
0:59.8	of the Orchestra Nassineau de Lille in France.
1:03.2	This is just an absolutely wonderful orchestra, I've conducted them a few times, in a lot
1:07.6	of different repertoire, and I just can't wait to get started working with this wonderful
1:12.6	ensemble and this very ambitious and supportive staff.
1:16.6	As always, I'll be sharing more details about the concerts we're doing as we get closer
1:20.2	to September of next year.
1:22.4	But again, thank you so much to the Orchestra Nassineau de Lille, and I can't wait.
1:26.7	For the show today, I've got something a little bit unusual for you.
	...

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