Classical Muse

I rarely listen to Classical music when I'm driving. Road noise kills classical music. Rock is much better for driving. I sometimes wonder if driving isn't what's frozen music into it's current format. I mean when you're driving what the heck? Crank it up and blow the doors off. Most driving trips are short anyway. A ten to fifteen minute drive to work, school or the store, that's just about perfect for a song or two. Of course most pop music is dance music. Even Classical has its minuets and waltzes, I can see dancing to a waltz but I cant imagine dancing to a symphony, so I know that the average drivetime isn't the only factor in the length required for a piece of(Rock, Rap, Country) music. Originally it was the 78 vinyl format that set the length. Record Publishers wanted songs that would fit on a 78 record and songs of pre determined length were perfect for AM DJ's to play between commercials. But generally loud music is perfect for listening to while in your car.

Two of my favorite pieces of music are Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, second movement and Mendelssohn' Hebrides Concerto but I can't listen to either one of them in the car. Both have delicate subtlety that gets drown out in the car. This is not to say either of them are weak. Beethoven's Seventh second movement is the most powerful piece of music ever written. I get chills every time I hear it. Every time! I have to stop the car to listen to it. Makes me late every time. Loud isn't powerful. Loud is just music with an amp. If you want true power and genius in music, try Beethoven, just do't listen to it in the car. Actually I did used to listen Holst's "The Planets" while driving to work when I worked in Dallas. There's nothing better than listening to 'Mars God of War' for battering my way through Dallas freeway congestion. Try it sometime but don't tell the State Trooper I suggested to you as good driving music.