Music is so much better to me when I’m alone. When I can listen to it repeatedly and linger over the notes and mingling of rhythm and melody. As soon as I say to someone (WO, Dre, whoever), “Hey, come listen to this!” I’m often immediately assailed with the feeling that this will be the longest song I’ve ever listened to. Every strange thing I loved (or hadn’t noticed up to now) will be glaringly loud and sound annoying as I put myself in the other listener’s shoes. I suddenly remember that so-and-so doesn’t like extended soprano singing (or something…), or notice the hilariously weird facial expression of this or…

Gregorian chants and organums are very, very peaceful and strangely comforting, despite the fact that I don’t speak Latin and am not Christian. It’s good meditation music. Or eating music, if one wishes for good digestion. There’s a piece by Guillaume de Machaut, “Puis qu’en oubli” (“Since I am forgotten”, which is a 14th century secular song) that makes me want to cry. I’ll spare you the old French lyrics. Music Appreciation is doing its job, I think.