Listen Up

[caprenter]

I was going to post an update, but it looks as though I may not have posted this before, so...

Listen Up was my release of what I call music a couple of years ago, and I've just added a new track, "Hope", to it.

At the time I was looking for a voice to go with some instrumental work I'd done, and wanted to amplify another persons voice rather than fill the space with my own.

It struck me that I 'knew a lot about' Greta Thunberg, but that I'd never actually listened to any of her speeches all the way through - rather, only as sound-bites on the news. (and of course I didn't really much about Greta at all). So my thought was, perhaps if I put them to music, then people that like my kind of music might take the time to listen as well.

Today, I added a new track, based on the 'blah, blah, blah" speech, Greta gave to the Youth4Climate summit in Milan last September. I'd wanted to add it to the album for a while. I call it Hope, because that's actually the central message, as opposed to the news headlines the speech generated.

I think 'listening' is quite a hard, and challenging, thing to do - but that when I do listen, I'm usually well rewarded.

Anyway, I'd be interested, as ever, to see what people think.

New Track: https://theargentgrub.bandcamp.com/track/hope
Album: https://theargentgrub.bandcamp.com/album/listen-up

[oscillator]

I think it is interesting how adding music to a speech, you give another opportunity to listen to what she says more closely. So in that way, the music, which is nice, doesn't distract from her words, quite the opposite

The music is like I wrote nice, maybe some more disharmonic parts would have amplified the seriousness of the message, but on the other hand, I find this respectful.

I like how Greta T use words. Also, she is from Sweden, like me. She is brave. I think there is too little political music, at least here on LM.

I haven't really listened to a whole speech by her (until now), but now you made me. Thank you!

[caprenter]

Thanks for listening, and for sharing your experience.

I like what you say. It's quite an interesting task adding music to her speaches. I'm pleased you found it respectful, I think that's definitely one of my aims. Once I start to add emphasis it starts to raise questions about what or how much is acceptable. Even breaks in the music - what do they mean or add or take away?

Sometimes on these tracks I find myself not listening to the words because I get distracted by the music - but I do end up listening a lot, and making all those small decisions as I go along.

So, essentially, I think it is a process of manipulation, but I hope one that is respectful, and that helps some people to engage with it.

Thanks again @oscillator for listening and sharing.