http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/02/10/146687324/who-says-classical-music-cant-be-sexy?sc=fb&cc=fp

The traits usually associated with classical music are those of intelligence, relaxation, form composition, or European cultures. But one characteristic that people may never think of immediately when considering classical music is eroticism. Tom Huizenga, a blogger at NPR Music, claims that even though it is difficult to portray something as simple as a kiss in such a vague medium, there are pieces that are able to depict the intimate tension. One such piece that does this is Scriabin’s “Le Poème de l’extase,” or “Poem of Ecstacy.”

In the article “Who Says Classical Music Can’t Be Sexy?” Huizenga writes about how the work is basically the musical portrayal of the act of lovemaking. He gives a general overview of what can be observed from the colorfulness of the instruments to the subtle expressions that the piece exudes. And after being listened to, it definitely gives off a deep, sexual vibe from the beginning to the end.

The piece starts off with the strings and the woodwinds interacting with each other in a gentle manner. The are playing in high pitches so as to keep the mood and the level of intimacy at a high level. Then as the tension grows and the dynamics crescendo, the horns take over accenting the climax that is about to take place. After the rush felt from the high point, the instruments get softer in volume and the feel of the piece relaxes as if the lovers that the music depicts are taking a break. Then the process of what had happened repeats in variations until the final climactic moment, when the instruments finish by lengthening out one last note in forte.

In the article, Huizenga gives a minor sample of the piece consisting of the beginning and the ending. He probably put up only those parts because if his analysis of the music is like what mine is, then those parts were the only ones worth discussing. Everything else in between is essentially the music with that same intimate feeling being repeated; it is lovers copulating over and over again until the end.

In conclusion, Huizenga’s observations have made me more open-minded as to what music can do or represent. Using the right technique can help evoke the right emotions and responses. I now have a new word to describe certain works of classical music: erotic.