Music to read by

[Fracktured]

What kind of music to you find to be the best to read by?


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[rdclark]

Chants, plainsong, and other early music. Gets me to sleep, too. Try the Tallis Scholars.

[rcarlberg]

Can't read to anything vocal. The words get in the way.

I can read to almost any instrumental music, and depending on the book, I enjoy reading to something that pulls my attention away now and then. However, if I'm in a book that has me by the balls and won't let go, I have to put on my Segovia Pandora channel.

[spellbound]

Same here. Any instrumental music.

[rdclark]

Can't read to anything vocal. The words get in the way.

That's why I like the medieval and Renaissance chants and plainsong. I can't understand any of the lyrics.

[moecurlythanu]

Mostly Eurotrash Techno.

[Burley Wright]

[rcarlberg]

Eno's generative music puts me to sleep. I need background music that keeps me awake without grabbing my attention away from the book.

Even Robert Rich's sleep concerts are more entertaining than Eno.

[progmatist]

For me, more mindless, straightforward pop/rock. More complex music would divert my attention from the book.

[Zeuhlmate]

Erik Satie - piano stuff.

[jkelman]

Erik Satie, as a previous poster mentioned, but particular stuff (Gymnopedies, Gnoissienes, etc) as some of his stuff can be wonderful but more playful and angular.

Others?

Brian Eno’s ambient albums.

Almost anything by Harold Budd, Roger Eno...

Ralph Towner’s solo records: Solo Concert, Anthem, My Foolish Heart; his trio records with Muthspiel and Grigoryan (MGT (not ECM) and Travel Guide); his duo albums with Gary Burton, John Abercrombie and/or Gary Peacock.

Any of Bobo Stenson’s trio albums on ECM.

Marilyn Crispell’s Amaryllis and other ECM trio dates

Eivind Aarset’s Dream Logic

Many of Arve Henriksen’s albums, amongst the better: Sakuteiki, Places of Worship, Towards Language.

Anything by Eple Trio

Eberhard Weber’s The Following Morning, Fluid Rustle, Resume and Encore

Some of Gavin Bryars’ work, like After the Requiem, Vita Nova, String Quartets, Biped.

Terry Riley’s A Rainbow in Curved Air and Aleph

Steve Reich’s You Are (Variations), Octet/Music for a Large Ensemble/Violin Phase

Morton Feldman’s Piano and String Quartet (w/ Kronos Quartet)

There are many, many more, but these are some I grab for.

[Sputnik]

I can't read with any music going on, or at least I don't like to. I also can't work with music going on. Too distracting for me. Interesting question!

Bill

[BravadoNJ]

none, reading gets my 100% attention.

[jkelman]

Reading gets my attention, even with music on in the background. I've done it since I was a kid, and don't find it at all distracting. I understand some do, but for me my brain seems able to absorb both concurrently, so I'd never do it any other way.

[Lopez]

None. Like the last three posters, I need silence when reading. I read a lot on the bus and trolley commuting to and from work, but if there's some loud-talker near me yakking about his latest exploits, I find it hard to concentrate on the book.

A few years ago I bought a Cemetery Dance reissue of the novel Live Girls by Ray Garton that came with a soundtrack CD, music composed purposely to be played while reading the book. I haven't tried it yet.

[rcarlberg]

none, reading gets my 100% attention.

Sometimes silence distracts me from reading -- hearing noises out on the street, kids playing, traffic, rain. Music gives a nice comforting mask over the outside world.

My wife has caused me to do the same thing while sleeping. Ever since we got an Amazon Dot she insists on sleeping with a "distant thunderstorm" playing quietly, or a babbling brook, or wind in the trees. I used to sleep better in the silence -- I mean, we bought our house partially because of the quiet neighborhood -- but now I sleep just fine with nature sounds in the background.