Imagine if music had life-changing properties—but the very texts that tell about it were never assigned in music classes. Those were the books I wanted to read during my lockdown.
Mostly because I read it long ago, and not during the pandemic. But you're correct: my research into quest narratives requires me to come to terms with the Odyssey. In fact, it's probably my favorite work of literature, and for two reasons. First, the Odyssey is the first literary masterpiece in which the hero prevails because of intelligence instead of mere violence. I don't minimize the significance of that in cultural history. Even nowadays that's a rare story line in an action film or book. Second the Odyssey is an adventure story in which protagonist isn't seeking adventures, but just wants to get home to spend time with his family. I find that deeply resonant on a personal level.
Great list of books. Kind of strange I have been on almost the exact same reading journey. I think Ritual and Romance for the Grail legend would fit in here along with The Golden Bough as the basis for most of Campbell's stuff. And Totem and Taboo by Freud, which brought a lot of this together.
Yes, I read From Ritual to Romance during the pandemic. Made me very interested in learning more about Jessie Weston. Her holistic approach to the Grail legend has been criticized, but I don’t see anyone actually disproving it. And it’s very congruent with what I’ve learned from probing into music history.
Very interesting perspective. Perhaps, from an evolutionary perspective, one of the reasons music exists is for bonding over shared quests. It may provide a shared emotional backdrop that makes narratives inspirational and memorable.
What a great hope-imbued post. Sheer cultural medicine. Sustaining ultimate questions, roaming a very textured terrain of source readings, anchored in decades of your one-of-a-kind love of learning and creativity --- BRAVO and thank you!
Ted, just got to your column on pandemic reading. Why isn't The Odyssey included?
Mostly because I read it long ago, and not during the pandemic. But you're correct: my research into quest narratives requires me to come to terms with the Odyssey. In fact, it's probably my favorite work of literature, and for two reasons. First, the Odyssey is the first literary masterpiece in which the hero prevails because of intelligence instead of mere violence. I don't minimize the significance of that in cultural history. Even nowadays that's a rare story line in an action film or book. Second the Odyssey is an adventure story in which protagonist isn't seeking adventures, but just wants to get home to spend time with his family. I find that deeply resonant on a personal level.
Great list of books. Kind of strange I have been on almost the exact same reading journey. I think Ritual and Romance for the Grail legend would fit in here along with The Golden Bough as the basis for most of Campbell's stuff. And Totem and Taboo by Freud, which brought a lot of this together.
Yes, I read From Ritual to Romance during the pandemic. Made me very interested in learning more about Jessie Weston. Her holistic approach to the Grail legend has been criticized, but I don’t see anyone actually disproving it. And it’s very congruent with what I’ve learned from probing into music history.
Very interesting perspective. Perhaps, from an evolutionary perspective, one of the reasons music exists is for bonding over shared quests. It may provide a shared emotional backdrop that makes narratives inspirational and memorable.
Excited to hear what you've dug up along with some context
What a great hope-imbued post. Sheer cultural medicine. Sustaining ultimate questions, roaming a very textured terrain of source readings, anchored in decades of your one-of-a-kind love of learning and creativity --- BRAVO and thank you!
Ted, and aren't there more than one occurence of actual music?
Ah, the tautology of "discipline"!