Fascinating: No synonym for "Music"

[Boxx]

IN THE BEGINNING GOD created man and then man created music...

I can say this: For decades "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" has been my hands down pick for the most sublime piece of music ever composed. To me, it sounds like infinity itself, always playing. If I look up at the stars, I hear a bit of it and all time and space is moving along with it.

When I "start" a copy, it isn't really starting anything but simply allowing this poor temporally-bound human to join the symphony of the Cosmos for a few minutes. It doesn't end, I am just forced to leave it and it plays on and my illusions of reality return. Yep, trash is overflowing and the dog needs a bath.

Dave

Personally, I include Ave Maria (sublime in the sense of) inspiring awe when heard (in it's so many different renditions). "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" was one of the first keyboard pieces that I learned to play, oh so many years ago. I never tire of hearing it.

[Mallette]

Well, I am not sure I can come up with anything. No synonym for music, and no related word close enough to work. "Euphony" sounded possible, but it is too closely related to words only to really work.

Guess I'm stuck with audiophile, followed by an explanation of what kind unless someone else (THEBES) can come up with something.

Dave

[garyrc]

Of course, being an audiophile can intensify the appreciation of music. Even though I had loved music from the time I was about four, and had been in two school orchestras, I never really began to listen closely to textures until I was picking out a loudspeaker for my mono rig. I heard many audiophile records, including the ones superbly recorded by Emory Cook. One of his was a harp recording of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Sublime, indeed! That was somewhere between 1956 and 1959.

[Mallette]

I heard many audiophile records, including the ones superbly recorded by Emory Cook.

Cooks stuff was awesome. I have a Vanguard Stereo recording made at the 1956 Gabrielli Festival in Venice which is SWEET.

Problem with "audiophile" as a catchall is that it doesn't really tell you about the persons focus. Some folks get into audiophilism from music, and others get into music from audiophilism. Some are looking for the most perfect, pristine, source to push their equipment to the breaking point, and others are completely focused on the music and could care less about noise if it's unavoidable. Others are in between.

Dave

[Boxx]

I heard many audiophile records, including the ones superbly recorded by Emory Cook.

Cooks stuff was awesome. I have a Vanguard Stereo recording made at the 1956 Gabrielli Festival in Venice which is SWEET.

Problem with "audiophile" as a catchall is that it doesn't really tell you about the persons focus. Some folks get into audiophilism from music, and others get into music from audiophilism. Some are looking for the most perfect, pristine, source to push their equipment to the breaking point, and others are completely focused on the music and could care less about noise if it's unavoidable. Others are in between.

Dave

But isn't that the same about someone that calls themselves an athlete? Some folks get into athletics for the joy of it, and others for the extreme thrill of competition.

If you play well then you are an athlete. If it sounds good and you like it then you are an audiphile.... lol...

[Mallette]

I hear you Boxx, but I hesitate to identify myself as an "audiophile." Granted, my gear is way beyond the norm, but not what I consider "audiophile." However, I suppose tubes of any kind or even a turntable is pretty much "audiophile" to the average Joe or Jill.

But for me the equipment is merely a means to play music and not hear equipment. Heck, only my main system has tubes. The others are all driven by cheap class D Panny recievers, and I think they sound just fine. I don't fret over things many audiophiles do. As long as the equipment doesn't come to the front I am happy enough.

Dave

[Daddy Dee]

Dave, thanks for the most interesting observation.

I've been contemplating this for a few days now. Haven't been able to think of any synonym for music.

Just now the thought occured, wonder if the same is true for other languages. I'm limited to english and pig-latin.

[muel]

Interesting idea.

The word that jumped to my mind half way through the original post is "Gemütlichkeit"

Google will find a few definitions but I think some aren't accurate. There really isn't an English equivalent but it expresses well how I define the EXPERIENCE of listening to music.

Gemütlichkeit:
(mostly from Wikipedia) means a situation that induces a cheerful mood, peace of mind, with connotation of belonging and social acceptance, coziness and unhurry. NO STRESS... all is well!

The word isn't the most pretty sounding... unless maybe you were lulled to sleep as a child listening to the Grimm Brothers in the original german. I preferred tales of Fortunatos and his wishing hat but I digress. Anyway, that is my stab at your linguistic conundrum.

[Mallette]

The word isn't the most pretty sounding... unless maybe you were lulled to sleep as a child listening to the Grimm Brothers in the original german.

Agreed. I one says it with force, the response might well be "Gezundheit!" []

Dave

[skonopa]

This is interesting read, and I even thought about it, as I tend to be more into the music itself instead of getting all caught up with the gear and/or the format I am just as happy to listening to something via an MP3 as I would be if it was on pristine 200 gram "audiophile" pressing. Admittedly, playing around with the gear can be fun, and it is always exciting to get a new toy to add to the rig, but ultimatly, I just want something decent to enjoy my music on.

The only thing I can possibly think of would be something like musophile. It would not be perfect, but the closest I can think of.

[Mallette]

Steven, that's the deal. I dug all over and couldn't come up with a thing that wasn't a near miss. I still think it really strange that something as fundamental and pervasive as music has only a single word...and even that one borrowed from a Greek word that was quite general to the arts and not specific...to describe it.

Dave