Re: GG Radio documentaries a failure?

["Anne M. Marble" <amarble@abs.net>]

> Here's a thought.  When I was studying psychology in high school, the
> textbook made a point that when we are, say, at a party with many
> conversations going on simultaneously, that we are actually hearing all
of
> them.  We just choose to attend or focus on the one where the people
closest
> to us physically are speaking, but we are actually hearing all of them in
> the entire room.

I'm reply to your post while listening to the radio. If this were the
weekend, I would also have the TV on. A lot of people would see this and
refuse to accept that it's possible. (Once, my brother made me switch off
one radio because he couldn't believe that I was listening to two radios at
the same time -- while reading.)

Human beings are capable of doing many more things than we feel comfortable
admitting. Sometimes, it's our attitude that holds us back. Geniuses (or
whatever you want to call them) such as Glenn Gould have talent, yes, but
their success comes from more than just talent. Attitude and stubborness
are very important. (Having a mother who teaches you music from a *very*
early age is a big help as well.)

 <tiny snip>
> There have been many times in history where artists have stretched their
> listeners or viewers.  <bigger snip>

It's amazing what we can learn. In a talk I attended recently, an expert on
learning pointed out to the group that the hardest thing we do is learn to
speak, and we learn it when we're very young. This expert pointed out that
a lot of people who think they're "bad" at math were told they were bad at
it when they were young, and so they stopped trying -- and the results
(failure) "proved" their misconceptions.

Before I started listening to Glenn Gould, I didn't know a lot about music.
I still don't know as much as somebody who has studied music -- but I
understand a lot more than I used to. GG's music has made me a better
listener. (Does this make me The New Listener?)