If ears could speak

Désanne van Brederode on ‘If Ears Could Speak’

‘We can direct a reflective glance at something, we can gaze at someone in fascination or study a painting, and hold that image in our thoughts and ponder it, even contemplate it, without a bit of tangible substance being involved: ideas can be carried in our mind in a way that is as real as perceptible reality. But an ear experiences sound whether it chooses to or not; our heart is moved whether we want it to be or not, and the opinions that we consciously or unconsciously form about certain sounds are not formed via careful, abstract, analytical and synthetic brainwork. You could say that our ears are in the hands of sound.

‘You don’t have to know whether a melody is in a major or minor key to feel its full effect on your state of mind, to be completely carried away, at once, even before you are prepared to hear it. You don’t have to be able to distinguish a cello from a violin to be able to enjoy their tones – or to find them jarring. You don’t have to know the singer or the speaker personally to know at once whether you find their voice pleasing or, on the contrary, grating.’

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Broadcast 10 mei 2013 rtv nh http://www.rtvnh.nl/uitzending-gemist/TV/34/49213/Van+Zuks+Dus