How Many Times Do You Have To Listen To Understand A Piece Of Music?

@wolf_garcia

I don’t think you have to objectively "understand" a piece of music to absolutely enjoy it right away, from complex jazz or classical to a simple tune.

+1

@tony1954

If I don’t want to listen to the entire song, then it has almost zero chance of getting a second chance.

 

+1

@michaellent

it is not meant to be understood by you. It has meaning to the artist. Not necessarily to you

Granted, art must first please the artist. It can stop there or, by incorporating the universal within the personal, can reach/touch many more people. Depends upon your intent. art vs Art. 

I think understanding is different than appreciating.  I can think of simple songs I understood first listen but have grown to appreciate over time.  My appreciation can wax or wane as I grow, mature and change. I often need to understand before I can appreciate…recently I was listening to a classical piece I didn’t relate to until it dawned on me it was written in 7/8.  Then it clicked.  Interestingly, I pointed the time signature out to my wife, who shrugged and smiled…she had no clue what meter the piece was in but enjoyed it immensely.

About 15 years ago I thought I should have a crack at understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.  I've hardly scratched the surface.  Mind you, it took him 26 years to write the four 'music dramas' that make up the cycle.  About 2 years per completed hour.

In many ways, the Ring is the prototype for many of today's films, and even the 'wall of sound' used in rock concerts.  Almost everybody has heard the stirring "Ride of the Valkyries"!

To understand who the Valkyries were, you need to have some idea of the Norse and Icelandic sagas.  That's before you try to see how Wagner twisted the plot lines and merged characters to underscore the human foibles of greed, betrayal and world domination.

Throw in the Greek tragedies and a bit of Shakespeare as background.

Musically there are hundreds of 'motifs' or theme music fragments which give clues to the plot line.  Fully understand - never.  Appreciate - usually!

Rap about five seconds. It’s absolutely horrifying. I don’t understand opera. Classical from Rachmaninoff is a challenge to understand. Frank Zappa challenging I just wish he played music rather than interrupt with all this weird stuff he likes to do.. Lots of chord progressions and jazz proposition that can be complicated. don Ellis an amazing trumpet jazz player from the 70s has remarkable arrangements but sometimes he does weird stuff that I don’t understand, I do like pussy wiggle stomp Don Ellis that’s done in a very unique time. Oscar Peterson handles very complicated playing and makes me wish I had taken piano playing so I could understand what he’s doing but I can just sit back and really like it though. I don’t understand why we can’t listen to Christmas music all year long.