Gender, Music, Emotions

[tugon (imported)]

Tonight I am listening to Janis Joplin sing about life, love and heartache. Then I realized how closely I have related to many female singers and how they expressed emotions. When Carole King, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell would sing about relationships I knew I felt many of the same emotions, joys and disappointments. When Billie Holiday would sing "I would rather my man hit me than up and quit me" I understood that physical pain was easier to live with than emotional pain.

In my late teens I was never interested in testosterone driven rock that many males my age found interesting and enjoyable. I wanted to have my feelings validated by the woman of folk/rock/blues. My first concert was of Maria Muldaur during her early days when she would sing "Don't you feel my leg". Of course my song was "Please feel my leg".

Even though I did not desire the body of a woman I have felt an emotional connection. My emotions were certainly more feminine even during my T years. Now as a eunuch I still connect easier with women singers. Of late I find I like the sound of a sexy male voice that I pretend is singing to me.

I was just wondering if anyone found they connected and related to one gender more than the other in music. I think my preference for female singers indicated my emotions as more feminine than masculine. Of course it may just be a gay thing. Ideas?

[moi621 (imported)]

Absolutely!

I do prefer a melodious female singing voice, avoiding the high notes, please.

For their culture, the Japanese initially chose a traditional female Japanese voice for their speaker systems as they automated.

I wonder if in the same way the Germans chose a commanding deep male voice?

A culturally based appreciation, as opposed to gender and/or sexual orientation of the listener.

(oops, take it to the "I Wonder" thread)

Moi

[StefanIsMe (imported)]

I have given up trying to define my musical tastes.

I grew up with Classical and still like it at relaxing times, especially piano concertos, and lately Glenn Gould's recordings.

I recently re-discovered jazz for myself, mostly new-ish lounge-stuff (think Diana Krall), but also Miles Davis' more bizarre stuff (On the Corner... wow!). Bella Fleck, if he qualifies, is always a favorite.

But at times, especially when I'm excited, I just NEED hard rock, preferably with excellent bass work (Rush, Metallica, Primus, Butthole Surfers, others). This is what I probably listen to most often.

Other times, I, like Tugon, need the folky stuff, in particular Joni Mitchel, and lately, I've been over-playing the heck out of Court and Spark and her 80's tours with Jaco Pastorius (who I have fallen utterly in love with... difficult, considering he's dead).

In fact, if anybody else likes him, I'm willing to listen to any suggestions for recordings of his to buy.

[tugon (imported)]

need[/I]

the folky stuff, in particular Joni Mitchel, and lately, I've been over-playing the heck out of Court and Spark and her 80's tours with Jaco Pastorius (who I have fallen utterly in love with... difficult, considering he's dead).

In fact, if anybody else likes him, I'm willing to listen to any suggestions for recordings of his to buy.

You might enjoy Jaco's work on several of the Weather Report albums. I also enjoy Jaco Pastorius', "the Birthday Concert" which I recommend highly.

[gareth19 (imported)]

I was just wondering if anyone found they connected and related to one gender more than the other in music. I think my preference for female singers indicated my emotions as more feminine than masculine. Of course it may just be a gay thing. Ideas?

Handel's La Resurrezione sung in Italian was originally scored in 1708 for male voices even the sopranos except for Maria Cleofe whose voice was sung originally sung by Margarita Durastante, but because it was a sacred oratorio the Pope was scandalized by the impropriety of a woman singing the role of a woman (though Maria Magdalena was sung by a castrato), so the next day Margarita was out and a castrato in drag was in church singing "dolci chiodi amate spine" [sweet nails, beloved thorns].

It is a lovely duet about torture. You can google it on you-tube.

[erikboy (imported)]

It is interesting that I have never attributed any gender to the music I like. Not male nor female. Still, if I listen to voices, they have gender in it. Female voice is very different from boys or girls voice. I sterted to pay more attention on voices when I had a discussion with my friend about voice genders. And yes, There is somekind of sex tone in grown up voices. Hard to explain. While boys have certainly different and more clear voices.

Here is a perfect example of this genderless voice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9ijwfRT ... re=related

Perhaps this is something castrato's had. Crystal clear, near angelic.

Was this 'something' that popes were looking for?

Rock and roll and heavy metal are certainly testosterone driven. I do not enjoy then much except few pieces. But I do not listen for heavy metal CD after CD. For sure.

I can't tell what is female music example.. Madonna perhaps? I don't like that either.

Music is certainly expressing emotions of composer and arranger. And I do not like music that is sourced from body and mind that is deprived of sex too much. This is only on aspect many emotions in human. Still strongest emotion after fear of death.

A good example of music, entirely charged with sex could be this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsJHXIpZrZE

Beware you may want to masturbate or have sex! :p

Also what I have noticed, a really good music is made when there are difficult times. One must be really hurt to press out true emotions and form music out of that. There is a difference between perfectly played music which could be enjoyable (in that computers can not be beaten) and music that doesn't sound so perfect but has stronger emotions in it. Didn't find any perfect example, but this could do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUBgbPl9Mk

You do not understand words, and the sound is far from perfect but you can feel emotion...

Another music which I like very much is electronic. Such as Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk etc. - Genderless again.

Strange thought came to my mind, if you watch and hear Kraftwerk sexless, extreme and refined minimalism which is filled with minimal but strong message then you watch Britney Spears sexually charged emptiness, with myriad of complex sounds... A big contrast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvtDHH_IfP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovCK97hF ... re=related

Open your mind,

enjoy!

[graylayer02 (imported)]

I have a thing for some of the more masculine countertenors, so....yup.

Try as I could, I have a hard time liking a lot of Handel's earlier Italian stuff. I'm into the blockbuster choruses of some of his English-language oratorios, or if I want to go earlier, I go to Purcell or some of the oddball Germans that Bach learned from; late 17th c music can be really out there. Earlier than that, Monetverdi.

And of course in Germany I can't avoid Bach. The cantatas and passions are great tools for learning German.

[punkypink (imported)]

I've never just like a single "gender" of music. For that matter I don't even just like one genre.

I listen to rock, metal, punk, dance, trance, electro, pop, rap, R&B, classical etc etc.

[Peter47-NL (imported)]

Also what I have noticed, a really good music is made when there are difficult times. One must be really hurt to press out true emotions and form music out of that. There is a difference between perfectly played music which could be enjoyable (in that computers can not be beaten) and music that doesn't sound so perfect but has stronger emotions in it. Didn't find any perfect example, but this could do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUBgbPl9Mk

You do not understand words, and the sound is far from perfect but you can feel emotion...

[ ]

Open your mind,

enjoy!

This is a pearl! Thank you Erikboy.

[tugon (imported)]

I've never just like a single "gender" of music. For that matter I don't even just like one genre.

I listen to rock, metal, punk, dance, trance, electro, pop, rap, R&B, classical etc etc.

I also enjoy all types of music. When I was dealing with anger after the end of an ugly period of life I would rage emotionally with heavy metal. I enjoy dance and high energy music when doing housework. I listen to a lot of classical music and I do enjoy a good countertenor. Still the music and my emotions that seem to compliment my more feminine eunuch emotions seem best served by songs written and performed by women.