Quiet music

   I can''t say that I am easily shocked by much besides the intensity of my feelings at times, but when I think a bit about how some of my tastes have changed about music, I am surprised. As an example, I remember thinking that I'd never listen to folk music unless it had an important connection to my past (an example might be a song from a record that my father played when I was growing up), and while my interest in some of this music ebbs and flows, I do listen to it, despite my past absolute belief to the contrary.
   Along these lines would also be included jazz, which I had no interest in or experience with, only the complete disdain for. I now often listen to a jazz radio station in my car when I drive, and have begun exploring more of this genre, listening to it at home as well on occasion.
   While jazz can often be quite uptempo and vibrant, both of these forms of music could for me be put in the category I would call "quiet music" (or at least quieter music than I used to listen to).  I find that music which is less aggressive and forceful provides not only a calming respite, but also just seems to go better with my temperament at this time in my life. It's not that I am so much calmer and relaxed as a person in the world, but I seek to have these qualities more now, and that is a change, albeit a gradual one. I have not found that being more relaxed is necessarily easier as I get older, but feel that doing something concrete to create that environment around me seems more vital.
   Not only do I prefer a quieter music these days, but more tranquil surroundings as well. I now would choose visiting a beautiful park or forest over visiting a city on almost any occasion, as I've grown to accept, through experience, that places without a lot of commotion help to calm my internal commotion. Because I feel like a savage beast at times, I turn to quiet music for it's charms, to paraphrase the famous quote.