Why does one play sad music?

[Vorthos]

I realized today that the music I've been learning to play on the piano recently is quite emotional. This struck me as odd, since I typically avoid listing to music that I find depressing. I'm usually pretty upbeat and happy during the day, and I don't like sad music dragging me down, but for some reason I like to play it on the piano. I still like to learn more energetic pieces too, but the sad stuff has been my focus these past few days. Any idea why I (or anyone, really) would do such a thing?

 

[Pionart]

Because 'tis beautiful. The sadness that is evoked is of a pleasant nature; it affirms us of our deeper feelings.

I have a rather sad piece that I wrote, although it is not written out note for note, rather you improvise around a basic melody. Playing that piece has provided me with intense emotions that I honestly love to experience.

 

[Habba]

Because winter is coming.

 

[Kullervo]

I realized today that the music I've been learning to play on the piano recently is quite emotional. This struck me as odd, since I typically avoid listing to music that I find depressing. I'm usually pretty upbeat and happy during the day, and I don't like sad music dragging me down, but for some reason I like to play it on the piano. I still like to learn more energetic pieces too, but the sad stuff has been my focus these past few days. Any idea why I (or anyone, really) would do such a thing?

There could be so many reasons, so this is not a very easy question to honestly answer. I will just speak for myself.

While I tend to play music that mirrors my mood at the time, and I am prone to bouts of melancholy, there is something innately attractive about pieces that can induce strong emotions to me. Many of these are reflective, introspective. A piece that wallows in depression is unproductive, but being able to feel a connection to the music you are listening to/playing is really powerful. I don't know if this is a personality trait of mine or something that many people experience.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Ya know what Elton John said

 

[draon9]

See the rEason why people listen to depressing music is to have the music comfort them, they like the lyrics of the song to be relatable to them so they won't feel alone in thi world and also they could feel a connection to it.

 

[á´…eparted]

People like emotional mirrors. It is validating.

 

[miss fortune]

I hate mopey music about breakups (i.e. the worst song in the universe, sung by bruno mars)

depressing sounding classical music is beautiful though

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

depressing sounding classical music is beautiful though

I like Moonlight Sonata, by Beethoven! It's great.

 

[miss fortune]

I like Moonlight Sonata, by Beethoven! It's great.

or chopin's nocturne in e flat major... my favorite beethoven is the second movement from the 7th

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

or chopin's nocturne in e flat major... my favorite beethoven is the second movement from the 7th

The seventh symphony is excellent. Beautiful stuff.

 

[LovecraftianMonstrosity]

There is an episode of the famous television show the West Wing called Han that deals with this. In the episode the President is visited by a world famous piano player from North Korea as part of a state delegation. The piano player has to surreptitiously request asylum in an attempt to escape his fate. Unfortunately, the president cannot grant asylum as it would cause too great of a diplomatic row with the North Koreans.

"There's a Korean word, Han. I looked it up. There is no literal English translation, it's a state of mind, of soul really. A sadness. A sadness so deep no tears will come, and yet still, there's hope."

I believe we play sad music when we experience Han.

 

[Thalassa]

I love Lana del Rey's Ultraviolence album, the saddest blues jazz album she's made, because it's good to exercise your feelings of sadness or melancholy or nostalgia rather than run from it.

I've read that Fe types try to force happy, while Fi wallows in sad...a more objective take is Fe trying to maintain good feelings while Fi acknowledges emotional truth. Both can be true, tbh. Everyone has the ISFJ grandma who tries to solve everything with pie, or knows the annoying INFJ who thinks quoting the Beatles is the absolute answer to the world's problems...while they know a "depressed" INFP and an ESFP who won't stop confronting people.


Acknowledging negative feelings is part of the human experience.