What Are You Listening To?

[Jerome]

I recently had to do annual performance reviews for my staff (currently 35 people), and I tried a different approach this year. I have a number of classical CD's in my collection that I have not heard yet. I do not like having the radio on when I write these reviews as I have to focus on the person's performance and having some idiot talking complete nonsense on the radio about some totally irrelevant subject just does not work for me. Irish radio leaves a lot to be desired. At the same time I cannot listen to my favourite pieces because they are too familiar and I would find myself drifting off as opposed to focusing on the job. Vocal music is out because I tend to get wrapped up in the lyrics. The solution - classical music that I have not heard before. It just works. Bach in particular. I tried Elgar, Dvorak, Wagner, (a no-go area) Sibelius, (The Swan of Tuonela is worth a visit) & Bach. Have a feeling that Eno's ambient stuff might work too (for those that don'tknow his stuff) but I am too familiar with it so that's out the window.