Music and emotion through time

In this epic overview, Michael Tilson Thomas traces the development of classical music through the development of written notation, the record, and the re-mix.

Well when I was asked to do this TEDTalk, I was really chuckled,

because, you see, my father's name was Ted,

and much of my life, especially my musical life,

is really a talk that I'm still having with him,

or the part of me that he continues to be.

Now Ted was a New Yorker, an all-around theater guy,

and he was a self-taught illustrator and musician.

He didn't read a note,

and he was profoundly hearing impaired.

Yet, he was my greatest teacher.

Because even through the squeaks of his hearing aids,

his understanding of music was profound.

And for him, it wasn't so much the way the music goes

as about what it witnesses and where it can take you.

And he did a painting of this experience,

which he called "In the Realm of Music."

Now Ted entered this realm every day improvising

in a sort of tin pan alley style like this.

(Music)

But he was tough when it came to music.

He said, "There are only two things that matter in music:

what and how.

And the thing about classical music,

that what and how, it's inexhaustible."

That was his passion for the music.

Both my parents really loved it.

They didn't know all that much about it,

but they gave me the opportunity to discover it

together with them.

And I think inspired by that memory,

it's been my desire to try and bring it

to as many other people as I can,

sort of pass it on through whatever means.

And how people get this music, how it comes into their lives,

really fascinates me.

One day in New York, I was on the street

and I saw some kids playing baseball between stoops and cars and fire hydrants.

And a kind of slouchy kid got up to bat,

and he took a swing and really connected.

And he watched the ball fly for a second,

and then he went, "Dah dadaratatatah.

Brah dada dadadadah."

And he ran around the bases.

And I thought, go figure.

How did this piece of 18th century Austrian aristocratic entertainment

turn into the victory crow of this New York kid?