increasing your power of listening? [Bob project]

[Bob]

Has anyone else had the experience of listening to a piece, then studying it or doing a little ear training, then coming back to that original recording and being able to hear so much more detail?  It's like your mind is free to focus on other things that were still present before, but only now noticed.

Any comments?  Does anyone know how to increase this?

[comme_le_vent]

yeah, something that is as good for your ear as any ear training - is simply listening to certain music - in a certain way.
the best music for this is contrapuntal music with many simultaneous melodies - bach and godowsky are probably the 1st composers that come to mind.
listen with the score - and focus on specific melody lines that ARENT at the fore, look and listen to the middle and lower voiced melodies.
this will improve your ear - and your playing consequentially.

[comme_le_vent]

the best music of all - for this exercise - is the second movement of godowsky's sonata in E minor - very rich and lush music- and incredibly beautiful - but try not to cover your sheet music with tear stains