I was once moved to tears by a painting and its beauty caught me off guard. I was at the Chicago Art Institute and saw the original Renoir painting entitled ‘Two Sisters’.
The various reasons posited here for what we see or hear that brings us to tears fascinates me. I assure you when talking about the visual arts beauty isn’t the only trigger.
I have personally seen Guernica in its dedicated gallery at Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. No plate you’ve seen in an art book comes anywhere close to conveying the anger, the agony, the anguish that motivated Picasso to create it. I nearly lost it. I lingered in that gallery for a long time trying to come to terms with the feelings it aroused. I’ve never really recovered.
Guernica is an astounding work.
And when you are performing music?
Its a completely different set of emotions to me - also quite hard to describe
Yes, complex. And the emotions rarely coincide with what I hope to present to the audience.
You know your system is good when a mono recording makes you tear up!
Never cried during a musical performance on stage or at home.
But the experience of audiophile bliss? Oh yeah, many times!
I saw a nearly untouched ice cream cone laying in the street. Oh my.
I experience eargasm every time I ride the bike but I don’t like it for music.
I do feel strong emotions with certain music. But cry? No.
Sometimes when I’m playing a solo on my guitar, I will get into an emotional state where the house could be burning down and I wouldn’t notice.
Although I almost came to tears when I broke the cantilever off one of my cartridges.
The story of Guernica is extraordinary on so many levels. Can’t say that, it makes me cry. It’s the political context that comes to mind first. On the subject of politics, . . .
(Edit: Political content deleted. Steven you know not to go there. Knock it off. ELK)
This book was written for an 80th anniversary exhibition that we made a point to go and see.
The first time I cried as an Audiophile was when I realized how much money I wasted buying the wrong equipment!
Here is the true EAR-GASM courtesy of this Langley Demo pilot at this UK airshow in one of the jets built during last year of production.
EAR full Elevators-Ailerons-Rudders checked at 1:00
GASM Pilot puts both Throttles full forward on F-119 engines after wheels in the wells at about 3:05. When he fully GAS’-eM you see the jet finally fully leap forward in a boost of speed about 2-3 seconds later he does full stick back for Viking straight up takeoff. Unfortunately quite quickly later he has to throttle back in climb out to avoid a sonic boom. F-22 pilots must be careful of advancing full throttle during takeoff, so as not to exceed airspeed structural limits of having landing gear down. This pilot clearly didn’t risk it, seeing in he is in only partial AB with gear down. After wheels up throttles are slammed forward.
As for when the Audiophiles Cry it’s when you realize during this airshow flight demo that having just one set of ear protection in ears is clearly not enough to watch a F-22 flight demo. Your hands instinctively cover previously plugged ears. Both face and butt cheeks are literally flapping from sonic air blasts causing what feels like a ground quake around you. Being on the ground in the crowd at an airshow and watching blue flames emitted from engines during afterburner turns is truly awe inspiring. But no video can ever do it justice. See it live if airshow comes by you.
I recall watching numerous production flight takeoffs. The two F-16s we launched as chase/target planes would takeoff first and the F-22 would literally blast by them during climb out though given a plentiful accelerating head start.
When no one is home I’ll get up dancing with music turned on to insane level (cannot do that when they are home not because of volume, but me dancing). When I get tired I’ll pour myself a drink, lower the volume, and fall in sleep.
Never cried though.
Interesting twist to the thread. I’ve seen the Raptor up close and personal at the Chicago Air and Water Show. By up close and personal, I mean a flyover of my 60 floor building on the waterfront so ‘intimate’ I can see the silhouette of the pilot through the canopy. In fact, I’m certain our building because of where it is located and its height is a landmark for all the demo solos and team routines. Can’t say the roar is GASM worthy, but I’m damned sure I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of what that beast can deliver. It is its own deterrent.
One pilot asked what it’s like flying the Raptor versus other aircraft in an assembly responded. “It feels like clubbing Baby Seals.”
The better PITA approved one i heard is “It’s like being a heavy weight boxer where all of your opponents are blindfolded.”
Let us not forget Graham Kerr! 
Benny Hill used to cry a lot too!
I usually only sob at very happy touching parts in movies. The only song I can recall that can get me teary eyed is Alison Krauss’ “Jacob’s Dream”. Such a beautiful song with such a sad story and haunting vocals.
Here are a few songs that make me emotional and sometimes get me teary-eyed when I pay attention to the lyrics.
Harry Chapin - Cats in the Cradle
Don McLean - American Pie
CSNY - Ohio
