Last weekend, I traveled to Haapsalu for the summer symphony.

Haapsalu is a town on the seashore about an hour away from Tallinn. Both the setting and the idea appeal to me, particularly for an outdoor performance on a long summer evening in an old castle. These ingredients aroused my curiosity, and in addition, Estonian composers as well as Mozart’s works were on the program.

Highlight of the evening: Songs by Eduard Tubin

The evening started with Tormis. Suite from the Estonian film “The Spring.” The relatively modern composition was a good start to the concert. The audience could get settled with an Estonian narrative that was familiar to them. Later that evening, they performed songs by Tubin arranged by R. Puur. “Õnne ootel” and Kõrvits. “Puudutus.” For me, this was the highlight of the evening: new music to my ears, sung in the beautiful Estonian language, by a performer who felt the meaning of each word, and an audience who opened up. The interpretation and reception of Rubin’s songs was great, or as my former Estonian language teacher would say: “Tubli, tubli.”

Another experience with Mozart

As you undoubtedly know, Mozart is my classical music superhero; his compositions and life story are a huge source of inspiration to me. As a teenager, I loved to play his music, now listening to it, feeling it, experiencing it, and wanting to know more about it every time. In that regard, this evening went differently than expected. I liked the music performance less, which made the evening primarily educational.

The first introduction: La Clemenza di Tito

Sandra Laagus climbed the stage to perform Sesto’s aria “Parto, ma tu ben mio.” A nice choice was to set up the clarinet as a second vocal alongside the singer on the stage; it created an interesting interpretation of this passionate song. Once again, Mozart proves to me how beautifully he brings out the singers’ sound. Go to this YouTube link to see for yourself.

This aria, sung initially by Sesto, expresses Sesto’s dichotomy between his loyalty to Tito and his desire to succumb to his love for Vitellia, who pushes him to attempt the assassination of his best friend. What will he choose? So, a song with a huge emotional charge and also an essential message to all of us. Although I desperately wanted to feel it, I didn’t.

The central theme of La clemenza di Tito is forgiveness. No matter how severe the betrayal, in this case by his wife, Vitellia, and his best friend, Sesto, Tito chooses to demonstrate moral leadership and grants both forgiveness and mercy.

The second chance: Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1

The last composition before the break was Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major, K. 207. And once more, the same feeling occurred, namely, none at all. So, I started wondering, was it due to the outside air that caused details to be lost? Although we were in a secure walled place, some things did blow over. It certainly could. However, I found that explanation insufficient, so I sought a more satisfactory answer.

Why was this performance thin, as if the musicians didn’t feel the music? And simultaneously, why didn’t it resonate with the audience? There should be an interaction between the two, the interpretation of the music and its reception.

Final proof: Mozart’s Symphony No. 40

Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550, composed in 1788, is one of his most well-known works. Also called the “Great G minor Symphony,” this piece stands out due to its emotional depth. Written in a minor key, it expresses deep feelings of tragedy and unrest. Unlike much of Mozart’s music, which is elegant and balanced, Symphony No. 40 feels urgent, stormy, and psychologically restless. Once again, it didn’t do enough for me. It was as if they misinterpreted the “syncope” where to stress, to articulate more, to accentuate, to feel.

Philosophical Meaning of the Symfony

Many interpret this symphony as Mozart’s expression of personal despair and a confrontation with mortality. He composed it during a challenging period characterized by financial stress and loneliness. Unlike other Classical era symphonies that focus on form and balance, this one reveals emotional honesty, psychological depth, and human vulnerability.

Did they understand Mozart?

With they, I mean musicians and audience. Mozart is on one hand mischievous and rebellious, and on the other he wants to bind people and deepen relations in harmony with counterpoint. As a member of the free masons, he had aspirations for a better world and also had a tendency to go against the establishment. Like, for example, his operas where he showed that the nobility are just like us ordinary people and are also capable of bad things. In Prague, they celebrated his Don Giovanni as a testament against the ruling power. An idea of freedom that is just as relevant in Estonia, after centuries of oppression by foreign powers, they can finally enjoy their own language, culture and country in complete freedom! So my advice: acquire a broader understanding. Not only of Mozart’s works, but in general. With the people and cultures we meet. Don’t judge, open up and respect the differences and similarities.

Da Capo: Pärt

Due to the audience’s enthusiasm, the orchestra played another encore, namely a work by Pärt. Music composed of quiet tones that fly unnoticed in the Estonian landscape. This one arrived noticeably with everyone; it was the familiar mix of recognition and comfort. What I want to give everyone, not just with music: go on a journey of discovery and dare to feel. Try to break away from your own framework to understand new music or other cultures better, as it may be misleading you.

Learning to discover and feel?

I strongly encourage everyone to read this book and listen to the accompanying music. Engaging with these stories will not only challenge your limits but also deepen your understanding of music. Don’t miss out on this enriching experience!

Buy the book

It was a beautiful and interesting summer evening.

I found the line-up of the works appropriate to environment and background. I noticed how much Estonians are, rightly so, proud of their heritage, and thus also got to know better the country I love to live in. Afterward, I allowed myself another pleasant drink at Wow Bao while enjoying the white midsummer night.

The post What Makes Haapsalu’s White Night So Special? first appeared on .

At MusikRoel, where music and philosophy meet, exploring the caffeinated rituals behind some of history’s most creative and contemplative minds is only fitting.

From opera houses to Enlightenment salons, coffee was often more than just a drink — it was a muse. Some ideas are born from silence, some from symphonies — and many, it turns out, from a steaming cup of coffee.

“Coffee is a great power in my life.”

— Voltaire

Coffee and the Composer’s Mind

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach didn’t just drink coffee — he composed an entire cantata about it. “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht” (aka the Coffee Cantata) is a playful ode to the drink’s addictive charm. In 18th-century Leipzig, Bach was a regular at Zimmermann’s Coffee House, where music and conversation flowed freely.

“If I couldn’t, three times a day,

be allowed to drink my little cup of coffee,

in my anguish, I will turn

into a shriveled-up roast goat.”

— Coffee Cantata, 1734

Ludwig van Beethoven

• Beethoven was obsessively precise with his coffee — he counted exactly 60 beans per cup.
• Part of his morning ritual before long hours of composing.

Franz Liszt

• Thrived in 19th-century Parisian cafés, performing and exchanging ideas.
• Coffee, conversation, and composition flowed together in salon culture.

Gustav Mahler

• Strong coffee was part of Mahler’s disciplined daily schedule.
• After long walks, he’d return to compose — always with a cup nearby.

The Philosopher’s Brew

Voltaire

• Reportedly drank 40–50 cups of coffee a day, often mixed with chocolate.
• His philosophical fire burned bright in the cafés of Paris.

Immanuel Kant

• He allowed himself one coffee daily, strictly at midday.
• Part of his famously rigid, reasoned life.

Søren Kierkegaard

• Owned dozens of coffee cups — chose a different one for each guest.
• Prepared coffee by filling a cup with sugar, then pouring in strong black coffee.

Jean-Paul Sartre & Simone de Beauvoir

• Lived and worked in Paris cafés like Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore.
• Coffee was their intellectual fuel — powering Being and Nothingness, The Second Sex, and more.

Coffeehouse Culture: Where It All Met

From Enlightenment philosophers in London’s coffeehouses to Romantic composers in Vienna’s cafés, coffee wasn’t just a drink — it was a creative catalyst. At MusikRoel, we believe in the power of rituals. Whether you’re listening to Arvo Pärt with a warm mug or reading Nietzsche between sips, music and philosophy often meet over coffee.

Bonus: Thinking in Tune — Coffee Edition Playlist

• Max Richter – Infra 5
• Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
• Erik Satie – Gnossienne No. 1
• Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert
• Bill Evans – Peace Piece
• J.S. Bach – Coffee Cantata (Selections)

What’s in your cup today? Drop us a line and share your ritual.

Follow MusikRoel closely for more posts, playlists, and sonic philosophy.

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The post The Coffee Habits of Great Minds: From Beethoven to Kant first appeared on .

“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche

Welcome to MusikRoel, a space where music and philosophy meet, interact, and resonate.

This site has grown from a simple curiosity — how music moves us — into a deeper investigation:
Can we think through music? Can a piece of music express an idea as clearly as a line from Plato or Nietzsche? And what happens when we listen, not just for melody, but for meaning?

Why Music and Philosophy?

At first glance, music and philosophy might seem worlds apart. One is emotional, wordless, abstract. The other — rational, structured, and concept-driven.

But look closer, and you’ll find they’ve always been connected:

• Pythagoras believed the cosmos was structured by musical ratios.
• Plato saw music as essential for shaping the soul.
• Nietzsche — philosopher and composer — called music “a universal language of the will.”
• Even modern thinkers like Adorno or Susan Sontag have wrestled with music’s power to reveal truths we can’t always say.

Here at MusikRoel, we’re not choosing sides. We’re asking better questions.

What You’ll Find Here

MusikRoel is an ongoing journey. Expect:

• Blog posts that explore music with a philosophical lens — from classical to experimental, jazz to ambient.
• Travel notes that share experiences and new learnings.
• Philosophical profiles of musical thinkers (like Nietzsche or Coltrane)
• Listening guides that teach you how to listen deeply and reflectively
• Playlists designed to inspire contemplation and dialogue
• Occasional audio essays, community submissions, and more

Whether you’re a musician seeking meaning, or a thinker seeking a soundtrack, you’ll find something that resonates here.

The post How Music Inspires Deep Thought: The Philosophy of Sound and Storytelling first appeared on .