What Robert Franz has said about Active listening to classical music

3 quotes · 1 episode · Oct 23, 2026

Robert Franz, Late conductor and music director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada, has been quoted on Active listening to classical music 3 times in 1 episode of TED Radio Hour, most recently on October 23, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

  • Franz argues composers can write rhythms that either work with or against the listener's heartbeat, explaining listeners' reactions.

    “listen to the rhythm and decide if the rhythm is with your heartbeat or against your heartbeat”

    TED Radio Hour: How we experience time (Oct 23, 2026) · Listen from 29:40

  • Franz describes music as architecture in time and says a good melody carries the listener through time.

    “Music is architecture in time, not in space, but in time”

    TED Radio Hour: How we experience time (Oct 23, 2026) · Listen from 36:37

  • Franz recounts that his father was so engaged in active listening that a 30-minute symphony felt too short.

    “My dad was so engaged with his active listening to classical music that he didn't even pay attention to the amount of time that had taken place”

    TED Radio Hour: How we experience time (Oct 23, 2026) · Listen from 43:44

Episodes

  • How we experience time

    TED Radio Hour · Oct 23, 2026 · 50 min

    Manoush Zomorodi explores how humans experience time with artist Katie Paterson, neuroscientist Irena Arslanova, conductor Robert Franz, and psychologist Philip Zimbardo.

Robert Franz on other topics