For nearly a decade, the daily ritual for Ben Ratliff began the same way: stepping out the front door, crossing the street, descending the hill, and entering the verdant expanse of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. These runs were often accompanied by music, but sometimes taken in contemplative silence. As the global pandemic took hold, Ratliff, a seasoned music critic, began to meticulously document his sonic experiences during these runs. He became fascinated by the question of whether the motion of his body, the physical act of running, enhanced his perception of musical motion and rhythm. This exploration forms the heart of what he calls the “Run Song.”
Through wooded trails, alongside the Hudson River, and into the diverse landscapes of the Bronx lowlands, his runs became a backdrop to a world in flux. He encountered stark reminders of the unfolding crisis – newly erected fences intended for a temporary field hospital – and the powerful echoes of social upheaval in demonstrations against racial injustice. Just as the songs in his eclectic playlists varied in length and genre, so too did his runs and the insightful notes they inspired. His musical selections spanned a breathtaking range: the soulful sounds of the seventies, intricate jazz improvisations, the raw energy of hardcore punk, the delicate textures of string quartets, Éliane Radigue’s mesmerizing slow-change electronics, the complex melodies of Carnatic singing, dynamic DJ sets, piano music in all its forms, the smooth sophistication of Sade, the classic charm of Fred Astaire, and the contemporary beats of Ice Spice.
Run the Song is more than just a chronicle of playlists; it is a narrative of a professional critic seeking to reconnect with music on a deeper level, frustrated by the limitations of traditional critical approaches. When confronted with a piece of music that puzzled or eluded him, Ratliff turned to running as a method of inquiry. “Let’s run it,” became his mantra, an invitation to physically engage with the music, to allow the rhythm of his feet and breath to unlock new understandings. In Run the Song, readers are invited to join this remarkable journey, to listen alongside a keen and perceptive guide through a period of profound uncertainty, and to discover the unique dialogue between motion, music, and meaning.
