What is music?
A bold question...At this point in time I don't believe that anyone knows the answer per se. What I do believe possible is that there is an answer for each of us, as individuals, who perceive, enjoy, and create music.
The first definition I learned was used by Edgard Varése to describe his music. He called it "organized sound." In many ways I still find truth with this, though I would like to establish more clarity. Much of what we understand as music deals in our perception of organized sounds. In this regard Varése only gets us half-way.
John Cage also supported the idea that music was organized sound. He further encouraged us to hear all sounds are music.
Soundscape composer Francisco López, in the essay "Cagean philosophy: a devious version of the classical procedural paradigm", defines music as follows:
"In my current world, music is an aesthetic perception/understanding/conception of sound."
For me, this is the idea that resonates most. I agree that music is inevitably different things to different people; a personal conception of sound. There must be a certain willingness on the part of listeners to "open their ears" to new sounds. Composers and musicians can not force the issue. They can present sounds to listeners but ultimately it comes down to each of us as individuals—do we hear these sounds as music or something else?
The first definition I learned was used by Edgard Varése to describe his music. He called it "organized sound." In many ways I still find truth with this, though I would like to establish more clarity. Much of what we understand as music deals in our perception of organized sounds. In this regard Varése only gets us half-way.
John Cage also supported the idea that music was organized sound. He further encouraged us to hear all sounds are music.
Soundscape composer Francisco López, in the essay "Cagean philosophy: a devious version of the classical procedural paradigm", defines music as follows:
"In my current world, music is an aesthetic perception/understanding/conception of sound."
For me, this is the idea that resonates most. I agree that music is inevitably different things to different people; a personal conception of sound. There must be a certain willingness on the part of listeners to "open their ears" to new sounds. Composers and musicians can not force the issue. They can present sounds to listeners but ultimately it comes down to each of us as individuals—do we hear these sounds as music or something else?
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home